Wembley Sailing Club is hosting a Push the Boat Out event on Sunday May 20, where those interested in taking up the sport are invited to experience the club in action.
This is a nationwide Royal Yachting Association (RYA) initiative and a key date in the club’s calendar, where guests will be able to find out more about courses and membership or just enjoy a wonderful day out.
An experienced sailor will take attendees out onto the waters of the Welsh Harp for a taster session, before guests return to dry land for a BBQ and the chance to meet the club’s existing members.
For Colin Brockbank – the club’s Commodore – the reasons to get into sailing extend far beyond the fact that it is a great new sport to discover.
“You forget about your troubles when you’re out there on a boat, and you meet a whole lot of interesting people along the way” he says.
“Sailing opens up so many doors. It’s about making new friends and going to different places; it gives you the chance to travel around the country and the whole sailing scene in Britain is better than any other country in the world – you really are entering into a fantastic sport.”
Colin has nurtured his talent and passion for boating at the club, which offers a fun and friendly place for sailors both competitive and social to develop their skills.
There are 300 members on their books and numbers continue to grow, with those who love to sail drawn to the tranquil setting of 100-acres of water set against the backdrop of Wembley Stadium’s iconic arch.
The club also incorporates the Harp Sailing School, which is an official RYA training centre offering both adult and junior courses.
Instructors teach RYA Levels 1, 2 and Seamanship for adults, as well as junior stages 1, 2, 3, 4 and Seamanship.
The Harp Sailing School hosts two-day RYA courses (held over consecutive Sundays) where beginners can get out on the water for the first time under the expert guidance of a qualified instructor. Courses are run on the same days so parents and children can often learn to sail together.
The club is a great place for new people to get into the sport of sailing, but there is also a healthy competitive spirit here with two races every Sunday throughout the year and a race on Wednesday evenings in the spring and summer months.
Colin continues: “I love the competitive side of it – there’s nothing quite like winning a race!
“I’m a competitive person by nature and I think it’s good for children to develop that competitive spirit too. But you can also sail a long time in your life and we’ve got a broad range of ages at the club – one of our members’ is 80 and he is often at the front of the fleet!”
There is also a thriving social side to Wembley Sailing Club; something that Sam Pearce has enjoyed throughout her four years as a member.
She says: “It’s a lovely place to come to, a friendly club with one of the best stretches of sailing water in London, surrounded by green parkland. It’s a jewel in north London that few people know about.
“It’s a really good family environment, good fun for the kids and a wonderful experience to be able to go sailing in the heart of London. We sail at the club every Sunday all year round and Wednesday evenings during the summer – it’s a great way to stay fit and healthy.”
RYA Level 1 courses for adults start from £125, while junior courses are £87.50. The club has high quality boats that members are able to use for free.
For information on RYA courses you can email Brian Whyte on training@wembleysailingclub.co.uk, or call 01442 399 188.
For more information, check out the Wembley Sailing Club website here, contact Colin on 07969 132 571 or email colin.brockbank@btinternet.com
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