About Us

The RNVR Yacht Club is predominantly a cruising club with over 400 club members who own between them some 190 yachts, of which many are based on the south coast of England.  Events organised during the year have been traditionally Channel-based and typically comprise a week-long Summer Rally and five weekend meets, together with a "further afield" cruise every year.

The Summer Rally takes in three or four ports over the week with dinners arranged in attractive clubhouses or local restaurants and visits to nearby places of interest.  In 2013, we held our Summer Rally in the Baltic, chartering the British Kiel Yacht Club’s fleet of Halberg Rassy 34.2s. In 2014, the Club’s Summer Rally visited the ports of Cherbourg, St. Vaast and Ouistreham, where the Club participated in the ceremonies to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings and we toured the D Day beaches. The 2018 cruise took members on a 10 day cruise along the French coast from St Vaast to Granville in time for Bastille day and France winning the World Cup Final.

The successful Five Rivers Cruise in the Solent in 2013 was followed in 2014 by the Five Harbours Cruise, which visited Bembridge, Port Solent, Hythe Marina, Island Harbour and Lymington.  More annual 'five' cruises culminated in 2017 with the Five Sailors cruise which visited Bembridge, Southsea, Cowes, Hamble and Lymington. Also that year the Club's 75th Anniversary dinner was held at the RYS in the presence of our Admiral.  

Weekend Meets are usually based in the Solent, with a Saturday evening dinner in a yacht club.  

Club Sailing Weekends in the Solent provide an opportunity for owners to meet crew and vice versa, and for some practical onboard training, for example, in navigation, yacht familiarisation and yacht handling, usually provided by one of the several members who are RYA Instructors.

The Club also organises a "further afield" Cruise when members enjoy exploring exotic locations in company on chartered yachts.  The next cruise will be in Malta in Summer 2019.

The Club makes a number of annual awards which are presented at the Annual Dinner.  Two of these are for sailing accomplishments, being:

    • The Volunteer Cup for the most enterprising voyage made during the year
    • The Elizabeth Cup for the first member home in the Round the Island Race

Whilst upholding a strong Naval tradition and ethos, the Club welcomes past and present members of all the Armed Services, their Reserves, University Units and Commonwealth equivalents to apply for membership. There is also a more limited opportunity for applicants without a Services connection to join. Just click on the ‘join’ tab to find more details and to apply.