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Last updated 10:44 on 6 February 2024

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Royal Lymington Yacht Club celebrate centenary

In 2022 the Royal Lymington Yacht Club will be celebrating its centenary with a spectacular year of celebrations afloat and ashore.

It was in 1922 that the Lymington River Sailing Club was formed, in the aftermath of the Great War, which had frustrated all previous attempts to bring together local sailors.

Many of “the great and the good” lived in Lymington and were members of the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, but they wanted their own Club on their home river. That year, Major Cyril Potter and his friends got together at Potter’s house, near the ferry terminal, to form the Club.

They bought the disused Coastguard Boathouse which was ideally situated on the town side of the river. Since then, it has been expanded to become the excellent facility enjoyed by members today.

From small dinghies to the biggest cruising and racing yachts

“Royal” status was bestowed on the Club in 1938, which complemented Royal patronage of the Club since 1925, the current Patron being HRH The Princess Royal. Right from the start, members sailed everything from small dinghies to the biggest cruising and racing yachts.

Local fleets in Lymington

XOD dayboats were on the river as the Club began and continue to be raced in large numbers today. Channel and offshore racing became a big part of Club activity, crews made up of Royal Lymington members regularly and successfully competed against other yacht clubs enhancing the Royal Lymington’s prowess.

Today Nordic Folkboats, J/80s and cruiser-racers contribute to a thriving keelboat racing scene.

Developing world class sailors

Many early members sought the advice and skills of Dan Bran, one of Lymington’s boat building legends, who had his shed near the Seawater Baths.  From Dan came the Lymington Pram which together with the smaller Lymington Scow were seen on the river for many years. Today, the Lymington Scow is raced on the river in large numbers together with many modern dinghies.

The Club’s racing credentials are impeccable, staging the famous Royal Lymington Cup match-racing series for three decades and attracting the most famous sailors in the world to Lymington.  Sailing stars such as Olympic medallists Sir Ben Ainslie, Pippa Wilson, Sarah Gosling, world match-racing champion Ian Williams, plus numerous young talent including Vita Heathcote/Ryan Orr and Emily Mueller  - are all very much part of the Royal Lymington family.

Many sailors begin their voyages from the Club whether it be setting off around the world or on one of the many cruising meets catering for yachts and motorboats.

Wednesday Junior Sailing

Junior Sailing is in many ways the “Jewel in the Crown” of the Club’s achievements. Wednesday Junior Sailing began over 30 years ago as a community project by members. It is designed to benefit any local children interested in learning to sail.  Every year literally hundreds of individually coached sailing sessions are provided during the summer months, teaching juniors everything from tying knots, to rowing and sailing small dinghies. The emphasis is on fun while fostering a love for boats and all things water-borne along the way.

The Club’s junior coaching programme is widely respected as one of the most successful in the UK. Over the years it has introduced hundreds of young people to the joy of racing boats.

Yacht Havens have been longstanding supporters of this wonderful scheme, which celebrated its 35th year in 2019 with a visit from HRH Princess Anne .

Sailing encourages a lively social scene ashore.  It is very much a fraternity of the like-minded, the bar being the centre of activity.  The winter season is filled with lectures, dinners, quiz nights, art competitions and even yoga classes. The Club has come a long way in its hundred years, from a somewhat elitist organisation to one which nowadays embraces everyone active on the water.  As its website says, the Club is “The home of yachting, dinghy sailing and motorboating”. New members are always welcome including experienced sailors and motorboaters as well as those new to the water.  Find here more information about joining the Club  and for membership enquiries please contact 01590 672677 or [email protected] . To see what the Club has on offer in its second century it has an open day on 26th March 2022.

Sir Ben Ainslie Centenary Message for Royal Lymington Yacht Club

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HRH The Princess Royal Celebrates Centenary at Royal Lymington Yacht Club

Royal Lymington Yacht Club

July 14, 2022

HRH The Princess Royal is presented with flowers and gifts by young RLymYC member Ruby Coster. Photo courtesy of Sportography

On Saturday, June 18, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, otherwise known as Princess Anne, visited the Royal Lymington Yacht Club (RLymYC) for an impressive Regatta Day celebrating the Club’s centenary.

The Centenary Regatta Day and “Après Sail Festival” brought together Members of all ages, their families and friends for a glorious celebration of one hundred years on the water. Flotillas of yachts, dinghies, motorboats and paddle craft took part in a wide variety of events during the day. Afterwards, Members returned ashore for food, drinks, live music and fun activities including a Centenary Haybale Games on the green adjacent the clubhouse.

RLymYC Commodore Phil Lawrence said “We were honoured that our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, was able to join over 800 Members of all ages for our Centenary Regatta Day. We celebrated one hundred years of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club with a packed day of activities afloat and ashore.

“Out on the water Princess Anne reviewed our fleet of members’ yachts and powerboats, many of which were dressed overall to celebrate the day. Keelboats raced for our prestigious PotterShip Trophy and the dinghy fleet raced in boisterous conditions. Many of our junior sailors were delighted to meet the Princess as she watched them learning the joys of boating.

HRH The Princess Royal watches XOD Boats starting the RLymYC PotterShip Race on the Solent at the Centenary Regatta Day. Photo courtesy of Sportography

“Back ashore, dozens of Club volunteers delivered a tremendous festival with food and drink, live music and fun activities on the green. It was fantastic to see so many Members with a shared passion for boating – from the very youngest to those with over 50 years of membership enjoying the celebrations.

HRH The Princess Royal meets young sailors at Royal Lymington Yacht Club’s Centenary Regatta Day. Photo courtesy of Sportography

“We were delighted to showcase to Her Royal Highness the enormous range of varied activities and excellent facilities the Club has to offer. Whether your passion is motor cruisers, yachts, dinghies or paddle boards, junior sailing and training or a thriving social scene, the Royal Lymington Yacht Club has something for everyone.”

Patron of the Club since 1979, the Princess was welcomed by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mr. Nigel Atkinson, New Forest District Council’s Vice-Chairman, Councillor Neville Penman, Mayor of Lymington, Councillor James Hoare, and the Club’s Commodore, Phil Lawrence.

The Princess Royal was introduced to Club’s Flag Officers, Centenary Regatta organisers and a number of young sailors, before heading out on the water in a RIB to tour the Regatta. A spectacular fleet of Members’ yachts dressed overall in nautical flags and motor cruisers anchored in lines on the Solent adjacent to the Club’s Starting Platform for a Fleet Review by Her Royal Highness.

The Princess Royal then took the opportunity to watch the prestigious PotterShip Race, an annual event where Members compete for the glittering PotterShip Trophy, given by the Club’s founder, Major Cyril Potter, in 1937.

After watching the start for the XOD boats, which have been raced out of the Club throughout its one-hundred-year history, the Princess Royal was treated to an impressive ‘fly-past’ by young Club Member, Hattie Rogers in her foiling Waszp dinghy, in which she was recently crowned SailGP Inspire Female World Champion. Hattie said “The Centenary Regatta was a complete celebration of all types of racing and cruising. To sail in front of Her Royal Highness was an honour and very memorable.”

Whilst out on the water, Her Royal Highness was introduced to the race and safety officials, and watched the dinghy racing, where junior, youth and adult sailors were racing in windy conditions a lot stronger than originally forecast.

The Princess Royal then had the opportunity to watch the Club’s youngest sailors in more sheltered water closer to shore; a colourful display of pottering Lymington River Scows brightening up the grey sky. Her Royal Highness waved to the youngsters and showed a great interest in the Club’s adventure sailing ‘Shipmates’ and ‘Mariners’ fleets and enjoyed seeing the two Club Boatmen, dressed as ice creams, handing out ice lollies to the delighted children.

The Royal Lymington Yacht Club is one of the most active ‘Royal’ Clubs, founded in the hopeful days after the first World War. Royal status was bestowed on the Club in 1936, which complemented the Royal patronage of the Club since 1925. The First Patron was HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the uncle of HM The Queen.

Since becoming Patron of the Club in 1979, HRH The Princess Royal has made numerous working visits to the Club, including joining the crew in the ladies’ championship event, participating in RIB support of junior racing, and attending key events in the life of the Club, such as the commissioning of the new pontoon in 2016. The Princess Royal has been an enthusiastic visitor to the Club’s special occasions and for a while kept her yacht on the river close to the Club.

The Princess Royal has taken a particular interest in young people’s sailing and training, as well as sailing for disabled people. She most recently visited Royal Lymington in 2019 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Wednesday Junior Sailing, the Club’s community sailing programme, which is in many ways the “Jewel in the Crown” of the Club’s achievements. This unique project was started by a group of members to benefit local children interested in learning to sail who might otherwise not have the opportunity.

The Royal Lymington Yacht Club is considered very much a home of yachting, dinghy sailing and motor boating – bringing together likeminded people with a love of the sea. Find more information about the Club at rlymyc.org.uk . The Club continues to welcome new members, contact [email protected] or call 01590 672677.

Royal Lymington Yacht Club appoints a new CEO

Royal Lymington Yacht Club

NEW APPOINTMENT OF A CEO

Royal Lymington Yacht Club are creating a new position of CEO to support the dynamic growth of the Yacht Club, to commence in April/May 2023 to be agreed.

RLymYC is a leading yacht club with over 2,000 members and an RYA Training Centre running extensive RYA courses ashore and afloat for both adults & children.

An extensive clubhouse and shore facilities with Restaurant and Bar hosts a full all year- round social programme.

This is an exciting high-profile opportunity to work with the Board to lead and drive the organisation into a post Covid era and shape the strategic direction of the Club.

Role description and information.

Royal Lymington Yacht Club – Virtual Club Tour

To apply, please send a cover letter stating your suitability for the role along with a copy of your CV to: [email protected]

Closing date for applications: 15TH March 2023 Interviews to be held from early April

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Club Olympic Successes

The Royal Lymington Yacht Club are very proud of its competing sailors. Our keel-boats & dinghies compete at national level and our members are regular prize winners in the individual classes at Cowes Week and in the Round the Island Race. We have outstanding success at both international & national level with our junior fleets and we were delighted to celebrate Ben Ainslie’s 5th Gold in the London 2012 Olympics & his America’s Cup win on his return home.

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