North Haven Yacht Club

 Last updated

28 August, 2008

After the second world war an ever increasing number of people (mostly fisherman) were keeping their small boats  on moorings they had put down close to the wall in North Haven Lake, on the harbour side from the Sandbanks beach.

In 1964 a local Pleasure Craft Company began to run boat trips round the bay or harbour off the harbour wall  from a wheeled jetty as the poor weather and rough sea had proved impractical off the Sandbanks beach.   As the large ‘40 ft’ pleasure boat plied up and down the little channel in that area it became a real threat to all the small craft and their owners moored in the area.

In the spring of 1965 a meeting was convened for all those who had boats moored in the area to discuss  what could be done; and as a result a deputation was sent to the Poole Harbour office. The Harbour Master told them to form themselves into an official body  that could be recognised by the harbour authority so that arrangements could be made to protect their interests. As a result, on February the 22nd of that year it was agreed to form the ‘North Haven Lake Boat Owners Association’.

This body was recognised by the Harbour Board and the first batch of some 20 mooring places were allocated to the Club.  After a little while the Pleasure Craft Company had instructions to move their jetty away from the area and by August had ceased boat trips as the ‘Bay View area ‘ as it was known, was in fact too tidal and impractical for the holiday trade. Following the removal of the jetty the members of the new Association  started to build their own jetty which started that winter.

Gradually funds were collected from the first 60 or so members and a jetty was built where the Club stands today. In 1970 this was extended and piles were driven to take the future Club house platform. Much of the work to build the jetty and Club house was undertaken by Club members  who had the skill and trade. The Club house was completed in 1972.

The number of members had rapidly increased to 80 or so accompanied by further applications for swinging mooring to reflect the demand for the low cost boating facilities . Permission for a further block of Club moorings was obtained and today the Club has some 145 moorings, 10 of which are on the NW side of the North Channel and are for boats of deeper draft.

The length of the jetty has been increased to reach the receding channel and the T piece has been lengthened to accommodate more members boats wishing to visit the Club temporarily. In recent years the Club has expanded to include many more members with yachts and about 60 members have their own moorings in the area.