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Sailing Facilities
Introduction
Royal Harwich Yacht Club has an excellent site on the banks of the beautiful River Orwell, with an impressive range of sailing facilities. Sailing facilities include the following:
- dinghy park
- slipway and scrubbing posts
- marina
- swinging moorings
- laying up facilities
Dinghy Park
The dinghy park is adjacent to the clubhouse and conveniently close to the slipway which allows sailing dinghies and tenders to be launched at all states of the tide. Outboard motors may be secured in the outboard store, which is subject to an annual fee.
Applications for a dinghy space should be made to the Office. Once you have been allocated a space, you will be notified of the slot number and will receive a current year boat sticker, which must be fixed to the dinghy in an easily visible position.
Please note that the Club reserves the right to remove unidentifiable or unauthorised dinghies. Use of the dinghy park is entirely at the members risk, and appropriate insurance for the value of the dinghy and its equipment is required. 2024 fees for the dinghy park are as follows:
- Optimist/Tera/Topper (racked) £71
- Mirror, Byte, Optimist, Topper, Tera (non-racked) £84
- Tender up to 3 metres (racked) £71
- Tender up to 3 metres (non-racked) £84
- Large tender £105
- N12, Laser, Lark, RS 200 £105
- Wayfarer, Kestrel, RS 400/ 420/300 £129
- Catamaran £192
Please note that the appropriate fee is to be paid on receipt of invoice and a valid, current year sticker must be displayed prominently on the dinghy. Boats may only be parked in their correct allocated space, and dinghies may not be stacked.
Slipway and Scrubbing Posts
Royal Harwich Yacht Club has excellent launching facilities at virtually all states of the tide from our well maintained hard and slipway. Scrubbing posts adjacent to the slipway are available for members to use. A hose is available for members’ use at the top of the slipway. Use of the scrubbing posts can be booked through the Office.
Marina Facilities
The marina has 55 berths, all of which are normally occupied by Club members, although visitors can be accommodated and are always welcome (see below). Marina facilities Facilities include internet access, electricity, water and sanitation pump out, and our clubhouse has bar and catering, showers and toilets. Access to the marina is all states of the tides but deeper draught boats should exercise caution at low water springs.
Facilities close by include diesel, chandlery, gas, electronics repairs and maintenance, crane, marine engineers, sail repairs and shipwright.
Season Dates
The marina is open from 1 April to 31 October. By prior arrangement, access for a small number of boats is possible until the end of December.
Visitors
We will always try to accommodate and offer a warm welcome to our visitors, and will offer berths vacated by members away cruising or on our hammerheads, throughout the season we cater for large numbers of individual sailors and yacht club flotilla’s. Short stay visitors (up to 3.00pm) using the clubhouse at lunchtime may stay free of charge if you use the bar and catering for both food and drink. If you are not using the club’s facilities please note there will be a £13 fee. After 3.00pm overnight fees will apply. Overnight bookings are requested to check out by 11.00 AM. Please do not just moor without prior invitation.
Please always duly contact our Berthmaster Ian McLean 07742 145 994 between the hours of 9am and 6pm in the first instance. If no response please call the office on 01473 780 319 between 9am-4pm.
Visitor overnight tariff for 2024:
- Long stay discount – 7 nights for the price of 6 nights.
- Visiting Clubs with more than 6 yachts are eligible for members rates.
| Day Rates – Length Overall | Visitor | RHYC Member |
| 0 – 7.49m | £26.00 | £23.00 |
| 7.50 – 8.49m | £29.00 | £26.00 |
| 8.50 – 9.49m | £33.00 | £29.00 |
| 9.50 – 10.49m | £36.00 | £32.00 |
| 10.50 – 11.49m | £40.00 | £35.00 |
| 11.50 – 12.49m | £44.00 | £39.00 |
| 12.50 – 13.49m | £46.00 | £40.00 |
| 13.50 – 14.49m | £50.00 | £44.00 |
| 14.50 – 15.49m | £53.00 | £47.00 |
| 15.50 – 16.49m | £57.00 | £50.00 |
Oversea visitors
For our oversea Visitors, please see the updated instruction for all Leisure vessels arriving into the UK, details here
Arriving at the Marina
Arriving from Harwich, the first row of pontoons is Row A. Rows B and C are within the marina pond, and Row D the row nearest the Orwell Bridge. Berths are then numbered from 1, with number 1 being the first berth inside the hammerhead for each row.
Berth Masters are on duty to assist but are not always present during quieter periods. Call 07742 145 994 or, call the Office on 01473 780319. If arriving out of hours, please tie up to a hammerhead ‘V’ pontoon and enquire at the bar.
Annual Berthing Licenses
Permanent berths are available only to members. There is currently a waiting list for a marina berth. Please click here for an application form or enquire via the Office.
Swinging Moorings
RHYC has approximately 50 swinging moorings on the River Orwell, up and down river from the clubhouse, classified depending on the depth of water available:
- Half Tide: Shallow moorings suitable for day boats and small yachts with lifting keels, or those able to comfortably take the ground at low water.
- Deep Water: Suitable for fixed keel yachts and day boats (although on especially low spring tides and certain wind directions deeper draft boats may ground).
The moorings season runs from 1 April to 31 October. Allocations for the next year are made in December. Please click here for an application form or enquire via the Office. Moorings are not transferable and the agreement is for a named member and a specific vessel. Mooring a different boat requires approval in advance.
Tenders may be parked in the Club dinghy park, for which a separate application and fee is required. Outboard motors may be secured in the outboard store for an annual fee.
Visitors can negotiate temporary use of vacant moorings by contacting the Office.
Laying Up Scheme
Yachts and keelboats can be laid up in the car park over winter. For hauling out and launching, members may use the club slipway but are responsible for their own arrangements, either using their own vehicle or by individual contract with the tractor driver.
Either a good road/ launching trailer or cradle will be required. The maximum length for yachts is 10m, gross weight not exceeding 7 tons. The scheme is available from October April, but pressure on parking space means that boats cannot remain in the car park outside of this period. Fees are as follows for 2024:
- Annual fee £404 per boat.
- Applicants are asked to return the application form to the Office by post or email by 30 September. Bills will be issued for settlement by 31 October.
A separate document describes the full Terms and Conditions of the scheme and Safe Operating Procedures for all members involved in launch and recovery procedures which must be read and accepted as part of the application, and prior to moving boats. A copy can be viewed here.