Renting Club Sailing Dinghies

Only WWSC Members who have submitted 2024 Waiver Forms can book dinghies (for more, read below).

This webpage covers the following topics:

• What's available?
• How do I get approved to book dinghies?
• What is the onshore induction for?
• Which type of boat will suit me best?
• Online booking
• Using our dinghies during Club training events
• Terms & Conditions for renting

The WWSC rental fleet

Currently we have: 11 SailQubes/Oppies, 4 Toppers, 2 RS Zests, 1 Laser Pico, and 3 RS Fevas available for rent by Club members.

The Fevas, Zests and Pico are kept on the Club Premium Chains (on the Hard) while all the other boats can be found in the Club car park.

These boats are available to book online throughout the season unless they have been reserved for Club organised training events.

We charge very reasonable daily rates to encourage the maximum use of these boats. By using them you not only save on the cost of buying and maintaining a boat, but you also get the cost and hassle of storage, Harbour dues and insurance thrown in.

How to become approved to rent in 2024

All members who wish to rent a Club dinghy during our 2024 season need to have previously attended an onshore induction session for that type of dinghy and submitted their 2024 Waiver Form. Once we've checked it out (which is typically completed in a few days), we'll make you an Approved User for that boat type.

Please note:

• Everyone must submit the online 2024 Waiver Form. We require a new Form each season with one Form covering each User. Parents should complete a Form for any under-18 Users in their family. The Form's quick and easy to complete.
• Please make sure you submit it at least 72 hours before you want to book. The Club is run by volunteers and we don't offer a 24/7 service!
• If you have previously been "approved" to use a particular type of dinghy, you won't need to attend another onshore induction for that type of boat.
• However, if you have not previously been approved in the type of boat you want to rent you should attend one of the onshore induction sessions we have programmed (see below)

We are no longer running on-demand inductions for new renters. Instead we are holding group sessions so please be sure to attend if you think you might want to rent a boat any time during 2024. The group induction sessions for 2024 are:

• Sunday 17/03/2024 2pm
• Sunday 05/05/2024 2pm
• Sunday 19/05/2024 2pm

Further group induction sessions may be arranged subject to demand. Click here to email the Club Dinghy Administrator.

Inductions will only be recognised if they have been arranged via the Club Dinghy Administrator and conducted by an approved person. So if you miss the above sessions and you will have to wait before being able to rent a Club dinghy.

What happens at the onshore induction?

The purpose of the induction is NOT to test you know how to sail. Instead, it is to check:

• You understand the rental terms and your responsibilities
• You know how to rig and generally look after the boat. (E.g. for boats kept on the Hard it is important users understand how to secure boats properly, so they won't get damaged or cause damage to another boat when high winds and high tides coincide.)
• You understand the key aspects of using the boats safely

In addition, you get to ask any questions you may have.

Which Club rental dinghy is right for me?

SailQubes/Oppies (£12/day)

The Club has 11 SailQubes (or equivalents) - a design based on the International Optimist but simpler and more robust. The Optimist is the world's biggest junior class and is most suitable for sailors between 6 and 12 years old but is sailed fully competitively up to 14 or 15 years old. At the 2016 Olympics, 85% of medallists started their competitive sailing in an Optimist. Once you are approved you can book a SailQube here.

Toppers (£12/day)

The Club has 3 Toppers which are a very popular boat with club juniors aged 10-16 but can also be helmed by an adult. Toppers are robust and used as fun boats as well as being raced seriously at a high level. A Topper's sail area makes it unsuitable for younger or smaller children who are learning to sail - they would be much better suited to a SailQube or Oppie. Once you are approved you can book a Topper here.

RS Zests and Pico (£15/day)

The Club has 2 RS Zests which are a more modern version of the Laser Pico which the Club also owns. The RS Zest and Pico can be sailed with a crew of one or two people and can be sailed with or without a jib or foresail. They are larger than a Topper and so suitable for those who find a Topper somewhat cramped. They are not suitable for young children (i.e. those between 6 and 12). Oli Bonar has produced an excellent video on "How to rig a Zest". Once you are approved, you can book a Zest or Pico here.

RS Fevas (£20/day)

Our 3 RS Fevas are double-handers. They can be sailed by adults but are principally aimed at teenagers who want to learn the skills of sailing a crewed boat and may want to take up double-hander racing. RS Fevas are raced extensively across the UK at a high standard and have an asymmetric spinnaker (sometimes called a gennaker) which may or may not be used depending on experience. It is possible to sail them as single-handers, in which case the jib may not be rigged although a forestay to support the mast will need to be rigged. Once you are approved you can book a Feva here.

Online Booking

Only members of WWSC with an online account are able to book Club sailing dinghies. You access the booking webpage using the "Book Online" facility on the WWSC website or via the dinghy type links above. Unfortunately WWSC cannot rent boats to non-members.

Once you open the online Booking page, you will need to select a boat, check its availability, and finally book and pay for it. There is a step-by-step guide on how to do this in the Appendix at the end of the Club Dinghies Terms & Conditions 2024. Our system will not let you book a boat until you have been approved for that type.

Using our dinghies during Club training events

On days when the Club is using the boats for official training or other events you will not be able to make a "private" booking. However, if you are using a Club dinghy at one of these events, you will not need to book it yourself or become an approved user to sail it. The boat rental will be included in the ticket and you will be supported by the instructors and shown how to look after the boat. NB Sailing a Club dinghy during one of these instructor-supported events does not make you an approved user.

Please note: Members wanting to use Club dinghies at Oppie & Topper Club sessions will need to book them in advance and to do this they will need to be approved users. We do this to avoid tying up rental boats unnecessarily at these frequent weekend sessions where from experience we know that many of the juniors taking part will be using their own boats.

Terms & Conditions of rentals

It's really important you read our Rental T&Cs before signing the 2024 Waiver Form. In the past failure to do this has resulted in the Club having to ban a member from further rentals for the rest of the season. You can download a copy of the T&Cs here.

If you have any queries, please email the Club Dinghy Administrator and if you haven't rented before do be sure to attend one of the early season onshore inductions sessions listed in our Programme.

Last updated 08:57 on 23 April 2024