Whitefriars Sailing Club Hire Fleet

Do you want to try out a different type of boat, use a boat if yours is unavailable or you are ‘between boats’? Or are you a new member who has not yet decided what boat to buy? Maybe you would like to sail with your family or friends?

The Sailing Club currently has ten boats available for Club members and affiliated group members to hire.

1.     Comet Trio – white hull

2.     Laser – black hull – sail no. 139379 “L13”

3.     Laser – blue hull – sail no. 121640 “L12”

4.     Topper Argo

5.     Zest x2 

6.     RS Quba x2

7.     Laser 2000 - sail no 21239

8.     Comet Zero

The Lasers have a choice of rig, standard or radial but if you're unsure of which rig to use, please see the guide below:

Booking
Bookings are made on a first-come, first-served basis. WSC management reserve the right to refuse or cancel a booking.

Booking System Instructions:

  1. Sign in to the members portal
  2. In the headings click the link to 'Book Online' to reveal an option 'Club Hire Boats' or simply click this link
  3. Click on the boat you wish to hire and select the date/time slot
  4. Review and agree to the hire terms and conditions, add the hire to your cart then navigate to your basket and pay.
  5. If you find you're unable to hire then you may not be on the approved hirers list, but if you meet the requirements then email [email protected] to be added.

NOTE: If you are booking a Laser, you must put the rig you intend to use in the comments field. If you book the Trio, you must put whether you intend to use the race or training sails.

 

Please report any issues with equipment or questions about the system via [email protected]

Sailing Skills
The hire boats must only be sailed by a club member on board (either helming or crewing) who has a minimum RYA level 2 (Juniors RYA Stage 3) or demonstrated equivalence.

Safety
Sailing is meant to be fun, but please do ensure that you have your fun in safety! Club rules must be followed regarding use of buoyancy aids and safety cover or ‘buddy-sailing’.
Masthead buoyancy bags are available in the sail store for those that prefer to use them.

Weather
The person hiring the boat is responsible for ensuring that the person(s) sailing have sufficient competency for the weather conditions at the time of use in the type of boat being used.

Rules
Please see the Hire Fleet Terms and Conditions

Your liability
At this time we do not charge a damage deposit like many other clubs do. However as the hirer you have certain responsibilities and failure to meet these responsibilities could result in you being charged for damage repair or replacement parts.

How to rig our boats
The boats have been supplied with illustrated notes showing the rigging. Individual sailors may have their own rigging methods but this is the club method - please stick to it or a re-rigging charge (£10) may be made. In this way it is easier to maintain the gear, ensure nothing is missing and give trouble-free use.

If you find parts missing or incorrectly stored then let us know straight away, otherwise as the hirer you become responsible for missing or broken gear!

Download a Rigging guide

Which Laser Rig to Use
If you're trying to decide which Laser rig to use, the suitable Laser weight ranges are:

Standard Rig (7.1 Sq.metres): 75 - 85 kilos. Men's Olympic Open Class Singlehander. Over 90 kilos and you'll be too heavy. Any less than 75 and you'll struggle in windy conditions. Very exhilarating off wind when it's windy, but you'll need fast reactions.

Radial Rig (5.8 Sq.metres): 65 - 75 kilos. The Women's Olympic Singlehander and the ISAF Youth Single-hander. A smaller but more powerfully-cut sail, often as fast upwind as a Standard rig, but loses out downwind. When its honking the Radial's reduced sail area makes it more controllable than the Standard, but its power can catch you out; you can't flatten it to the same extent.

The Lasers are fitted with carbon fibre tiller and extensions as well as Hawk wind indicators. These are intended for those with some experience of Laser sailing to use during racing. The tiller extensions are very long (1.3m) to permit full hiking. The carbon tillers and extensions have been trimmed to fit the respective rudder stocks. They must not be used on other boats. Older-style tillers with shorter extensions are available to be used by those less experienced. These are stored separately in the training store.