Come Sailing!

By joining the CUCrC you become a member of one of the most active clubs in Cambridge. Joint membership of Sections is available if your sailing interests cover more than one Section. Use the links below to find your way around this page.

What We Offer Finding Out More How to Join

If you know you want to join us for a single trip, a summer, or a year, visit the How to Join page to access details of membership options and to download a membership form.

What We Offer

Team Racing
Team racing activities are concentrated in the first two terms of each year, leaving the Easter (Summer) Term free for exams and more relaxed sailing. The squad comprises two or three mixed teams, with an occasional ladies-only team for Ladies BUSA/Nationals and the Varsity Match. We train in our Fireflies at Grafham Water three times a week, Wednesday afternoons and weekends, and head off every couple of weeks to events at universities and sailing clubs all over the country. Team racing is a Blues sport and the Cambridge teams enter the country's most prestigious events, including BUSA (the British University Sailing Association Team Racing Championships) and the legendary Wilson Trophy - as well as contesting the annual Varsity Match, of course.

Trials run for about a month at the start of Michaelmas term. To get involved, find us at the Freshers Fair or contact the Team Racing head-of-section / Captain, whose email address will be found on the Club Overview page.

Yachting
The Yachting section offers experienced sailors and interested beginners to opportunity to sail big boats. Yachting runs every type of yachting trip on the club boat Kestrel (a Sigma 38) and a variety of chartered yachts, varying from serious adventurous cruising to racing, training, relaxed cruising and social trips. Members are offered opportunities to take RYA practical courses and RYA/DoT skippers exams. This is possibly the easiest and most fun way to pick up a worthwhile yachting qualification that will ever be available to you - or you can just lie back and enjoy time on the water!

The summer trips are legendary and shorter trips go for five day weeks or weekends during term time. The Section has a racing division, which competes in the BUSA Yachting Nationals and other events throughout the year, including the Varsity Yachting Match.

When we're ashore we are still active and still maintain variety. Yachting runs events ranging from formal RYA Shorebased (theory) courses lasting a term or two, to single day courses such as radio and first aid, discussion evenings (with some drinking ...), pub sessions, and termly formal dinners.

There is something for everyone. The Yachting head-of-section will be found on the Club Overview page.

Dinghy Sailing
Dinghy Sailing exists to cater for all those who can't commit to 3 days a week for Team Racing, but still want to sail dinghies close to Cambridge. We welcome sailors of any ability, and run beginners' and more advanced tuition to RYA standards. Trips are normally run at least once a week to Hunts Sailing Club, and there is a dedicated band of vacation sailors. Trips are usually either Friday afternoons or full-day trips at the week-ends. We also run several full-day trips during May Week.

The Club has a Vago, a Laser II, and a Laser - plus access to plenty of wetsuits and buoyancy aids.

Hunts Sailing Club runs fleet racing throughout the year on Sundays and Wednesday evenings during the summer. Dinghy sailors regularly use the Club boats for these races, which are a great way of improving skill, and some have achieved notable successes at Hunts.

The Dinghy Sailing head-of-section will be found on the Club Overview page.

Windsurfing
The Windsurfing section's activities range from teaching complete beginners through to taking part in international events. We have experienced wave-sailors in our ranks and several qualified instructors too. Trips include single days sailing, manic weekend missions and full-on week holidays in warmer climes. We come in the top echelons at the Student Nationals and consistently produce good results on the university circuit - the outcome of the Varsity Match has been little more than a formality in recent years. Regular beginners training sessions take place at Grafham Water.

Off the water, we are even stronger. No-one parties quite as hard as us. We believe the social side of windsurfing is as important as the sailing side, because it brings the Club together and makes everything more fun.

We offer something for every board sailor. The Windsurfing head-of-section will be found on the Club Overview page.

Alumni / Life Membership
Life Membership is aimed at 'old' Cruising Club and University members who enjoyed their time sailing at Cambridge, or have taken up sailing later in life. Alumni financial support is vital to the ongoing success of the Club. A newsletter is published several times a year to keep life members informed about the activities of the Club, including its events and functions, and there are regular social evenings in London. Most Club news items appear on the Alumni website (opens in a new window).

Life Membership offers something for everyone, whether team racer, yachting enthusiast, dinghy sailor, or board sailor. The Alumni Administrator acts as the informal Alumni 'head-of-section'. The Administrator's name will be found on the Alumni website Contact Us page (opens in a new window).

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Finding out more...

The CUCrC always has a strong presence at the Societies Fair (Fresher's Fair) with representatives from each Section available to answer any questions about the Club. The Fresher's fair is held in Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre at the start of Michaelmas term and is widely publicised. Be sure to come along to find out about all the clubs and societies in Cambridge - we should be fairly easy to spot with a large boat outside.

In the meantime, if you want to know more, have a look around this website and at the individual Section websites (accessible via the graphic links on the Home page). If have any unanswered questions, please contact the relevant member of the Committee

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Joining The Club

If its the start of the year, come along to the Fresher's fair and more importantly to the CUCrC squash (Cambridge speak for loads of people in a room drinking free alcohol provided by the Club to encourage them to join!). No obligation, you can drink and then leave. Bring your chequebook - it's a good idea to carry a few cheques around in Fresher's week anyway - you never know what you might like to join. Details of time and place will be provided closer to the time by email, on the web, and on fliers at the Fresher's fair.

If you miss the squash or want to join us later on in the year, email a Head of Section and they will be happy to help you.

For more information on membership and how to join (including a downloadable membership form) visit the Join page. Fees vary from £15 to £55 depending on which Section and option you select.

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