Overview
The Royal Southern Yacht Club was founded in Southampton in 1837 as the Royal Southampton Yacht Club, took its present name in the 1840s and moved to Hamble in stages from the 1930s; its riverside clubhouse of 1998 stands at the foot of Hamble High Street with its own marina, the Prince Philip Yacht Haven, alongside. The club runs one of the busiest one-design and IRC programmes in the Solent – the Summer Series regattas, national championships for J/70s and Cape 31s, the British Keelboat League finals, passage races and offshore races to Deauville and Cherbourg – and charters four club J/70s to members. Its Youth Pathway takes children from Splash Club through RYA stages in Optimists and RS Fevas to J/70 and ILCA racing, and the cruising and motorboat sections sail rallies across the Solent and to the Channel Islands and Brittany.
- Founded
- 1837
- Phone
- +44 23 8045 0300
On the water with VesselSOS
- Family see you from shoreA live link in any browser – they don’t need the app.
- One tap to the right rescue centreThe app finds the rescue centre for where you are, with your position and call script even without signal.
- Return-time checkIf you’re not back in time, your people know.
- Shared hazard mapRocks, nets and other hazards reported by other boaters.
Regattas and series
Run or hosted by the club, per the club website. Dates and notices are on the club site.
- Summer Seriesthe club's flagship monthly one-design and IRC regattas in the Solent (May, June, July …), with class rounds such as RS21, Cape 31 and the XOD Central Solent Championships
- J/70 UK National Championshipshosted in 2026
- Cape 31 UK National Championshipshosted in 2026
- British Keelboat League Finalsclub-team league racing finals hosted in 2026
- Women's Open Keelboat Championshipsincorporating the Women's British Keelboat League
- Deauville Raceoffshore race to Deauville, first launched by the club in 1962 as the Cowes–Deauville Race
- Key Yachting Hamble – Cherbourg Raceoffshore race to Cherbourg and back
- Doublehanded Championshipsshort-handed IRC racing
- Solent Cruiser Racecruising-section race in the Solent
- Etchells Bedrock TrophyEtchells class event
- X Yachts Solent CupX-Yachts owners' regatta
- Boysterous Cupearly-season league racing
Live map, a start clock on every phone and results — when the club runs a race on VesselSOS Racing, it shows up here. Racing is a pilot with clubs for the 2027 season.
No race running right nowSee VesselSOS RacingSailing school and courses
- Youth Pathway: Splash Club (under 8), Junior Academy (8–15, RYA Stages 1–4, Start Racing), Youth Academy (15+, J/70 and ILCA) ↗
- Younger Members & Academy ↗
- Club J/70 and dinghy hire for members ↗
Boat classes
History and achievements
- 1837The club is founded in Southampton as the Royal Southampton Yacht Club
- 1838Queen Victoria becomes the club's Patroness
- 1840Members are granted the white ensign defaced with the arms of Southampton; later the club obtains the undefaced blue ensign, which it still wears
- 1846The renamed Royal Southern Yacht Club opens its clubhouse on Town Quay, Southampton, on 8 August
- 1904The club buys the freehold of the Southampton clubhouse
- 1905The club adds a race for motor boats to its August regatta, one of the first of its kind
- 1909First Metre-class regatta; the club has 240 members and 92 yachts
- 1924The club runs its first regatta for XODs
- 1930sCottages at Hamble become the 'Hamble Annex' as the club moves its sailing from busy Southampton to the Hamble River
- 1960The club buys the freehold of its Hamble premises
- 1962For its 125th anniversary the club launches the Cowes–Deauville Race
- 1964Port Hamble, one of the country's first marinas, opens next to the clubhouse
- 1968The club starts the Solent Points Championship
- 1998A new riverside clubhouse opens, after a new administration block in 1995
- 2009The club is named an RYA Volvo Champion Club
Home harbour & location
- Position
- 50°51.51′ N 1°18.78′ W
50.85850, -1.31308 - Address
- Rope Walk
Frequently asked
Can I learn to sail here?
Yes. The club lists these courses: Youth Pathway: Splash Club (under 8), Junior Academy (8–15, RYA Stages 1–4, Start Racing), Youth Academy (15+, J/70 and ILCA), Younger Members & Academy and Club J/70 and dinghy hire for members.
When was Royal Southern Yacht Club founded?
In 1837.
Which regattas does the club run?
According to the club website, among others: Summer Series, J/70 UK National Championships, Cape 31 UK National Championships and British Keelboat League Finals.