I have never sailed before. Can I come?
Yes, you are welcome, no prior experience is required.
One of the reasons we exist is to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to try sailing. There are many experienced sailors in our Club, who are happy to take you out for a sail and 'show you the ropes'.

I'm not sure if sailing is really for me. Can I try it first?
Yes, come and join us on any Open Day.
This is the perfect opportunity for you to discover sailing, and our Club. If you decide to continue and learn how to sail, you should then consider joining as a member.

I can't swim. Is this safe for me to go sailing?
Yes.
We are very sensitive to safety, and we insist that everyone on our boats wears a personal floatation device (PFD, also known as a life jacket). If you were to fall into the water, your PFD would make you float on the surface until a safety boat would take you aboard and then back to land.

Do you offer formal training?
Not yet.
We are working toward establishing formal training and courses, but it's still a work in progress. In the mean time, one of the best ways to learn is go out on a boat with an experienced sailor and ask a lot of questions. In the Club, you will always find someone willing to help you, and share his/her knowledge.

I don't have a boat. Do I need to buy one?
No, you can sail one of the Club's boats.
The Club maintains its own fleet of boats, that are fun to sail. In fact, most members do not have their own boat. If you are a member and have paid your dues, you can use one the club's boats, for no extra cost.

I prefer to have my own boat. Can I keep it within the Club?
Yes, owners' boats are welcome.
You can keep your boat at the Shanghai Water Sports Center(SWSC), where we have our base. We will help you to arrange this, but you will have to pay your parking fee directly to the SWSC. As of 2006, the rate is RMB 4,000 per year for a standard boat.

Is this a club for foreigners?
Certainly not!
The Club is open to everyone. While it's still true that a majority of our members are foreigners, it only reflects the fact that sailing is fairly new here. We want to change that, and contribute to developing the sport in China. This means for Chinese people.

I always thought that sailing is for rich people. Is this true?
No, although sailing is often described as an 'exclusive' sport, you don't need to be rich to enjoy it.
In fact, as a member of our club it works out to be a very inexpensive sport indeed. This is because the SBYC is a non-profit organization, run entirely by volunteers, and we make every efforts to keep our fees as low as possible.