Cruising with Whitby Yacht Club
Boats from Whitby travel all around the UK and further afield. We have an active sail cruising group whose members love exploring by sea, enjoy each others company and have lots of fun along the way.
The programme for 2024 is coming together well and will continue to evolve leading up to and during the sailing season. We aim to provide something for everyone wanting to take part, regardless of their levels of experience or availability.
One aspect we’re keen to promote is Cruising in Company with the WYC and NECRA (North East Cruiser Racing Association) fleets during coastal races. Without the pressure of actually racing, this will give us lots of opportunities to widen our sailing horizons. And enjoy some great company. Some crews might want to get their boat a free YTC handicap so they can judge for themselves how well they’ve sailed a particular passage. We can give guidance on how to do this.
WYC Cruising WhatsApp Group.
The group is a forum where plans and ideas can be shared between people who are interested in cruising, whether it’s sharing information or queries about your boat or a proposition for cruising in company.
We aim to provide support, shared advice and ‘community’.
To join the group, please contact RC Cruise, Nigel Parsons - see contact details on Committee page.
Cruising Programme 2024
Starting 7-9 June, the cruising fleet will sail in company with the racers of WYC, Scarborough YC and Hartlepool YC. Whitby to Scarborough 7th June, Scarborough to Whitby 8th June - with a party in the Club that evening. Then on to Hartlepool 9th June.
Then, depending on availability and personal interest, we’ll join with Scarborough on their Jaunt North to Blyth and Newcastle City Marina.
Some Whitby boats are already planning to use this as a launch pad for an even more ambitious trip...
9th June onwards- flexible end date – Caledonian Canal to the West Coast
We head further north still, picking up some friends on the way en-route to Inverness and the Caledonian Canal. There are deep water, easy entry harbours at approximately 50NM intervals so the trip can be done in a series of reasonable day sails – or longer legs for those who prefer.
Once at the Canal, we aim to slow down and take our time to transit the beautiful Great Glen, including the majestic Loch Ness.
Once we reach the west coast at Fort William, there are options to cruise there, some plan to take temporary summer mooring and make a few further trips later in the season.
There should be opportunities for people who don’t want to take their own boat - or who don’t own a boat - to join us as crew for parts of the trip!
Picnic in company to Runswick Bay – date TBC depending on interest and availability.
Much closer to home, it’s always fun to make the short trip up to Runswick Bay, drop anchor and have a picnic. This year we’re thinking of taking the club RIB and running a shuttle service ashore to avoid us all having to pump up the dinghies.
Boats that can take the ground to Staithes for dinner and return the following day – once again, date TBC depending on interest and availability.
Only a little further up the coast than Runswick, we have the beautiful but drying harbour of Staithes. A number of us with Boats that can take the ground are planning an afternoon trip up, dinner ashore and returning the next day.
If you fancy that - either with your own boat or crewing on one that’s going, please get in touch so we can schedule a suitable date around tides and bridges!
WYC and NECRA Coastal races.
The dates for the WYC and NECRA races are shown on the Racing page of this website. Anyone interested in cruising in company with those races, please contact both RC Race and RC Cruise to be included in the various communication loops for those events.
Cruising logs
Click on the links below to view the interesting stories about members’ voyages. Please email your log for inclusion – they’re a great way of cementing the memories of your trips whilst inspiring others to join in.
For more information regarding cruising in company or if you wish to be included in the Crusing WhatsApp group please email rc.cruise@whitbyyachtclub.com.
More on the water events to follow......
Blogs and Stories
Please click on the link to download the blog.