Welcome from SGBA Commodore, Roger Stobbart
Welcome to the Stoke Gabriel Boating Association, usually referred to as “the SGBA”. The membership is a group of people, young and not so young, who are attracted to anything to do with getting out on the beautiful Dart river or indeed out to sea from Dartmouth. We have members with sailing dinghies, rowing boats, cruising yachts, windsurfers, canoes, kayaks and motor vessels of many different sizes. The club also has several vessels which, on payment of a modest annual subscription, can be used by members competent to do so. We are an accredited RYA training centre for dinghy sailing and powerboat courses.
Our location is on the picturesque (especially at high tide) Stoke Gabriel Creek, about 5 miles upstream from Dartmouth and 4 miles downstream from Totnes, the head of navigation on the river. Launching from our dinghy park, which accommodates about 80 craft, is best above half tide, when there is also enough water for up to six hours’ sailing. However, launching is feasible at any time down a gravel bank of the river, from Mill Point, where the Club has a wooden equipment store in a disused quarry. The store and dinghy park are accessible at high water via steps and a cliff-top path along the creek. There is also a first floor clubroom and ground floor locker area in a building next to the village slipway at the end of the public road by the dam. In season, summer evening and Sunday sailing is organized together with a junior sailing course for 8-12 year old children and other water based events occur throughout the year. In winter a course of talks and other social events are organized. Do come and join in!
About the SGBA
The SGBA was established over forty years ago to be the focus of on-the-water activities for the village of Stoke Gabriel in south Devon. Over the years the club has grown both in terms of membership and what it can offer to the local community. The club aims to:
- promote boating on the Dart
- provide sail training for youngsters
- be a focus for the on-the-water activities of the local community
- and contribute to the life of the village of Stoke Gabriel.
For boat owners we have lockers, dinghy park and canoe racks. For non-boat owners we have a fleet of sailing dinghies, rowing boats, and canoes that can be borrowed by members. And for everyone there is a busy social programme of shore and water based events throughout the year.
The club works closely with other sailing clubs on the River Dart and the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) to provide a comprehensive training programme for adults and children in sailing and on motorboats.
Facilities
Our Club House on the quay at Stoke Gabriel has lockers for hire and a club room with kitchen.
Out in the old quarry at Mill Point, along the foreshore towards the river from the Club House, we have the Training Dinghy Store (often known as the Boat House) where all the club boats are stored. In late 2009, the Bibby Family generously donated the Mill Point Quarry and Foreshore to the SGBA, securing our future for years to come.
The club boating fleet consists of 7 Toppers, 6 Laser Bugs, 6 Laser Picos, 2 Lasers, 1 Wanderer, 3 kayaks, 3 canoes, two motor boats and a Whitehill rowing skiff. All of which can be used by members who have paid the additional "Boat Users Fee" and are suitably qualified.
Members can apply for boat storage space in the Dinghy Park, toast rack for inflatables or canoe racks. They can also request a locker in the Club House. There is often a waiting list for these facilities.
Webcam
The webcam overlooking the Stoke Gabriel pontoon is provided by courtesy of Bill Christopher.
The winter programme of talks can be found on the Social Programme Page.
Are there kids in your family who want to get on the water? Too cold for
them on the river at the moment?
Why not bring them along in February for a warm indoor pool session of
boat handling.
Full details can be found here
At present, this event is fully subscribed but do let the Quartermaster know if you want to go on the waiting list.
The provisional 2015 sailing programme can be found on the the Sailing and Events Support Site This is the definitive resource for all sailing dates. But note that this calendar does not yet include dates for other events such as the Middle Back cricket match or Junior sailing. As soon as the dates for these are settled, members will be notified by email.
The newly-achieved charitable status of the SGBA as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) imposes more stringent responsibilities on the club than those applicable to the former status as a Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC).
It is governed by a Constitution that defines the objective of he SGBA as:
"The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation, in particular by the provision of facilities for participation in the sports of sailing, kayaking, canoeing and rowing"
The Executive Committee operates under the powers delegated to it by the Board of Trustees of the Charity.
The Memorandum of Delegation explains how the relationship between the Board and the Committee should work, and defines necessary limits on the powers that the Committee may exercise on the Board's behalf.