2025 Events now available for booking
Club Activities
We organise a series of club events throughout the year. These are not formal training occasions, but we try to make them as constructive as the crew wish. The skippers are all very experienced cruising skippers, with a long club history, and they enjoy sharing their enthusiasm with others.
Our yacht Eagle, a 38’ Bavaria, is ideally based for the Solent being moored on a new easy access pontoon at Universal Marina on the Hamble River. For those who want to venture further afield, the West Country, the north French Coast and Channel Islands are only a day sail away.
2025 CLUB ACTIVITIES PROGRAMME
This year, as in previous years, we have arranged a wide variety of Club Events to enable Members to improve their skills, learn new techniques of boat handling and seamanship or just go sailing.
15 – 16 MARCH
Skippers Refresher Weekend
We expect all Club Skippers to attend a single day refresher or whole weekend with a club host skipper at the beginning of the season. The cost will be £25 per person per day + fuel, over a 75% discount on the usual one day event cost. The club would strongly recommend attendance on one of these events if you are planning to charter this year and, in particular, if you have not chartered Eagle in the last 2 years.
Focusing on our skippers refreshing their general boat handling skills, this will be a day or weekend of berthing, sail hoisting, reefing and reminding! The emphasis is on seamanship, practical navigation, close quarters manoeuvres under engine and a chance to regain your confidence, blow off the dust and rust!
If none of the dates are suitable, please contact Richard Foulkes, Training Co-ordinator to discuss alternative dates.
22 – 23 MARCH
Skippers Refresher Weekend
We expect all Club Skippers to attend a single day refresher or whole weekend with a club host skipper at the beginning of the season. The cost will be £25 per person per day + fuel, over a 75% discount on the usual one day event cost. The club would strongly recommend attendance on one of these events if you are planning to charter this year and, in particular, if you have not chartered Eagle in the last 2 years.
Focusing on our skippers refreshing their general boat handling skills, this will be a day or weekend of berthing, sail hoisting, reefing and reminding! The emphasis is on seamanship, practical navigation, close quarters manoeuvres under engine and a chance to regain your confidence, blow off the dust and rust!
If none of the dates are suitable, please contact Richard Foulkes, Training Co-ordinator to discuss alternative dates.
29 – 30 MARCH
Skippers Refresher Weekend
We expect all Club Skippers to attend a single day refresher or whole weekend with a club host skipper at the beginning of the season. The cost will be £25 per person per day + fuel, over a 75% discount on the usual one day event cost. The club would strongly recommend attendance on one of these events if you are planning to charter this year and, in particular, if you have not chartered Eagle in the last 2 years.
Focusing on our skippers refreshing their general boat handling skills, this will be a day or weekend of berthing, sail hoisting, reefing and reminding! The emphasis is on seamanship, practical navigation, close quarters manoeuvres under engine and a chance to regain your confidence, blow off the dust and rust!
If none of the dates are suitable, please contact Richard Foulkes, Training Co-ordinator to discuss alternative dates.
05 – 06 APRIL
Skippers Refresher Weekend
We expect all Club Skippers to attend a single day refresher or whole weekend with a club host skipper at the beginning of the season. The cost will be £25 per person per day + fuel, over a 75% discount on the usual one day event cost. The club would strongly recommend attendance on one of these events if you are planning to charter this year and, in particular, if you have not chartered Eagle in the last 2 years.
Focusing on our skippers refreshing their general boat handling skills, this will be a day or weekend of berthing, sail hoisting, reefing and reminding! The emphasis is on seamanship, practical navigation, close quarters manoeuvres under engine and a chance to regain your confidence, blow off the dust and rust!
If none of the dates are suitable, please contact Richard Foulkes, Training Co-ordinator to discuss alternative dates.
13 – 17 APRIL
Theory into practice – Navigation
This is not intended to be a usual club sailing event, definitely not one I’ve seen before or doubt few members have participated in either.
To quote Google “navigation” “the process or activity of accurately ascertaining one’s position and planning and following a route.” Easy in theory, but the reality can often be far more challenging. I’d further suggest navigation at sea especially under sail is at best a theory based on guesswork, assumptions and inaccuracies. Which is what this event sets out to tackle over a few days of fun sailing beyond the Solent. The “Plan” as much as all best laid plans, is predominantly about sailing using the traditional instruments and tools available to the navigator to help shape a course to the intended destination. However, all is not as expected and like all ambiguous plots the navigation will be unlike anything navigated before with twists and turns along the way, challenging first principles using traditional and electrical instruments. The back to basics, time and tide, speed, bearings, CTS, COG, fixes, EP’s, contours and forces of nature to contend with in a number of practical sailing activities for the crew, helm, skipper and navigators all working together.
26 – 28 APRIL
Royal Yacht Clubs Sailing
Although some Royal Yacht Clubs are by invitation only, according to the Channel Pilot there are many in the Solent who welcome visitors. The friendly service, reasonably priced beer and good wholesome food, also at competitive prices, are often overlooked. Some of these clubs may appear inaccessible but with careful planning and weather on our side, the aim of this event, skippered by Peter Dollin, is to see how many can be visited in 3 days, whether it be for a swift fluid refreshment or a meal.
10 – 11 MAY
Ladies Sailing Weekend
Skippered by Jane Mancini, this is an opportunity for the ladies to sail together. It is a relaxed event filled with a little bit of everything; mooring practice, chart plotting, practicing techniques whilst cruising to Chichester or Poole or just exploring the Solent – followed with a G&T in the evening of course.
20 – 22 MAY
Just Go Sailing – 3 days
With no pre-set agenda this sail could be intensive exercises or a leisurely Solent cruise.
The host skipper will organise the agenda to suit all on board – it might just be a sail to one of the delightful destinations such as Lymington / Yarmouth or Cowes, or if everyone prefers, it could be a chance to practice coming alongside pontoons, picking up a person overboard and general sail handling.
30 MAY – 9 JUNE
Early Summer Cruise
To attract a composite crew for this 10 day cruise, ideally the aim of this cruise is to reach foreign waters and have one day off from sailing at some point (but this is not guaranteed). It should be noted that both Summer cruises will likely begin with a long day or night passage. This years passage will be skippered by Vern Bush our club commodore.
20 – 22 JUNE
Around the Island
With the daylight hours at their maximum and the weather improving this event may mean more time on the water. This event is perfect for skippers who would like more experience, or novice sailors who would like to see the south side of the Island. The weekend will draw on your navigation, helm and crew skills with probable night sailing hours also.
Of course the host skipper will organise the agenda to suit all on board taking into consideration the weather forecast and the crews experience. It could be a chance to practice coming alongside pontoons, picking up a person overboard and general sail handling.
1 – 3 JULY
Tricky Harbours
Subject to weather of course but the predicted tides may allow access for an overnight stop to some of those trickier Solent harbours like Bembridge and Beaulieu. This event skippered by Peter Dollin is a 3 day midweek sail to avoid the crowds and being 3 days makes it worth the journey for those of you who live further afield.
11 – 13 JULY
Just Go Sailing – Seafood Festival!
A new event for 2025, and Skippered by Peter Makin, this will appeal to those who have other interests besides sailing. The plan would be to take a leisurely sail to one destination, in this case Lymington, where on these dates the Seafood Festival will be taking place.
16 – 17 AUGUST
Just Go Sailing August
With no pre-set agenda this sail could be intensive exercises or a leisurely Solent cruise.
The host skipper will organise the agenda to suit all on board – it might just be a sail to one of the delightful destinations such as Lymington / Yarmouth or Cowes, or if everyone prefers, it could be a chance to practice coming alongside pontoons, picking up a person overboard and general sail handling.
02 – 04 SEPTEMBER
Just Go Sailing 3 Days
With no pre-set agenda this sail could be intensive exercises or a leisurely Solent cruise.
The host skipper will organise the agenda to suit all on board – it might just be a sail to one of the delightful destinations such as Lymington / Yarmouth or Cowes, or if everyone prefers, it could be a chance to practice coming alongside pontoons, picking up a person overboard and general sail handling.
06 – 07 SEPTEMBER
Crossley Cup Racing
This year Spread Eagle’s Crossley Cup Regatta, one of the City Sailing Series regattas, arranged by the Portcullis Sailing Club, will again be run jointly with the Finn Trophy, which is hosted by the Stock Exchange and Baltic Exchange Sailing Clubs. Boats representing banks and City Institutions sailing clubs, with other entries, will race on Saturday and Sunday.
After a day’s competitive, but friendly, racing in the Solent, a formal dinner will be held at either the Royal Yacht Squadron or the Royal Ocean Racing Club [formerly Royal Corinthian YC], two of the most prestigious Cowes based sailing clubs
22 SEPT – 02 OCT
Late Summer Cruise
To attract a composite crew for the cruise, the aim is to endeavour to get Eagle outside of her familiar Solent waters. Skippered by Jane Mancini, the destinations will be planned nearer the time but it is hoped the tides are favourable for a West Country exploration.
15 – 16 NOVEMBER
Night Sailing / Masterclass
Are you ready to be challenged! This weekend is for qualified Skippers only and is for those who want to practise their skills in boat handling in confined places and other advanced sailing techniques that you wouldn’t normally do with your usual crew. It could be sail trimming, rudderless sailing, blind navigation, and anything else that you might want to try. This event is hosted by Richard Foulkes one of our most experienced Skippers which gives you the benefit of all the guidance that you might need.