LRSC

LRSC

Menu
Facebook

Lyme Regis Sailing Club turns 100 today!

By /
On a bleak 8 Jan 2020, the Sailing Club's former home for three quarters of a century
The OOD's cabin from where races were monitored and finished
Memorial seat to Juby Wiscombe, by Jill Douglas (Wiscombe) his daughter. Second home of stalwart OODs, before stricter upwind starts meant PJ became committee boat consistently.
Current LRSC ltd Commodore, Rob Wiscombe, continuing the tradition of family membership of the club, sailing the Medina he owns with father John and sails with wife Margaret.
OOD could monitor the race course, the east mark being visible while the south mark was a transit from the white building on Charmouth beach and Beer head caravan park. A quick trot to the high wall with binoculars to spot competitors in big seas was sometimes required!
The Cobb flagpole from where sailing races were run until 2000, start line transit with the beacon post.
View of harbour and launching from the RAF slipway from cabin

Looking forward to the next hundred years, while we celebrate the past,’ is the message from the Commodore of Lyme Regis Sailing Club on the anniversary of its first meeting held on 8th January 1921 at Belmont, Pound Street, then the home of Dr Cooper. Early members included Joe Wiscombe, grandfather of our present Commodore, Rob.

A full programme of celebratory events has been drawn up, some of which have had to be postponed, but the club is ready to go as soon as sailing and social events are once more back on the calendar. A commemorative booklet will be available, all information will be found on the new club website.

It is amazing to think of that small group of sailing enthusiasts who decided to get together and organise races in the bay, having previously done so informally, and that the club has continued to be an active harbour presence, WWII excepted, ever since, until recent restrictions came upon us all in 2020. It has grown and flourished, seen many innovative classes of sailing boats popular at different times along the way, attracted national and international sailors as members and competitors at major events, played a full part in the town’s Regattas and events, and offered the opportunity to learn to sail to hundreds of young members over the years.

For most of its history, the Sailing Club was based on the top floor of the Cobb buildings, the former Isolation hospital , now the Fishing College. In the mid-90s, increased rent charges led to a move to the present harbourside premises and the development of the former boatshed and rose garden site given to the club by Miss Eyres. Many members are looking back to happy days on the Cobb, where there was a busy social life and from where Club races were run. A bit of nostalgia is okay on your 100th birthday!

Rob and his Officers and Committee ask all members, past members and those who have visited, along with fellow harbour users, to join him in a toast to ‘Lyme Regis Sailing Club’ as near the actual time of that inaugural meeting as possible – and to work together to ensure that the club’s second century is equally memorable.
Cheers, everyone!