The superb sailing environment is the natural result of the club's unique geography, being situated at the confluence of the Medway and Thames.
Perhaps it's also why the International Yacht Racing Union chose Sheppey in the 1960s to decide the best A and B class catamaran designs in the world (more), and why the Catamaran Yacht Club hosted their world famous International Catamaran Week here for over 30 years attracting competitors from around the globe.
| Advantage |
IOS Sailing Club |
Venue 2 |
| London's closest & best sea sailing |
✔ |
|
| Extensive sheltered sailing waters |
✔ |
|
| Sea, river & estuary sailing all within 15 minutes of the clubhouse |
✔ |
|
| Launching at all states of tide |
✔ |
|
| Easy access to 3 rivers and 3 estuaries (River Medway/Medway Estuary, River Thames/Thames Estuary, The Swale/Swale Estuary). |
✔ |
|
| Three Blue Flag beaches: Sheerness, Minster & Leysdown |
✔ |
|
| An island you can sail round |
✔ |
|
| Suitable for any class of dinghy |
✔ |
|
| Suitable for any class of catamaran |
✔ |
|
| Large clear expanse of water perfect for the new breed of ultra high performance sailing dinghies & catamarans |
✔ |
|
| Uncongested sailing area with a lack of obstructions such as moorings |
✔ |
|
| Excellent cruising base with multiple destinations easily reachable in every direction |
✔ |
|
| Higher than average air & sea temperatures |
✔ |
|
| Higher than average sunshine & less rainfall |
✔ |
|
| Flat water with the prevailing wind |
✔ |
|
| Easy launch & recovery with the prevailing wind |
✔ |
|
| The ability to set two Olympic size courses (1 mile legs) off the clubhouse in any wind direction |
✔ |
|
| Sailing directly in front of the clubhouse (no long trips out to the main sailing area) |
✔ |
|
| Start line directly in front of the clubhouse |
✔ |
|
| Concrete launching ramps |
✔ |
|
| Drive a boat to the water's edge if required |
✔ |
|
| Two or more races with lunch break every Sunday during the season |
✔ |
|
| Fast motorway and dual carriageway access |
✔ |
|
| Close to a town centre |
✔ |
|
| Large car park nearby |
✔ |
|
| Large purpose built clubhouse |
✔ |
|
| Integrated race control tower accessible from the main building without having to go outside |
✔ |
|
| Sheltered boat parking |
✔ |
|
| RYA Affiliated |
✔ |
|
| RYA Training Centre |
✔ |
|
| Multiple local WeatherCams |
✔ |
|
