HISC

What HISC does

HISC (Hayling Island Sailing Club) is a UK private members sailing club founded in 1921, operating from Sandy Point on Hayling Island, Hampshire, with direct access to Chichester Harbour and the Solent. The club holds the designation of one of only four RYA Coastal Centres of Excellence in the United Kingdom, an RYA-approved training centre status that authorises delivery of Royal Yachting Association-certified courses in dinghy sailing, powerboating, windsurfing, and instructor training. HISC reports a membership base of 3,500+ members and an employee headcount in the 11-50 range, and is currently transitioning from an unincorporated members' association to a formally incorporated entity via a Special General Meeting scheduled for April 2026.

The club operates a diversified service portfolio spanning membership subscriptions (monthly direct debit), RYA-certified training, structured youth and family sailing programmes (Seals, Red Ribbon, Youth Stages 1-4, Start Racing, Summer Training Camp, Thursday Club), organised club and open racing across multiple dinghy classes (Optimist, RS Tera, RS Feva, 29er, ILCA, Fireball, RS200, RS800, Aero, Wayfarer), cruiser sailing, boardsports (windsurfing/wingfoiling), boat parking and tidal/deepwater moorings, dinghy hire, on-site accommodation, and a bar/restaurant. The club also acts as a championship venue, hosting events such as the 505 World Championships, RYA Youth Nationals, and 29er/RS400/Elite National Championships. Commercial bookings are processed via the third-party EliteLive platform (e-s-p.com) and SailEvent for open events; corporate venue hire operates under a separate sub-domain (venue.hisc.co.uk).

HISC's revenue mechanics combine recurring subscription income (memberships, moorings, boat parking) with transactional and event-driven streams (training course fees, championship entry fees, bar/restaurant sales, corporate venue hire). Pricing is granular and varies by member status and equipment ownership (e.g., Summer Training Camp Stage 1: £295 own boat, £330 hire boat). Marketing is community-led via website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, weekly e-newsletter, and on-water event presence. No proprietary technology stack or AI/ML capability is disclosed; the core "platform" is the physical clubhouse, waterside infrastructure, fleet (80+ RS Teras, 45+ Optimists for Winter 2025/26), and trained instructor base.

Name

HISC

Legal name

Hayling Island SC (HISC)

Website

https://hisc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

HISC is a UK private members sailing club founded in 1921 at Sandy Point, Hayling Island, serving 3,500+ members with RYA-certified training, club and championship racing, youth programmes, moorings, and on-site hospitality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Club and Watersports Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG), Coastal & Marine Nature Lodges (THAGAIAH)

Keywords

• Sailing club
• RYA training courses
• Youth sailing programs
• Membership subscriptions
• Dinghy racing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayling

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly direct debit membership fees covering various categories including individual, family, and youth memberships with associated benefits such as boat parking and mooring access.
2. Training Courses: RYA-certified sailing, powerboat, and instructor training courses offered to members and non-members, with pricing varying by course type and equipment hire.
3. Food & Beverage: On-site bar and restaurant operations serving members and guests, with opening times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner service.
4. Moorings & Boat Parking: Tidal and deepwater moorings available to members, along with extensive boat parking facilities with priority for active class boat owners.
5. Event Hosting: Hosting of open sailing championships and regattas, youth race weeks, and corporate/events venue hire including weddings and meetings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HISC is a private members sailing club providing RYA-certified training courses (dinghy, powerboat, windsurfing, instructor), structured youth and family sailing programs, organized club and open championship racing, moorings and boat parking, dinghy hire, on-site hospitality (bar, restaurant, accommodation), and corporate venue hire. The club operates from Sandy Point, Hayling Island, and is one of only four RYA Coastal Centres of Excellence in the UK.

Product overview

HISC (Hayling Island Sailing Club) is a community sailing club offering a comprehensive portfolio of water sports and hospitality services. The core offering centers on RYA-certified training courses (dinghy sailing, powerboat, windsurfing, instructor programs) and structured youth sailing programs (Seals, Thursday Club, Youth Pathway, Summer Training Camp). The club provides organized racing through multiple formats (handicap racing, elite racing, youth series, pennant weekends) and hosts major championships. Supporting services include cruiser sailing, boardsports (windsurfing/wingfoiling), boat parking/moorings, dinghy hire, accommodation, and social events. The club operates the EliteLive booking system for members and maintains partnerships with organizations including RYA (as one of only four Coastal Centres of Excellence), with over 3,500 members and a strong emphasis on family sailing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Services Subscription-based membership providing access to sailing facilities, boat parking, moorings, training courses, social events, and club amenities for individuals, families and youth.
• RYA Training Courses Royal Yachting Association certified training courses covering beginner to instructor level, available to members and non-members with prices varying by course type and equipment hire.
• Youth and Family Sailing Programs Structured youth sailing programmes covering beginner family fun days through to competitive youth racing, designed for ages 5-18 with structured RYA progression pathways.
• Club Racing Organised racing programmes for adult and youth members, including handicap racing, fleet racing, sprint series and pennant weekends.
• Open Events and Championships Hosting of national and international sailing championships and open meetings, available to external sailors through online entry via SailEvent.
• Boat Parking and Moorings Extensive boat parking and tidal/deepwater mooring services for members, with priority for active class boat owners and tender ferry service.
• Dinghy Hire Rental service for sailing dinghies including Optimists, Zests and training boats, available to members and guests for club activities.
• Corporate Events and Weddings Venue hire services at Sandy Point for corporate events, meetings, conferences, weddings and team-building activities, with catering and corporate sailing options.
• Accommodation On-site accommodation facilities for members and guests visiting the club at Sandy Point, Hayling Island.
• Social Events and Hospitality On-site bar, restaurant and social events including live music, themed nights, rugby screenings and special interest talks for members and guests.
• Cruiser Sailing Cruiser sailing and racing programmes including social sailing, Solent sailing, cruising events and cross-channel trips, with club moorings and tender services.
• Boardsports Windsurfing, wingfoiling and windfoiling activities and racing with dedicated facilities and class registration for boardsports enthusiasts.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Suzuki MarinecoreOthersMain Club Partner providing outboard engines for HISC's safety boat fleet. The club fleet is powered solely by Suzuki Marine outboard engines, representing a significant operational partnership.
• Salcombe GincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Gin Partner providing event sponsorship and support for various club events throughout the year, including the centenary celebrations.
• Soak InsurecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMarine insurance provider offering title sponsorship of the Soak Insure Tide Ride event and general support to the club.
• Sandy Point WatersportscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOn-site chandlery at HISC helping customers get out on the water with sailing equipment and accessories. Also sponsoring 29er Sprints series in 2026.
• Nicholls Marine EngineeringminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMarine engineering services across the South Coast including electronic equipment, electrical systems, GRP structural and diesel engine services.
• Rooster SailingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Clothing Partner providing technical sailing apparel and event sponsorship including Youth Race Week (Rooster HISC Youth Race Week).
• More SailingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSailing travel company offering travel experiences around the world, from sailing trips with skipper and host to boat hire and tailor-made conferences.
• SunsailminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational sailing holiday company offering yacht charters, social flotillas, and sailing schools in over 20 destinations worldwide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Parkstone Yacht Club: Dorset-based member yacht club with strong dinghy, youth and racing programmes, RYA training pathways and an active social/events calendar — directly comparable member-club model to HISC.
• Salcombe Yacht Club: South Devon member sailing club offering dinghy and keelboat racing, RYA training, youth pathways and a strong events/hospitality operation. Comparable to HISC in member-club structure, training-led proposition and reliance on event hosting.
• Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy: Another of the four RYA Coastal Centres of Excellence; WPNSA operates as a sailing and water-sports venue delivering RYA training, hosting national/international championships and supporting member sailing activities — a near-direct analogue of HISC's training-plus-events model.
• Royal Lymington Yacht Club: Premier Solent yacht club offering dinghy and keelboat racing, RYA training, youth programmes and major open events. Operates the same New Forest coastal geography and overlapping member demographic as HISC.
• Bosham Sailing Club: West Sussex sailing club offering dinghy and cruiser sailing, RYA training, youth sailing and club racing. Comparable to HISC in size, member-led structure and Chichester Harbour-adjacent sailing activity.
• Largs Sailing Club: One of the other RYA Coastal Centres of Excellence in the UK, Largs is a member sailing club offering RYA training, youth pathways, racing and event hosting on the Firth of Clyde — directly comparable to HISC in accreditation, training model and member-led structure.
• Itchenor Sailing Club: Chichester Harbour-based family sailing club focused on youth training, dinghy racing and cruising — overlapping HISC's geography, family/youth customer segment and training-led value proposition.

Emerging players

• UK Sailing Academy (UKSA): Cowes-based RYA training charity delivering dinghy, powerboat and instructor courses plus youth programmes. Overlaps HISC's training and youth-development offerings, though operates more as a commercial training centre than a member-led club.

Others

• Royal Yachting Association (RYA): The national governing body for sailing in the UK, accredits HISC as a Coastal Centre of Excellence and sets the RYA training framework HISC delivers. Not a competitor, but the most relevant ecosystem/standards partner for any investor evaluating HISC's positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Yacht Squadron: The UK's most prestigious yacht club (Cowes) with a much broader remit (keelboat, superyacht, military) and heritage brand. Comparable as a UK premier sailing club but with a substantially larger asset base, member profile and event portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2K2uAfDnalI6zxlyWzbbCA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Hayling-Island-SC-HISC-123295504399823
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hayling-island-sailing-club
• Instagraminstagram.com/haylingislandsc/?hl=en
• Xx.com/HaylingIslandSC

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HISC