Whitstable Yacht Club

Congratulations to WYC members Mark Barnes and Jack Kilburn - B14 national champions 2026!

Pathfinder Homes B14 National Championship 2026 at Mumbles Yacht Club - Overall The Pathfinder Homes B14 National Championship 2026 concluded at Mumbles Yacht Club after the weather had the final say.

Bar Staff Required At Whitstable Yacht Club!

We are looking for friendly efficient staff to work in the bar of our club on the sea front in Whitstable. You'll work a minimum of 12 hours a week and we look for, and offer, flexibility in hours. Experience is preferred but we can provide training.

Whitstable Yacht Club is a friendly, welcoming, members club so you will get to know everyone and help us keep providing a great service as we go into our 125th year!

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07920516059

This year’s club championships will take place over the August bank holiday weekend – Race Officer Mark F**g is looking to hold six races, two each day with the first start at 14.00 each day. There are a couple of updates to the standard club sailing instructions outlined in the NOR found via the following link, but in short starts are using the 5 minute sequence and there will a black flag following a general recall.

https://www.wyc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/NoR-Club-Championships-2026-v2.pdf

Last year’s club championships saw a great turnout of 56 starters and a win for Phil Emery and Julie Nuttall’s Merlin on countback from Joe Barton’s Topper. Here’s hoping for an even better turnout and more great racing this year!

A very full report of the recent Wanderer Dinghy Nationals hosted by WYC has been published by Yachts and Yachting Online - with many congratulations to Richard Maltby and Adam Wickenden for retaining their title!

Wanderer National Championship at Whitstable Yacht Club Ten Wanderers contested the class nationals at Whitstable YC over the weekend of 15th and 16th August. Competitors arrived from as far apart as Grafham Water, Littlehampton and Langstone Harbour.

Further success for WYC Toppers at Nationals!
Wind and weather wise we had everything at the Topper Nationals this past week in Weymouth. 5 knots to over 20 knots across the course on different days. Thursday and Friday were the 6 race championship after 3 days of qualifying. Spending 3 days qualifying properly allocated the sailors so the resulting fleets were unbelievably close. Ralph Hadley and Jack Taylor sailed in the Gold Fleet and placed 35th (Jack) and 9th (Ralph) overall. As always consistency is best and Jack hit that perfectly. Ralph had to discard an early start (UFD), which used up his only discard, but was in the mix every race. The 5.3 fleet was 105 challenging sailors in total so these are both amazing results. Well done Jack and Ralph.
James Martin qualified in the Silver Fleet and posted the same consistency with all top 10 finishes. James finished 7th overall.
Final results: https://www.sailwave.com/results/5.3%20Noble%20Marine%20Topper%20Nationals%202026%20FINAL%20FLEETS.htm
After a short rest break the London and Southeast Autumn Topper Traveller Series starts again on September 5th at Chipstead Sailing Club. Let me know if you would like to go and can help with details.
It was an amazing week in Weymouth. Sadly, for the WYC Toppers, this was the last regatta for Ralph and Jack - they are moving on to ILCA 4’s. Gents - thanks so much for representing WYC so incredibly over the Topper Years and look forward to reporting your ILCA successes going forward including in our fleet at WYC!

Report by Niall Martin

Don't forget it's Harbour Day tomorrow, Saturday August 15th. The club has a display featuring Andy Provan's Flying Dutchman and our friends Merlin and the Rockets are playing at Dead Man's Corner at 12.10.
Find the full programme at:https://whitstablemaritime.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Whitstable-Harbour-Boat-Show_A4-programme_2026_PAGESM.pdf
Note - there will be no access to the beach after 10.00.

The metal transit pole off the club beach has collapsed leave it's timber post some 2 meters above sea bed and is a hazard. A white buoy has been temporarily fixed to the post as a warning. Please keep clear until the metal Transit pole has been re-erected!

Whitstable Week report published by Yachts & Yachts and Yachting Online
A full report of Whitstable Week 2026 has been published by Yachts and Yachting online - congratulations to overall winners Rick and Sarah Perkins, runners up Stephen Nation and Julie Nuttall and third place finisher NIck Stephens.
Top under 18 was Seth King in 9th overall with Dexter Middleton 2nd and William Atkinson 3rd.
Link to report: www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/298605/Whitstable-Week-2026

WYC youngsters star at Topper Worlds!
Congratulations to WYC Topper sailors Ralph Hadley and James Martin who competed in the recent Topper World Championships in Brittany – both made the gold fleet with Ralph finishing an outstanding 6th overall and James 61st from a fleet of 134!
Niall Martin reports that it was a week full of ups and downs but both sailors showed resilience and skill throughout

https://www.sailwave.com/results/itca/International_Topper_Class_World_Champs_2026_Finals_5.3.htm

Now it’s on to the Topper nationals in Weymouth which starts on Aug 11th when there’ll be joined by Jack Taylor – good luck boys!

Still time to book for our Saturday (August) night Pizza extravaganza, with a selection of the award winning pizzas from Nomad Pizza, followed the wonderful Jeff Barker's Zootz.
For just £12 you will be able to enjoy any or all of four of their best sellers: Margherita, Rambo (tomato sauce, Milano salami, chopped ham, dry smoked pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives), Spartan (tomato sauce, njuda sausage, dry smoked pepperoni, red chilli, fresh rocket with grated Gran Padano cheese) and the veggie Tango (Crumbled goats cheese, tomato sauce, onion marmalade, semi sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, fresh rocket). The pizza will be served with leaves and balsamic dressing.
Jeff Barker's Zootz are fun filled swing band who will have you on your feet and working off the pizza!
Pizza is served at 6pm, Zootz take the stage at 8pm.
Book here: https://www.wyc.org.uk/social-event-tickets/