Welcome to the Cruising Section.

Why choose to cruise from Thorpe Bay?

Because

• more sailing – boats float first and longest at Thorpe Bay 
  – about six hours a tide. Some days you can sail first thing and return on the evening tide.
• better sailing
  – straight off the mooring, whatever the wind direction. There’s no river or gut to sail down every time.

 

• great places in easy reach
  
  • day sails to the Medway, Swale, Benfleet, Leigh
  • weekend sails to Ramsgate, the upper Swale, the upper Medway, London, the Crouch, Blackwater and Colne,
  • bank-holiday rallies to Calais, Hamford Water, Harwich etc.
  • longer cruises up the coast to the Orwell, Stour, Deben, and Ore, or across to France, Belgium and Holland.

   

• easy non-pontoon access
  • drying moorings available for bilge-keels and centre-boarders.
  • member-run launch ‘Polly’ may be available.
  • club rowing dinghies always available.
  • little mud at low tide – it’s an easy walk to check over or work on the boat.
  • some members walk out just before tide comes in – by the time you are ready, you’re afloat!

   

• good facilities
  • reasonably priced, easily maintained moorings, watched over from the clubhouse
  • well appointed clubhouse, with great views and sunsets from bar, restaurant and balcony
  • ample free parking
  • boat-park with power and water
  • clubhouse webcams and weather station

   

• friendly social scene
  • welcoming, informal and helpful cruising group
  • weekly ‘noggin and natter’ and cruise-planning sessions
  • You are never on your own with a problem.
  • new cruisers welcome – as crew or with your own boat
  • suppers, dinners, quizzes, talks and training, mainly in winter

   

 

All-points from Thorpe Bay

SOUTH takes you to the Medway with Queenborough, Gillingham, and Chatham.

Or go around the Isle of Sheppey, under the Kingsferry Bridge and Conyer and Faversham.

EAST to Whitstable, Margate, Ramsgate and across the Channel to Calais or Gravelines.

Then head up the Belgium coasts to Holland or down to Boulogne, Cherbourg and the Channel Islands and on to Brittany.

 

 

NORTH to HavengoreBridge and the creeks to Burnham, or go offshore to Bradwell, West Mersea, Hamford Water, Harwich, Woodbridge and Aldeburgh.

Explore the Crouch, Blackwater, Colne, Orwell, Stour, Deben and Ore.

WEST takes you to Gravesend, Greenwich and St Katherine. If you have more time you can take the mast down and go to Windsor and Oxford.

 

 

 

 

Racing

Four times a year we race round Thames buoys and beacons, and occasionally we have long distance races.

Devoted racers also race with other clubs on the foreshore and enter the six interclub races, the biggest one being the Nore Race.

Winter Storage

Thorpe Bay is too exposed for winter mooring, so smaller cruisers (up to 2 tonnes & 23′) lift out to the club boat-park until the spring.

Larger boats generally lift out at Canvey, Leigh, or at River Crouch boatyards.

See for yourself!

So if you’re looking for a cruising home on the Essex coast, or want to try cruising while keeping the dinghy-racing option open, come along to the Club next Tuesday, have a drink, meet us and find out more – you’ll find a warm welcome!

John Williams

Rear-Commodore Cruising

 

Click here for online Cruising Resources

Click here for current Cruising Events

Click here for details on Moorings