On a sun-drenched weekend in late June, Mengeham Creek came alive with celebration. Bunting and flags fluttered in the breeze, sails danced on the waves, the air buzzed with stories that spanned generations, and laughter and music echoed across the harbour, as Mengeham Rythe Sailing Club marked its 75th anniversary – a milestone steeped in tradition, camaraderie and the enduring love of sailing.
Founded in 1950 by Dr. Alex Brenan, it was originally ‘Mengeham Rythe Fishing and Sailing Club’ – open to interested ‘boat owners of moderate means’ who shared a passion for the waters of Chichester Harbour. For the first ten years or so, fishing was the major activity, but this was later dropped as more people became interested in sailing, and over the years it has transformed from a humble fishing outpost to a thriving sailing community and a cornerstone of Hayling Island’s sailing scene. People are drawn to its unique location on a tidal creek, its welcoming spirit and hands-on ethos.
Dr Brenan was the first Commodore, and the property owner was Rear Admiral Fisher, who took on the role of President (the annual building rent at the time was £50!) The Rear Admiral moved from Hayling in the 1960s and the members managed to raise enough to buy the club and surrounding land and out-buildings for £6000. In 1973 a new, larger timber building was erected on the same site to cater for the growing membership. The current clubhouse was officially opened in September 2003, and in spite of all the improvements since 1950, the club still holds dear the founder’s wish “A club for all of moderate means”.
Membership fees were kept to a minimum to encourage local residents to join, and for a long while the fee was just a £1! In a letter in 1957, Dr Brenan wrote: “Racing was only weekends and always in the harbour. There were no ruthless competitions – it was always good fun! We had occasional outings such as a run up to Emsworth to go ashore for a beer, tea parties at East Head and cockling parties on Pilsea Sands. At the Clubhouse, we had no bar or properly organised kitchen; but the lady members were never to be found wanting in providing whatever was necessary!”
The anniversary jubilations began with a disco on Friday evening and after breakfast was served on the Saturday several invited dignitaries began to arrive, including the Deputy Mayor of Havant – Paul Tansom and his wife, local Town Crier – Rosy Raines, Local Councillor – Mark Coates, Owen Davies (previously Commodore at Langstone Sailing Club) and his wife. Also in attendance was Paddy Lamperd, who is 90 years old, and was the first ever junior member at the club. Another special guest was Rene Smith, wife of the late Roy Smith, who was a previous President of the sailing club (and for 30 years was also a volunteer at Hayling Lifeboat station, where his roles included Chairman and President). Rene is an incredible 101 years old (but you would never know it!) – she said “I’m really enjoying my visit to the club today, I’m so glad I was able to join the celebrations to mark this special occasion. It’s such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and it’s been lovely meet up with so many people I’ve not seen for a long time.”
The Town Crier kicked off the event with an ‘Oh yay, oh yay’ followed by a quick introduction, then the President, Ian Grant told the story behind the history of the club. The Commodore, John Barnett, then cut the impressive ‘anniversary cake’ and the celebrations began! A ‘street food’ lunch was enjoyed by all, whilst a guitar singer played sweet melodies on the balcony. An ice cream van arrived, which was a welcome surprise to all! The two Hayling Lifeboats also joined the event mid-afternoon, and it was a wonderful sight to see the orange boats heading up the creek amongst the junior sailors. The lifeboats moored up on the pontoon, and families went to say hello and see the boats up close. The Deputy Major chatted to the crew, and the volunteers enjoyed a swift ice cream to help them cool down, before the pagers went off and they had to dash off! On Saturday evening the crowd came together again to twist and shout to the SouthBeat Beatles. There was a real buzz in the room as everyone sung along to the tunes and the dance floor was packed all night. The sunshine returned on Sunday afternoon, as did many of the members, who watched the main pursuit race, whilst being entertained by a witty swing singer.
The last few months have been tough for the club, as last year they experienced one of the most significant flooding events in its history. On the night of April 8th, a record high tide of 5.75 metres swept through Chichester Harbour, driven by strong Force 6 winds. The combination of high-water levels and wind-driven surge overwhelmed the club’s natural defences, and the water level rose so high the car park was transformed into a pond, the ground floor of the clubhouse was devasted, and many boats and equipment became badly damaged. The club community responded with characteristic resilience, and the committee decided that even though the ground floor of the building needed months of work to repair the damage, the priority was to get the upstairs of the building ‘functional’– so that their loyal members could return, and junior week could take place at the beginning of August – which is an annual event that members look forward to all year.
John Barnett has been the Commodore at Mengeham for four years now (he was asked to stay on the extra year past the ‘usual’ three years in the position, to manage the ‘rebuild’ after the flood). He said sailing clubs are a great place to meet people, especially if you are new to the area (he still meets up with friends he made at the sailing club he joined as a teenager). “If you walk into Mengeham as a new member, you walk out with new friends. Everyone is like-minded and there is great camaraderie. This was evident in the aftermath of the flood – the first weekend the club was accessible, over 100 people turned up to help with the massive clear up operation, and together we are now building a great club house that will be home to fantastic times for decades to come”. He is particularly proud to see how much the junior section has built up in the last few years, he mentioned “you can see there are lifelong friendships being made… together we are a true family club”.
Even though there is still work to be done, the challenges the club has faced make the 75th anniversary even more special. The flood has become a poignant reminder of the club’s vulnerability, but also of its resilience – and we look forward to seeing the club going from strength to strength as it continues on for another 75 years and more!
