Sailing & Cruising Association upcoming events

Newtown Creek Beach Barbecue Rally (27 Jun 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Newtown Creek Beach Barbecue Rally

Saturday 27th June – Sunday 28th June

Overview

Simon T has kindly agreed to lead this weekend beach barbecue rally to Newtown Creek. If you need to contact him, use the S&CA South Coast WhatsApp group where discussions on this event can take place. Otherwise email commodore@gaysailing.co.uk and I'll put you in touch.

Bring your own food, BBQ equipment and tender for the trip to the beach for the evening BBQ at Newtown Creek. It is best to arrive early at Newtown Creek from 3pm, by which time the lunchtime visitors will hopefully have started to leave, to get a mooring buoy which are available on a first come, first served basis. The Newtown Creek area is National Trust and there is a charge dependent on boat length for use of the mooring buoys.

Anchoring in Newtown Creek is possible but you must only anchor in the main navigable channel and the lower pool.

Itinerary

Saturday 27th June

Sail to Newtown Creek and pick up a buoy for which there are charges or anchor in Newtown Creek.
Evening BBQ on the beach.

Sunday 28th June

Return to home ports.

Additional Notes

Crew: please use the WhatsApp S&CA South Coast community to arrange any crewing opportunities and arrange it before signing up to the event. Please include the boat you're sailing on when you book on the event.

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Notes for Skippers:
Newtown Creek can get busy in the summer so get there early. There is an alternative anchorage outside Newtown Creek where we've previously held barbecues on the beach should the main Newtown Creek area fill up.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

Register your attendance via the S&CA website
You can bring along friends, but remember to ‘add guest’ at the point of your registration. Guests can only be added at the time of registration. If you later want to add a guest and the event did not require payment please cancel your registration and re-register adding your guest. If your registration did require payment please contact the event host.

Sailing & Cruising Association

London Social - Founders' Drinks July 2026 (8 Jul 2026)

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Whether you're a current S&CA member, or thinking of joining the Club, you are welcome to join us for the London Social from 7pm on the second Wednesday of the odd numbered months.

In July 1980, the Club had its first meeting at The Dickens Inn and for July only, we hold Founders' Drinks at The Dickens Inn, St Katherine Docks, Marble Quay, St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1UH.

Our London Social has been an important part of S&CA life for decades. With many of our members living in and around London, this has been a key forum for meeting skippers and crew, making plans, and sharing sailing stories. It's a great way for prospective members to get a feel for the Club and for new members to get to know people before setting sail. You’re free to come along to this event but it helps us if you book so we know you’re coming.

We will find an area in the bar or outside, depending on how busy it is. Please look around for a table displaying the club burgee, we will be there!

We do not have an organised Pizza Express meal before Founders' Drinks but this does resume in September.

For those who live further afield, if the occasional journey into London isn't practical, keep an eye out for local social events (e.g. Brighton and Bristol). If you're keen to attend or help organise a local social elsewhere in the country, please contact: social@gaysailing.org.uk

Updated 2026 Treasure Hunt (29 Aug 2026)

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Musicals Treasure Hunt - New Date!

Bembridge Harbour Saturday 29th August

Organisers, Jo Fraser & Liz Wall, cordially invite you to the re-arranged Treasure Hunt on Saturday 29 August 2026! We are sorry that the 6 June event had to be cancelled but hopefully the weather will be kind to us this time.

The theme is still Musicals. So, choose your favourite musical and dress up your boat, yourselves and anyone you can grab hold off for a weekend of fun and frolics. There will be clues, games and, of course, prizes!

For those members who have not been on a club Treasure Hunt before, each boat decides on which musical they want to showcase and dress up as characters in that musical. There will be a prize for the best costumes (not necessarily for the most expensive!) as well as a prize for the best dressed boat. During your passage over to our final destination, there may be clues to find and tasks to complete.

The final port of call on the Saturday will be Bembridge Harbour followed by a BBQ in the marquee at Bembridge Harbour. As berthing space is limited in Bembridge Harbour, skippers are encouraged to book with the Bembridge Harbour Authority (https://www.bembridgeharbour.co.uk) as soon as possible. There is a 5% discount on overnight rates for online booking and a further 5% for rallies. For those who booked a berth for the weekend of 6 June, you will be able to use your credit on this booking. There is the option of booking for one or two nights if you want to stay and enjoy the delights of Bembridge on the Sunday.

When booking your berth online on the Harbour website, please use the Rally Code SC298 During the online booking process, Rally skippers will be asked to select either the Duver Marina Rafting Area (along the main Duver pontoon) or Duver Marina (finger pontoons). Please select the Rafting Area so we are together. Boats over 18m LOA, multihulls, and boats with a beam over 4m will need to book through the Berthing Office (Tel: 01983 872828) as they cannot book online. Please book your berth as soon as possible.

In order for us to know numbers, please also register on the events page of the S&CA website or app. Each boat will need to bring their own BBQ food to cook on the BBQs provided by Bembridge Harbour.

If you would like to participate but haven’t got a boat, please contact the organisers as well as the What’s App Club Group for South Coast or Crew Match. Alternatively, why not charter a boat with other club members?

We look forward to welcoming you to a Musical extravaganza to remember!

Jo and Liz

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

Register your attendance via the S&CA website
Skippers book your boats in directly with Bembridge
Upon approach to Marina skippers will be required to contact the harbour by VHF for specific berthing instructions (please state you are part of the Sailing & Cruising Association (S&CA) Rally.
You can bring along friends, but remember to ‘add guest’ at the point of your registration. Guests can only be added at the time of registration. If you later want to add a guest please contact the event host.

CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS

Skippers- please see Bembridge Harbours booking conditions.

Sailing & Cruising Association

London Social Pizza - September 2026 (9 Sep 2026)

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 16:45:00 GMT

The London Socials are held on the second Wednesday of the odd numbered months and are in two parts.

For early birds, a meal at 17:45 at Pizza Express, 450 Strand, London, WC2R 0TG is organised. This is a separate event, allowing members to see who’s coming and cancel should they need to.

The booking will be made at the restaurant as ‘Sailing Club’ so please say you’re with this group and they should take you to our table.

This is followed by the London Social at Retro Bar from 7pm which is organised as a separate event.

If you need to cancel, please cancel your booking if you’re a member and if you’re not a member, please contact us: social@gaysailing.org.uk

London Social - September 2026 (9 Sep 2026)

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Whether you're a current S&CA member, or thinking of joining the Club, you are welcome to join us for the London Social from 7pm on the second Wednesday of the odd numbered months. We meet upstairs at Retro Bar, 2 George Court, London, WC2N 6HH, which is just off The Strand near Charing Cross.

For early birds, a meal at 17:45 at Pizza Express, 450 Strand, London, WC2R 0TG is organised as a separate event. If you wish to attend the Pizza Express meal, please book using the separate event booking.

If you can’t make the pizza, the Landlord is more than happy for you to bring food or even order a pizza for delivery.

Šibenik, Croatia Sailing Charter (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 11:00:00 GMT

This year's charter from Šibenik, Croatia, follows on from last year's successful charter. Tom S and Andrew P are organising this charter and there is one boat booked already with interest also expressed by some of last year's skippers. Tom is taking on connecting interested crew with skippers and Andrew is helping with booking boats and itinerary planning.

The aim this year is for a two week charter September 19th to October 3rd, with a one week option from September 19th to 26th. It is scheduled to take place when the summer season has finished but the temperatures and sailing prospects are still good.

The hire base is Mandalina Marina, Šibenik which is less than an hour from either Zadar or Split Airports.

The charter would be with NCP Charter https://www.ncp-charter.com who have offered additional discounts for our group depending on the boat chosen and availability. They will also organise airport transfers if required.

Charter costs are currently quoted in the region of €1,500 - £1,200 per week for a Dufour 375. Split between a crew of four this gives a per head price of about £300. Additional costs are full yacht indemnity Insurance, marina fees, provisions and personal expenditure.

The aim is to largely stay together as a group fleet although individual crews are also of course welcome to do their own thing. The fleet itinerary will be to head south from Šibenik with a mix of secluded anchorages and marina nights in livelier historic towns. We will likely visit Split with its X Night club and the option of a gay history tour, Hvar, Jerolim 'gay' island, Lastovo Nature Park and maybe even Dubrovnik on the two week itinerary.

If you have any questions, please join the 'S&CA Overseas Charter' group in the Club WhatsApp Community and post questions there or email commodore@gaysailing.org.uk

Once you're going, please join the event so we know who's signed up.

Once a crew is assembled and boat options chosen contact Andrew Palmer to facilitate your booking and discount with NCP.

London Social Pizza - November 2026 (11 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 17:45:00 GMT