Liverpool Yacht Club have a very active cruising section. Cruising is basically any sailing trips that do not involve racing. Some cruising boats also participate in the racing programme as part of our ‘Venture’ fleet.
Many of the LYC members go out cruising regularly. This may be a simple three hour “jolly” on the River Mersey, or a day out in Liverpool Bay, either on a weekday or the weekend.
During the summer we may take our boats further afield – to Holyhead, Ireland, The Isle of Man or Scotland, even as far as Norway. Members may organise groups for delivery trips, or to charter sailboats in the Mediterranean or elsewhere. There is usually someone looking for crew to help sail their boat.
In addition to all this “ad hoc” activity, the clubs organise cruises as part of their events calendar in which we sail to other venues and try to ensure we have social events with the yacht clubs we visit.
The Clubs cruising programmes are designed with the following aims:
- To provide members and guests with opportunities to go cruising in company and visit some interesting places, and extend the hand of friendship to other clubs.
- To provide members and guests with opportunities to go cruising in company and visit some interesting places, and extend the hand of friendship to other clubs.
- To extend the horizons of less experienced members.
- To help introduce potential crew to boats and boats to crew.
By cruising in company we offer the camaraderie and reassurance of having other boats nearby, although this should not override the need for boats to be self-sufficient. We may be able to offer support crew on those boats where cruising experience is limited. The programme is designed to offer the less experienced chances to go a little further each time, building up to a circuit of part of the Irish Sea. For the more experienced, it offers a series of “rally-type” events with interesting sailing, possible challenges, and social activity. The idea is that people can join in or opt out at any point, and we will have a communications network in place to facilitate this. In providing this programme, Liverpool Yacht Club is responsible only for the general conduct of the programme. In no way does this absolve, remove or interfere with the skipper’s absolute responsibility for the safety of his/her boat and crew.
For further information on cruising, please contact cruising@lyc.org.uk
