It’s an easy process, but first we recommend you come along and try it hands on. Take the time (several visits / weeks if you like) to see what we do and how we go about it. There’s more to it than meets the eye - its fun.
When you see us lakeside, please introduce yourself. We don’t bite and we all remember those first tentative steps when we wondered if it was for us and pondered on how to get into it and didn’t want to interrupt anyone busy sailing. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when one of our number offer to let you sail their boat and give some hands on guidance.That’s how we operate. Please don't be shy, take up the offer & be surprised at how engaged you become.
Our ML45 boats are hand built and easily repairable, not expensive formula 1 type boats jealously guarded and wrapped in cotton wool. Because we are only cruising and not intensely racing, we love to spare the time to introduce the pastime and its few intricacies. It’s fun for us to watch you having that first exhilarating go. It’s been known for keen people trying it out for the first time to sail for an hour, not realising the passage of time. Often we have a spare boat on hand that you can have a play with - that can be real helpful to someone coming back for a second try. Our ML45 & RC Laser boats are just about indestructable and their sailors are also keen to let novices have a go, so dont be put off if they're racing, someone will give you a go. Ditto with the Dragon Force boats, they are lighter & more fragile, but a try out sail offer should be taken up.
If you think you might want to become a member, come along several times and even come to a workshop evening. Take the time to share a coffee and talk to more than one member. By then you will have met a few members, one or two of which just might turn out to be your choice to be a mentor, guiding your sailing or boat building if you chose that path. (We always have second hand boats for sale so you don't necessarily have to build one.)
Only then will we offer you a membership form. Your annual membership fee will also cover insurance against any third party claim that might arise from your sailing activity as well as cover for personal injury.
We have members who used to own or sail full size yachts, members who used to fly planes (real and models), race cars and so on. We have members who worked in the professions and trades, all manners of backgrounds. The diversity of our membership base is a great asset, allowing the individual contributions to be many and varied.
We also most certainly welcome female members and the disabled. Every one is an asset to the club.
Anyone can join. Its social friendly sailing rather than intensely competitive. Saturday sailing is generally followed by a short debrief at the Mawson Lakes Hotel and then for some keen to extend their day out, it's off to dinner at one of the many local eateries in the surrounding area. Tuesday sailing is even more casual, a bring & sail anything day. It's up to you how long & often you sail.
Updated: Feb 13th 2024: 12.30am