Dartmouth Yacht Club
Dartmouth Yacht Club is not the traditional exclusive Yacht Club; in fact the rules and constitution make it open to everyone and the aim is to have a membership that reflects the very special and distinct Dartmouth community. Members participate in a range of waterborne activities including yachting, dinghy sailing, motor boating and canoeing. Although many members own boats many don’t and at least 50% of the membership get on the water for free in the large fleet of canoes ranging from seakayaks for the more experienced to sit on tops suitable for all ages & abilities. Some members don’t get on the water at all but just see the Club as a convivial meeting place where they can get together with their friends and discuss their exploits whether they be fact or fiction!
The Club was founded in 1950 as the Dartmouth Sailing Club, meeting on the first floor of the Dartmouth Arms Public House in Bayards Cove. Then, in December 1954, the club moved to its present building on South Embankment where in 1965 with the help of members’ loans the freehold was purchased outright, followed in 1974 by a change of name to the Dartmouth Yacht Club.
The DYC’s vision is to establish the Club as a major facility for the local community, helping more people to get afloat whether it be on the sea or our beautiful river and in particular to make that possible for anyone whatever their age or means via their policy of keeping fees as low as possible. Making the Clubhouse an enjoyable place where members can meet, eat and drink all year round in the company of others with similar interests is equally important.
Over the last year there have been major changes in the Club resulting in total membership increasing by about 40% to nearly 700 and the friendly and well stocked Club bar and restaurant becoming increasingly popular. Despite this success the Club still wants to attract more members in order to be able to increase the offering – it already has 50 canoes, 9 sailing dinghies and a motor boat that members can use and have plans to increase the fleet. Training is also provided to help members get on the water safely and get the maximum enjoyment.
Although participation in waterborne activity is a very important side of the Club the social side is also very important. The Club has a great chef and provides food and drink at competitive prices all year round with members getting 20% off when paying with their membership card. This must be the best deal in town for those living locally! There is also an extensive programme of social events to meet all tastes whether it be skittles, music, parties or formal dinners.
You can now join the Club with minimal bureaucracy, just go to their website dyc.org.uk and click on the membership button to buy your subscription just like you would buy anything else on the internet. Of course, if you don’t want to be bothered with computers you can go into the Club and the Bar staff will be happy to help you complete a form so that you can join the traditional way. Prospective members who want to sample before they buy are also very welcome, so why not go into to the bar and find out all about what the club has to offer locals both on and off the water.