Grafham Water Sailing Club

What Grafham Water Sailing Club does

Grafham Water Sailing Club (GWSC) is a UK inland sailing club established in 1966 at Grafham Water reservoir near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, and operating as a private company limited by guarantee (Companies House No. 857021). Its core offering is annual membership providing lake access up to 362 days per year, clubhouse facilities (bar, café, lounge, changing rooms, car park), club racing on Wednesdays and Sundays, social sailing on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and a full calendar of safety boat cover. The club also operates as a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) recognised Training Centre, delivering courses and taster sessions in sailing, windsurfing, powerboating, wingsurfing and foiling to both members and the public. Membership is sold on a tiered annual subscription basis (Adult, Family, Youth, Junior, Senior), with a 50% first-year discount introduced in 2026 to mark the club's 60th anniversary.

Beyond membership and training, GWSC runs a youth development pathway through Team Grafham, hosting Cambridgeshire Youth Sailing League events and the NSSA National Youth Regatta (300+ competitors from 17 teams in 2017). It also hosts around 20 Open Meetings and 3 Championships annually (1,500 visiting boats in 2021) across classes including 29er, Flying Fifteen, D-Zero, Topper, ILCA, Wayfarer and catamarans, and runs an annual Summer Camp in August for ages 10-17. Auxiliary revenue comes from clubhouse bar and catering, chandlery, day-sailing tickets for non-members, and a 2022 core sponsorship partnership with marine apparel brand Gill.

The institution has produced sailors who have competed at Olympic Games and America's Cup level, and is governed by an elected council led by a Commodore (currently Mike Edwards) and managed day-to-day by a club manager (Heather). Headcount is reported as 11-50. There is no external parent or private equity ownership; the entity is controlled by its membership through standard UK club democratic governance, with no disclosed revenue, funding rounds or material M&A activity.

Name

Grafham Water Sailing Club

Legal name

Grafham Water Sailing Club

Website

https://grafham.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Grafham Water Sailing Club is a UK inland sailing club at Grafham Water reservoir in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, offering annual memberships, RYA-accredited training in five water sports, youth coaching (Team Grafham), and 20+ annual open meetings and championships to members and the public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Club Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAJAG

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Marine & Water Experiences (Boat Tours, Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing)

SECONDARYMPAKABAH

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

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Professional Sports Teams & Clubs

SECONDARYCRAMAIAG

Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware)

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail

Keywords

• Sailing club membership
• RYA training courses
• Youth sailing coaching
• Dinghy racing events
• Windsurfing instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntingdon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees from adult, family, youth, and non-sailing members providing access to the lake 362 days per year, club racing, training, coaching, social events, and clubhouse facilities including bar, café, changing facilities and car-park.
2. Training School Courses: Revenue from sailing, windsurfing, wingsurfing, and powerboating courses offered to both members and the public. Pricing includes taster sessions and full RYA courses.
3. Open Meeting Entry Fees: Revenue from hosting open meetings and championships for various sailing classes throughout the year.
4. Clubhouse Services: Bar, lounge and catering services generating revenue from members and visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Grafham Water Sailing Club is an inland sailing club providing lake access 362 days per year for sailing, windsurfing, wingsurfing, powerboating and foiling activities. The club operates an RYA-recognised training school offering courses from beginner to advanced levels, hosts club racing, open meetings and championships across multiple boat classes, and runs youth coaching programmes including Team Grafham and a Summer Camp. Membership includes use of clubhouse facilities (bar, café, changing rooms, car park) and on-water safety support from a professional rescue fleet.

Product overview

Grafham Water Sailing Club is a family-friendly inland sailing club in Cambridgeshire, UK, offering a comprehensive portfolio of sailing-related products and services. The club operates as an RYA-recognized Training Centre providing courses in sailing, windsurfing, powerboating, wingsurfing, and foiling. Core offerings include club racing (Wednesdays and Sundays), social sailing sessions (Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays), youth coaching via Team Grafham, and open meetings/championships across multiple boat classes. The club serves members with lake access 362 days per year, safety boat support, clubhouse facilities with bar/catering, andchandlery services. The club also hosts annual Summer Camp for youth sailors and organizes competitive events including Flying Fifteen, D-Zero, Laser/ILCA, Topper, and other class championships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sailing Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• Club has produced sailors who have gone on to compete at Olympic Games and America's Cup level
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GillcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Grafham Water Sailing Club announced an innovative new partnership with marine technical apparel brand Gill in 2022. Gill acts as club sponsor enabling new investments in events, equipment and infrastructure. The collaboration includes event sponsorship, research and development of new products, and joint marketing initiatives. Club members benefit from exclusive products, early bird product launches, and member discounts across Gill's range of clothing and accessories.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rutland Sailing Club: Inland sailing club at Rutland Water, also in the East Midlands, hosting open meetings, RYA training and national championships. Directly comparable as a premium inland sailing destination competing for the same regional membership and event-hosting market.
• Burghfield Sailing Club: Inland sailing club near Reading offering RYA training, club racing, youth coaching and open meetings on a reservoir. Highly comparable in business model, facility mix and target customer to GWSC.
• Hythe & Saltwood Sailing Club: Mid-sized UK sailing club providing RYA courses, club racing, youth coaching and open meetings. Comparable member-driven club structure and revenue mix even though coastal rather than inland.
• Draycote Water Sailing Club: Inland sailing club at Draycote Water reservoir in Warwickshire, offering RYA courses, club racing and open meetings. Same reservoir-based, RYA-affiliated model with comparable member services.
• Carsington Water Sailing Club: Reservoir-based inland sailing club offering RYA training, racing and open meetings. Directly comparable in membership structure, training school and event-hosting operations.
• Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club: Inland sailing club with RYA training, racing and youth programmes at a UK reservoir. Comparable membership tiers, training school structure and event calendar.
• Welsh Harp Sailing Club: Inland London sailing club offering RYA courses, club racing and youth coaching on a reservoir. Comparable in operating model and customer segments though drawing on a different regional membership base.

Others

• Gill Marine: Marine technical apparel brand and GWSC's strategic commercial partner. Relevant as the supplier/sponsor ecosystem peer and indicator of how marine brands engage with sailing clubs for marketing reach.

Regional players

• Spinnaker Sailing Club: UK sailing club providing RYA training and racing in a different geographic region. Comparable offerings but operates outside the Cambridgeshire catchment, so competes indirectly for training-course customers and event prestige.

Broad incumbents

• RYA (Royal Yachting Association): National governing body for sailing in the UK. While not a direct competitor, RYA sets the Training Centre standards that GWSC operates under and is the umbrella body for affiliated clubs, making it the closest institutional peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GrafhamWaterSC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GrafhamWaterSC?feature=watch
• Facebookfacebook.com/grafhamwatersc
• Instagraminstagram.com/grafhamwatersc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grafham-water-sailing-club-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Grafham Water Sailing Club