My three children have all been in boats from birth nearly, and they love it. Now I know that that would not suit everybody and I also know that my children are lucky to have a mother and father that love anything to do with boating.

But if you’re not that fortunate to own your own boat or dinghy and your son or daughter wants to get out on the water how can you go about it. Well here’s just one option: - Join a local sailing club!

Although I belong to a couple of Yacht Clubs my wife and I also decided to join Hamble River Sailing Club mainly just for our children but also for the ease at which we could also get out dinghy sailing as well. Family membership for this club is £180 that works out at £36 each for the year, I think that’s great value.

Most kids love playing on and in the water, and one way that Hamble River Sailing Club promotes confidence in the younger members is to get them playing in dinghies. For example last Saturday afternoon on a good high spring tide a “Pirate Picnic” was organised to one of the local creeks on the river, dinghies were rigged, rescue ribs manned and any member with a suitable boat encouraged to bring it along. Wetsuits and buoyancy aids were the order of the day and the younger members told to bring water pistols!

The Delbridge family loaded up the Boatshed Hamble Boston Whaler and headed down river to the club house, where we acted as escort boat to the dinghies as we all made our way round to one of the creeks. Just look at my photos to see how much fun the kids had not just in the dinghies but in the water as well. At the end of the day I had three tired happy kids and from what I saw I think every child and adult who was there had a great time. My youngest is three years old and he just wants to be out on a boat all the time.

But clubs like this are not just for the kids, my wife is now regularly sailing on Thursday evenings with “WOW” women on water! and the men are out on Tuesday evenings with ”MOB” men on boats, these two sessions are very relaxed and sociable. If you are more into your racing don’t worry the club still organises and hosts many events.

Now this is just one sailing club, just about every boating area around our country has clubs like this. So if you fancy starting sailing, be it that you are young or old why don’t you get in touch with your nearest club and see what they have to offer. There not all full of Ex Royal Navy types!!