Ocean Village

The sun was out and it was a perfect day to be in Ocean Village at Southampton which is the home of the Royal Southampton Yacht Club.
The Club is fortunate and unique in having two clubhouses at the heart of Britain’s most popular sailing waters of the Solent. The Club’s Admiral, HRH Prince Michael of Kent laid the foundation stone to the club’s main clubhouse in September 1987, while the club’s riverside clubhouse at Beaulieu celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
The Ocean Village Clubhouse, with bar, dining rooms, function rooms and offices was opened by the Admiral on October 7, 1988 and at the time breathed fresh life into the activities of the Club, attracting many new members with yachts in the marina, nearby Town Quay and other locations drawn by the weekly racing activities as well as outstanding shore facilities.
Before that time, the club was based in a building which had been a former hotel in the city — no waterside frontage, but virtually overlooking the Hampshire County cricket ground at the time.
The Club received its royal charter in 1875, but can trace its origins back further, making it one of the oldest sailing clubs in the country. It’s rightly proud of its heritage, but today’s RSYC can claim modern thinking, dynamic in its outlook and running year round sailing programmes supported by social activity.