Otley Sailing Club
Loads of work to be done throughout the year.
The current list of jobs is here:-
Spring Dinghy Racing Series.
✅ Club boats available to hire (msg WhatsApp group to confirm) ✅ Powerboats on the water (msg WhatsApp group to confirm)
Series Dates: Sundays in April & May. We race every Sunday afternoon when conditions are favourable and the spirit is willing.
Start time: 2pm, (but this is subject to variability if other events are taking place.) So people start to turn up at about 1:00.
How long do we race? Typically we'll either do a 45 minute-ish race or two shorter ones.
Is it serious racing? Definately not! We're just a bunch of friends who enjoy chasing each other around the cans in our boats. Sure we more or less follow the official racing rules but honestly everyone is very welcome to come and join in - whatever your age, or sailing experience. The more boats we can get out the more fun it is for everyone. We're all more than happy to point newcomers in the right direction.
Afterwards: coffee & biscuits in the club house while we warm up and debate who actually went the right way around the course.
Not Racing? No problem. You're very welcome to continue using the lake. Do have a look at the race board on the Training Room wall to get an idea of our course though, so you dont get tangled up in things. If you want to borrow a club boat or take advantage of the Safety Boat being on the water just put a message us on the WhatsApp group so we can make sure there's someone about to help.
WhatsApp Racing Group: please join the Racing WhatsApp Group to stay in the loop or email sailing@otley-sailingclub.co.uk
Series Dates: Wednesdays in April & May. We race every Wednesday evening when conditions are favourable and the spirit is willing.
Start time: 6pm, (but this is subject to variability if other events are taking place.) So people start to turn up at about 5:15 / 5:30.
How long do we race? Typically we'll either do a 45 minute-ish race
RYA Youth Training Sessions. Stages 1 & 2
This is a beginners sailing course (RYA Stage 1 & 2) aimed at OSC member Juniors with little or no experience. The course will cover launching and recovery, sailing across the wind, turning around, steering and basic parts of the boat. By the end of the course the juniors should be able to sail across the wind, steer and understand the basic principles of sailing.
The course will be over 4 days, from 9.30am until 4.30pm on Friday 18th April to Monday 21st April 2025
In addition to enjoyment and learning new skills, safety is of paramount importance during Otley Sailing Club courses. Water sports can be hazardous by their nature and participants, parents or guardians must accept that there are risks and the inevitable bumps and scrapes which happen during the thrills and spills of fast moving activities. To manage the risks so far as we are able, Otley sailing club has a ‘safe system of work’:
Please note that the Juniors will need the following:-
Cancellations
By Trainee1, All cancellations must be in writing. 2, If required it is the trainee's responsibility to obtain personal insurance with regard to cancellation. 3, If the trainee cancels more than 8 weeks before the start of the course, the Trainee receive a refund. 4, If the trainee gives less than 8 weeks notice of cancellation, but more than 2 weeks notice after payment of the balance of the course fee, 80% of the course fee will be retained by Otley Sailing Club. 5, If the trainee gives less than 2 weeks notice of cancellation after payment of the balance of the course fee, 100% of the course fee will be retained by Otley Sailing Club.
By Otley Sailing Club:
1, Every attempt will be made to ensure the course takes place. However, Otley Sailing Club reserves the right to cancel a course at any time if it believes on reasonable grounds that cancellation is necessary due to unsuitable conditions. 2, Otley Sailing Club reserves the right to cancel a course at any time if the number of Trainees fails to reach a workable minimum, such numbers to be determined by Otley Sailing Club. 3, In all other cases, weekend courses may be cancelled up to 3 weeks prior to the start date. Longer courses may be cancelled up to 4 weeks prior to the starting date. The Otley Sailing Club liability does not extend beyond points 1-4 above.
Safety
In addition to enjoyment and learning new skills, safety is of paramount importance on all Otley Sailing Club courses. Clearly, water sports and adventure activities are hazardous by their nature and participants must accept that there are risks and the inevitable bumps and scraps which happen during the thrills and spills of fast moving activities. To manage the risks so far as we are able, Otley Sailing Club has a 'safe system of work': - we only use qualified experienced staff - we provide a range of safety equipment for participants' comfort and safety. - we provide safe equipment for your course. - we teach to RYA recommendations and guidelines, in small groups. - we have robust management and safety systems which have been inspected by approved bodies such as the RYA
- we reserve the right to modify or cancel an activity if we feel that there are unmanageable risks.
Insurance
Our boats and instructors carry public liability insurance, however sailing is a challenging adventure sport and we do not offer cover for any courses in respect of cancellation, curtailment of your course or self-caused accident to yourselves or others, if you are worried about this we recommend that you take out personal insurance.
This Dinghy Sailing course is designed to follow the RYA "Start Sailing" and "Basic Skills" (Levels 1 & 2) Adult syllabus.
On successful completion of this course you will be able to sail a dinghy in any direction and rig and launch in moderate weather conditions. The RYA Level 2 certificate is an Internationally recognised sailing qualification and an indication that the holder has a basic level of understanding and practical competency.
The syllabus covers practical sessions such as rigging, launching and recovery, sailing techniques and manoeuvres, ropework and capsize recovery. Background theory includes subjects such as "rules of the road", basic meteorology, clothing and equipment and emergency equipment.
Tuition is given by trained and qualified RYA dinghy instructors with an emphasis on safety and fun! There will be Safety Powerboats on the water at all times to ensure your safety afloat.
The course will be run over 2 Thursday evenings and 2 weekends to give you maximum time to fulfil the requirements of the syllabus. It is really important that you can attend ALL of the practical and theory sessions as it is not guaranteed we can help you catch up with things missed.
Dates
Thursday Theory evenings 7pm - 9pm
24th April & 1st May 2025
Practical weekends 9am - 4pm
26/27 April & 3/4 May 2025
Please note that the minimum age for the RYA Adult courses is 16 (there is no maximum age!).
Otley Sailing Club prides itself in truly offering "Sailing for All" and as such, we welcome disabled sailors on our sail training courses. We have trained and experienced volunteers who are used to dealing with disabilities of all kinds so virtually anyone can enjoy the thrill of sailing!
If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
✅ Club boats available to hire ✅ Powerboats on the water ✅ Galley serving lunch at 13:00
Register here so we know how many people to expect.
A few years ago, we used to run a Saturday Youth Club at OSC, but like many things, it stopped during COVID. Recently, a few people have asked if we could bring it back—so we’re giving it a go!
We’ve added two trial Youth Club sessions to the club calendar in April and May to see if there’s enough interest to make it a regular thing. These sessions are a chance for the kids to get together, have fun, and enjoy the club in a relaxed, social way. These are fun sessions to give your kids unstructured time on the water, plus a weekly activity (fun races / water gun battles / sailing challenges)
After the trials, we’ll look at how much interest there is and whether we can gather enough volunteers to keep it running regularly. If it’s something people want—and if we can make it work—we’d love to bring it back as a regular thing.
So, if you’d like to see Youth Club become a regular feature again - get involved!
Saturday 26 April (13:00 - 15:30 - There is also an adult Level 1/2 course happening.
Safety: A powerboat will be on the water to provide safety cover and on-the-water support, but these sessions are not structured coaching like our Thursday sessions. Parents must stay on-site and remain responsible for their children. You are welcome to join in on the water, relax in the clubhouse, or help crew the safety boat.
Club hire boats: We’ll have Picos & Toppers available to hire if you don’t have your own boat.
Food: Lunch will be available in the clubhouse both days, and of course you’re very welcome to use the Barbeque for your own cook-up.
Please let us know in advance if you plan to come along. If these sessions are a success, we’ll look at making them a regular part of the club’s activities!
Register here by 20 April so we know how many people to expect: :
Register for one of these sessions
Junior & Youth Sailing: Stages 3 and 4
This course will be for those sailors who have completed Stage 1 and 2 of the RYA Youth Syllabus.
Stage 3 teaches rigging, launching and recovery, sailing in different wind directions, sailing techniques, capsize recovery and theory. Upon achieving stage 3 sailors should have the ability to launch and sail a dinghy around a triangle in moderate conditions.
Stage 4 will test knowledge from all previous stages. The course aims to refine all previous learnt skills, along with adding a better understanding of how a sail works in order to rig a boat dependent on conditions and use. You will also learn in crewed boats and not just single-handers.
Junior & Youth Sailing: Start Racing and Club RacingThese two courses combined together are for those sailors who have at least the standard of Stage 3 or 4. These courses are taken from the Advanced Modules of the RYA Youth Sailing Scheme. On completion, students will understand the basic skills and knowledge required for racing.
Junior & Youth Sailing: SeamanshipThis course will be for those sailors who have completed the RYA Youth Syllabus Stages 1 through 4.
It covers a variety of more advanced techniques useful to any sailor including: Launching and recovery in a variety of conditions Anchoring Mooring Man overboard Sailing backwards Sailing without a rudder Sailing without a centreboard Reefing afloat Towing
If you need to cancel, please give us as much notice as you can. If you cancel more than 4 weeks before the start of the course we will refund your course fee. If you cancel within 4 weeks of the start of the course, a refund will only be given if we are able to fill your place.
1, Every attempt will be made to ensure the course takes place. However, Otley Sailing Club reserves the right to cancel a course at any time if it believes on reasonable grounds that cancellation is necessary due to unsuitable conditions. 2, Otley Sailing Club reserves the right to cancel a course at any time if the number of Trainees fails to reach a workable minimum, such numbers to be determined by Otley Sailing Club. 3, In all other cases, weekend courses may be cancelled up to 3 weeks prior to the start date. Longer courses may be cancelled up to 4 weeks prior to the starting date. 4, If a course has to be cancelled, Otley Sailing Club will offer Trainees the following options: 4.1, a full refund of the course fee paid 4.2, an alternative course on the same date or a different set of dates The Otley Sailing Club liability does not extend beyond points 1-4 above.
Please register your interest by 5 May so that we can get things organised: Register here.
We are trialling a couple of WoW events in April & May. (Thanks to our our recent survey respondents for the suggestion !!!).
The events provide a low pressure, supportive, environment for women to get back on the water whether sailing, paddle-boarding or canoeing. This is a first for the club and we'll be using these sessions to gauge interest & refine the format based on what works best.
Each event starts with a short welcome briefing during which we'll make a plan for the session. There will be experienced sailors, SUP-ers and a sailing coach on hand to offer advice and support you getting rigged, launched etc.
✅ Club boats will be available to use
✅ Powerboats will be on the water
✅ Galley will be serving lunch at 12:00
Please register your interest by 29 March so that we can get things organised: Register here.
✅ Club boats available to hire ✅ Powerboats on the water - support and safety all day ✅ Galley serving lunch & Barbecue available (bring your own food)
Spring Regatta Day
Everyone’s welcome, you don’t need to sail to join the Regatta fun – this is one of the best days of the year at the club, and there’s loads happening for everyone!
Mainly a bit of a buzzing atmosphere – its just a fun place to be
BBQ and lunch – bring your appetite (and maybe something for the grill)
Games & activities for kids and grown-up kids
(Adults in kids boats race, Fastest Capsize & recovery challenge, rowing relay race, Disability Boats race for all, & all-boats around the cans race)
Chill by the lake – bring a picnic blanket or a deckchair and enjoy our beautiful lake
Watch the racing – it’s fast, it’s splashy, and we’ll try and explain what's happening.
Catch up with friends – even if you’ve not been down in a while, this is a perfect day to reconnect
Come along for a play on your paddleboard, canoe or sailboat - enjoy a coffee, a natter, and just being around our beautiful lake. There really is something for everyone.
We'll shortly be asking you to register in advance so we have some idea of numbers.
Come and help out at the Otley Show. On the day we have training boats on the showground lake. We give boat rides to guests. Running up to the day we have to transport the boats and set up a temporary jetty. On the day, we set up a gazebo organise the trips, promote the club and crew the boats. At the end we pack everything up and put it all to bed. Quite a task!! Please come along and help.
We're very excited to be working once again in conjunction with Everyday Lifestyle to offer Stand Up Paddleboard sessions. The sessions will be run by accomplished ASI instructors with many years experience in stand up paddling.
The lessons are 2 hours long, for a maximum of 6 paddlers and are suitable for adults (over 16 years) of all abilities. For those not familiar with the lake at Otley, it's an enclosed flat water location that provides a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere full of natural beauty and wildlife.
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the lesson starting.
What equipment do you provide & what do I need to bring?
You'll need to bring a swimsuit to go under the wetsuit, towel and footwear, either water shoes or old trainers.
All equipment will be provided - Wetsuits, buoyancy aids, paddles and a range of paddle boards with leash. We have a range of boards O'Shea, Starboard, Red Paddle and STX.
For links to all of our upcoming SUP beginners sessions, SUP intermediate sessions and SUP Yoga sessions please visit: Stand Up Paddleboard Training
✅ Club boats available to hire ✅ Powerboats on the water ✅ Galley serving lunch & Barbecue available (bring your own food)
Something for everyone on our Club Family Days
We're very excited to be working once again in conjunction with Everyday Lifestyle to offer SUP Yoga Sessions at Otley! The sessions will be run by accomplished ASI instructors with many years experience in stand up paddling and Yoga.
The lessons are 1 hour long, for a maximum of 6 paddlers. They are suitable for adults (over 16 years) who have completed a previous beginners class, or who are experienced paddleboarders, and for Yoga enthusiasts (for whom paddleboarding experience is not essential).
For those not familiar with the lake at Otley, it's an enclosed flat water location that provides a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere full of natural beauty and wildlife.
Also today, for those new to paddleboarding, we have morning and afternoon Beginners Stand Up Paddleboard Training Sessions.
Also, in the afternoon, for the intermediate/experienced paddleboarder or the yoga enthusiast (paddleboarding experience not essential), a Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga Session.
A camping weekend at Bridlington as guests of the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club.
Enjoy a weekends camping and sailing with Otley Sailing Club and the RYYC. Pitch up Friday afternoon, use the clubhouse changing room and access to the beach. Social and racing events to be arranged, but will most likely consist of some social sailing, club racing, drinks in the bar and a barbecue. Depart Sunday pm.
Be aware space is tight, so we are restricting tickets to 15 camping spaces. So book early and travel light !! A great opportunity to expand your horizons and sail alongside other members of Otley Sailing Club.
10th & 17th July 2025
12/13 & 19/20 July 2025
Enjoy a weekend of Camping, Sailing and Socialising with OSC as guests of Ullswater Yacht Club.
Sign up and pay on the UYC website. I'm told the cost this year is £70
Also register your interest on this event, so we can keep in touch. WE usually set up a WhatsApp group nearer the event, so we can work out the details.
Enjoy a week of camping, sailing and socialising with OSC as a guest of Ullswater Yacht Club
Book and pay for your ticket on the UYC web site
I'm told this years event is £250 per family for the week.
Also register your intention to attend on this Event so we know who's coming and can keep in touch. We usually form a a WhatsApp Group and work out the details of our adventure on that.
28th August & 4th September 2025
30/31 August & 6/7 September 2025
The OSC Bonfire night
There will be the usual fantastic fireworks, bonfire, bar and locally sourced award winning pies, pasties and sausages.
Please note that this event is only open to our Members and Members guests, please feel free to invite your family and friends.
Tickets are £?? per person, under 5s are free, if you're booking for more than one person, you'll need to add them as guest(s), when you register.
Food Available to pre-order
Working parties are taking place on Saturdays in the run up to Bonfire night. We'll be tidying up the shore line and building the bonfire, please come down and help out. The more help we get, the bigger the bonfire!
Registered Charity Number : 1160253
