Arun Yacht Club
Sailing and boating from the River Arun
The Arun Yacht Club is the principal sailing organisation in Littlehampton, based on the River Arun near the harbour mouth and providing facilities and activities for dinghy sailors, yacht owners and anyone interested in getting afloat on the south coast. The club has a long history of sailing on the Arun and in the waters off Littlehampton, and its membership encompasses sailors of all ages and experience levels.
The club's premises on the river provide a base for launching dinghies, a pontoon for yachts, a clubhouse with bar and social facilities, and the administrative infrastructure needed to run a racing programme, training courses and social events. The location at the harbour mouth gives direct access to both the sheltered river and the open sea, allowing the club to offer sailing in a range of conditions from calm flatwater to challenging coastal waters.
Dinghy racing is the core activity of the club, with a programme of races running throughout the sailing season from April to October. The races take place on the river and in the harbour area, using courses that test boat handling, tactical skill and knowledge of the tidal conditions. The racing classes include popular dinghies that are sailed at clubs across the country, ensuring that visiting sailors can participate and that Littlehampton sailors can compete at events elsewhere.
Yacht sailing from the Arun gives access to the English Channel and the cruising grounds of the south coast. The harbour entrance requires careful navigation, particularly on the ebb tide when the current is strongest, but experienced sailors handle the conditions routinely. From the harbour, yachts can reach the Solent, the Isle of Wight, the harbours of West Sussex and Hampshire and, for more adventurous skippers, the coast of Normandy. The club provides mooring facilities and the social infrastructure that yacht owners value, including a bar where the day's sailing can be analysed in forensic detail.
Training is an important part of the club's activity, with RYA-accredited courses available for beginners and improvers. The courses cover dinghy sailing, yacht handling, navigation and safety, and the qualified instructors include club members who volunteer their time and expertise. The training programme is the main route by which new sailors enter the sport, and the club takes seriously its responsibility to introduce sailing safely and enjoyably to newcomers.
Social events complement the on-water activity, with the annual dinner, the prize-giving, barbecues, quiz nights and informal gatherings providing the social glue that holds a voluntary club together. The bar is open on racing days and for selected events, and the atmosphere is friendly, inclusive and welcoming to visitors. Sailing clubs have a reputation for being exclusive and intimidating, but the Arun Yacht Club works to counter this perception by actively welcoming new members and making the first steps into sailing as accessible as possible.
Membership is open to anyone interested in sailing, and the club offers different categories of membership for active sailors, social members, families and juniors. The membership fees support the maintenance of the facilities, the insurance of the club and the running of the programme, and members also contribute through volunteer activity, committee service and the maintenance of the boats and the premises.