Who are we?
Seafarers Sailing Club is on the south coast of England. We are a friendly approachable club offering RYA sailing courses for cadets through to adults in various dinghies. We offer racing, cruising to the Isle Of Wight and rowing.
Why are we crowdfunding?
As a sailing club we are very successful in sailing. We host local inter club races and also the ILCA which has proved very successful with sailors coming from a fair distance to take part. Most of the sailing is enjoyed by the male members of the club. Their wives or partners have either retired from sailing or happy to watch their husbands try their best! The average age is probably around the 55 years of age but we do have cadets coming through the ranks.
In November of last year at the AGM it was suggested that we invest in a Bursledon Gig to encourage new members as membership was dwindling but also to introduce another activity. At first it was not well received by some of the sailing members but it has had a fantastic affect on the women of the club. The gig is run by monitors who set up a Whattsapp group for the rowers of the club. The gig is out on the water, which is the open sea,and weather permitting every day. It has got the retired female members back on the water, given them a new lease of life, keeps them fit with like minded members, everyone really enjoys it. It is so good being in the fresh air which in turn helps everyone with their mental health.
There are a few male members that come for a row but their interest is still the sailing which is fine, but it means the husbands and wives or partners can do something together, sailing and rowing.
As it has become so popular, even now while writing, (Oct 31st) we have a waiting list for members to go out. So if we were to be successful in our bid to purchase another gig, it would bring more members on the water. We have had 8 new members specifically for rowing, which might not seem a lot since April 2024, but it is quite significant as numbers are dwindling at other clubs.
We have also entered several local rowing regattas and races and plan to do a lot more in 2025 as we get better and faster, so it is another reason to have a second gig so we can compete with each other to further our strength in numbers for racing!
How we’ll spend the money raised
The money raised will be spent on a new hand built Bursledon gig, carbon fiber oars and a launching trolley. The gig is locally built by a boat builder who has many years experience of sailing and rowing.
Ian Ducane who is 82 is as fit as any 50 year old jumping in and out of the gigs. He builds them in his garage and we can visit anytime to see the progress
Community impact
The Seafarers Sailing Club is open to members only. The cost of joining is relatively inexpensive and then opens up a host of fun for everyone, learn to sail from cadets to adults, and of course rowing!
As a club we take part in the local councils initiative that operates in the summer holidays. We open the club up to children with our volunteers to take them on the water in different dinghies.
We provide experienced helms and crew along with life jackets and fun on the Solent waters for half an hour. We have been taking part in this for several years now and it is always fully subscribed to.
How you can play your part
There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.
1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!
2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.
3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!
4. Fund raise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!