Choosing a Club

The Outer Harbour Sailing Federation has nine member clubs that each has something special and unique to offer any prospective member. Choosing the right club to join may not seem easy, and while cost is certainly an important factor, there are other things to consider when making your decision.

Sail, Windsurf or Row

The first decision is whether you want to take up sailing, windsurfing or rowing. Most of the member clubs are sailing clubs, except for Hanlan Boat Club, which is a rowing club, and the Toronto Windsurfing Club. The Water Rat Sailing Club also has members who kayak, canoe and sailboard. Power boats and jet skis are not part of the Federation's clubs.

To Own or not to Own

Most of the clubs require you to have your own boat, except for the three community sailing clubs. Mooredale, St. James Town and Westwood are all clubs that operate as co-operatives, with all of the boats owned by the clubs. These are perfect for those who want to take up the sport of sailing, but cannot afford the expense of owning or storing a sailboat. Being a member of these clubs also means that you can help out with the maintenance of the boats and the clubhouse as well, and there are always lots of social activities. Hanlan offers both club-owned shells, as well as storage for member-owned boats.

Time is Everything

Many of our clubs offer the same classes (such as White Sail for beginners), but at different times, so check out their schedules to find out which club's classes and activities fit your schedule. There's no point in joining a club if you don't have time to attend the events or activities, so scheduling could be a factor for some.

Personality is Important

A club is nothing without people, since it's the people that make the club run smoothly and provide the atmosphere and personality that makes up each club. Because of this, each club also has its own personality, so another thing to consider is what kind of people are making up the club you are thinking of joining.

You'll have a lot more fun if you're in a club with people you can become friends with, so when checking out a potential club to join, take a moment to meet and greet with the members, to see if you'll fit in well or not.

Never Buy Sight Unseen

All of our member clubs encourage you to come down and visit the club before you join. Our clubs regularly host open houses, the dates of which will be posted on both the events calendar on this site, and on the members' sites, so check often.

A visit down will allow you to meet the members, see the facilities, and get a sense of whether or not the fit will be right for you.