Awarded the RYA best Sailing Club in the East 2023 Blackwater Sailing Club is one of the leading sailing clubs in the region situated two miles downstream from Maldon, Essex, on the tidal Blackwater estuary. The clubhouse and facilities are some of the best in the country having benefited from significant investment over the last 115 years. The club is easily accessible being just 30 minutes drive from the M25. It is an active friendly family club of over 1000 members with a large cruiser and dinghy membership, and a thriving cadet section. Racing is held on Saturdays & Sundays (tide permitting), with special events on Bank Holidays, a Club Week and Regatta in August, and a Cadet Week during the summer holidays. The Upper Deck enjoys extensive views of the river for those who simply wish to watch the activity on the water. The changing rooms can accommodate over 100 competitors. We have a large sailing cruiser membership with our own moorings and facilities to winch out boats up to and not exceeding 30 feet LOA / 5 tons gross, inc. There are a number of organised cruises throughout the season. Current popular dinghy classes include Fireballs, Musto skiffs, Lasers, Wayfarers, Toppers and Sprites (the Club's own class). We welcome all classes of monohull dinghies.The Club employs a full time steward, who helps members with the launching and recovery of cruisers. Members enjoy the use of a large workshop with electric power, a high-pressure wash down, a mast crane, and a tractor for boat movement.There are Club social events throughout the year including formal and informal dinners, midweek lunches, barbeques, quiz nights, talks, cruising seminars etc.. The Social Programme page gives a flavour of some get togethers happening this year
The Club owns a large freshwater lake where members can learn to sail, and a purpose-built classroom for dry-land instruction. The Sailing School has RYA qualified instructors catering for all ages, including special days for cadets aged 8 to 18. The well-established Cadet Section offers training, racing and social events for 8 to 18 year olds.There is an annual Cadet Week which has attracted more than 170 participants in recent years.
