With the River Thames flowing through the heart of the region to the sea, boating in London and the South East offers everything from sailing in the city to countryside lakes and coastal clubs.

In the heart of the capital, the London Docklands and the city’s many large and small reservoirs provide a rich and unexpected urban playground for enjoying watersports.

There are also canals from London’s industrial legacy for boating enthusiasts to explore, along with the River Thames which is navigable from the countryside to the capital to the coast.

The region boasts a wealth of sailing venues from scenic reservoirs and lakes to tidal and coastal waters, and hosts some of the UK’s best-loved regattas, including Whitstable Week for dinghy sailors and Ramsgate Week, a favourite ‘friendly regatta’ for yacht racers.

With its rich maritime history, it is no surprise to find that London includes one of the world’s oldest yacht clubs, Royal Thames YC which was founded two and a half centuries ago in 1775.

Countless dinghy sailing clubs along the length of the Thames enjoy the challenges of river racing. Look out for the elegant Thames A Rater dinghies, which originated in the 19th century still race today, using tall masts and spectacular sails to catch the breeze above the banks!

Brighton and Hove • East Berkshire (including Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, Windsor & Maidenhead and Wokingham) • East Sussex • Greater London and the London Boroughs • Kent • Medway • Surrey • Thurrock • West Sussex (excluding Chichester Harbour Conservancy)

The team

The RYA London and South East regional team are here to support you, your club or centre. We are a team of volunteers, staff, and contractors who work closely together to provide a network of support to grow activity and membership across the region.