Beccles Amateur Sailing Club is built on a solid foundation of member participation.

 

Having been conceived at a meeting at the King's Head Hotel on 13th March 1907, the club's initial philosophy was to organise formal racing for sailing craft on the River Waveney on summer Saturday afternoons. In those days a strict policy of only admitting Beccles residents was in force along with a stipulation that amateurism would not be compromised. Crews were not allowed if they were professionally engaged 'in or about boats'. With membership at five shillings per year, the action was predominantly amongst racing cruisers.

 

The club today is an enviable position of owning its own land with responsibilities for the upkeep of the adjacent quay heading. Its clubhouse is home to its family orientated membership of around 200.

 

Sailing activities run from April until the end of December. Formal racing is still the objective and takes place every Saturday afternoon during the summer season and Sunday mornings after the clocks change in late October.

 

The emphasis has always been on attracting family membership, particularly for the sailing uninitiated who will receive a particularly warm welcome.  All of the club's facilities are geared towards families, and existing members like to be involved in encouraging young people. There are always RYA trained coaches and members prepared to give tips and useful advice, and the club's scenic location offers a particularly safe environment. Our President Janet Forster explains: "Because our home stretch of the river is fairly narrow, beginners feel comfortable in that they are close to the bank if there should be a splash". The whole family is provided for, with parents encouraged to learn alongside their children. The sailing club runs every Saturday, with the club providing a fleet of training boats, so that new members can try out the sport before investing in their own dinghy.

 

The clubhouse itself offers good basic amenities with tea, coffee and snacks available, as well as a fully licensed bar. There are male and female changing rooms, a private slipway down to the water, a spacious car park and a locked dinghy park. This is available for members to store boats in all year round.