Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club

Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club

Author: Jamie Campbell

Fascinating and thoroughly researched, this superbly illustrated book celebrates and documents the 150 year history of The Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club. It documents not only the growth and development of one of the major sailing clubs in the country, but reflects the history of sailing in the Norfolk Broads as well.

The Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club was founded 150 years ago, after a meeting of "boating gentlemen" at the Maid's Head hotel in Norwich decided to form a club to exert some control over unruly professional watermen on the Norfolk & Suffolk Broads.

In 1867 the Prince of Wales became Patron. The club prospered and built a club house at Lowestoft in 1886. In 1898 the name was changed to the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club after they received a Royal Warrant; or thought they had! The first five Broads One Designs were launched at Whitsun in 1901 and these versatile little craft and the families that own them, intertwine with more than a century of the club's history. In 1903 the club opened the present, iconic clubhouse. The watercolour on the front of the dust jacket is believed to have been submitted by George Skipper the Norwich architect who won the competition the club held to select a design for a new building. At the Golden Jubilee, club secretary Townley Clarkson wrote to the King's secretary to request a King's Cup, only to be asked "By what right does this club call itself Royal?" Worse, he produced a minute signed "No. Victoria R & E". Edward VII was by then on the throne and not only gave the club a Royal Warrant but back dated it to 1898.
Between the wars, RN&SYC was instrumental in establishing the International 14 class and gained a reputation in international competition. By the club's centenary the Commodore was able to claim that Great Britain had only won two Olympic Gold medals in previous fifty years and both had been won by members. Today RN&SYC not only welcomes cruising yachtsmen hut is a compulsory stopover for Round Britain & Ireland races and hosts National and World Championship events. The old yacht basin has been converted into marina style moorings and the listed clubhouse undergone major refurbishment