Sailing

I did not need to look far to find a relevant sport to focus on for Devon Life's November town of interest. Growing up in Devon I have associated Topsham with sailing, I remember seeing it from down the river when going to test out an RS400 racing dinghy with my father. There is something about the sound of the shrouds clinking against the masts that brings back strong childhood memories but I also have the fear that sailing clubs will have an air of snobbery to them. With Topsham being in a seemingly affluent area I had already labelled it, however I hoped I would be proven wrong.

As Brits we have a proud history when it comes to sailing. Our nautical reputation began centuries ago with our famous naval fleets commanding the oceans, fast forward to the present day and our dominance remains evident with numerous Olympic sailing medals to boot. More proof of our rich heritage in this sport is represented by our invention of the America's cup, the oldest trophy in sport, unfortunately though, since its inception it has yet to return to our shores. Just over a month ago we witnessed one of the most exciting comebacks in the race's 162 year history. Sir Ben Ainslie brought Team Oracle USA from a disastrous 8-2 down, to win the next seven races and therefore clinch the series title. This result has reignited the flame for a British boat to enter the next competition. The bid, which is being led by Sir Ben, is struggling to find the enormous financial backing required for such an event. It is due to examples like these combined with the stereotype of old boys in blazers residing in their posh yacht clubs that can cause sailing to have an elitist reputation, I wanted to discover the truth.

I am pleased to say all of my preconceptions were blown away before I even arrived at Topsham sailing club. After an encouraging phone call I headed down to the club to speak to the Commodore Colin Leach, straight after one of their mid week races. With the nights dramatically pulling in and summer already a distant memory, I was pleasantly surprised by the size of the fleet that was returning from an evening out on the water.

It turns out if I had arrived a couple of hours earlier I would have been invited to join a crew in one of the racing boats, irrelevant of my experience - this really does prove my original view to be completely misconstrued. There is no dashing off home for the majority of the sailors as they head into the club house to make the most of the home cooked food. The kitchen and bar are run by the members using a rota system, this ensures reasonably priced drinks and wholesome food. I immediately feel welcome and it is obvious that the social side is as important as the time on the river to this club and its members.

As significant as the social activities might be, ultimately I wanted to know more about what is on offer beyond the walls of the clubhouse. The river Ex with its fast moving tides and deep mud banks might not seem the obvious location for a club that offers dinghy sailing through to small yachts, but it can make the racing that bit more exciting. The predominant category at the Topsham club is the Yawl, a boat described by the commodore as the geriatric one design - basically a dinghy that is apparently not only straightforward to sail but also nigh on impossible to capsize. This could easily be a reflection of the demographic but I am relieved to hear that all ages are welcome from children sailing the club owned Toppers through to pensioners still racing the Yawls.

The club may cater for all ages and abilities but if not already part of the sailing community I wanted to know where one should start. I was reassured to hear that no prior sailing knowledge or equipment is required, if all you turn up with is enthusiasm and a smile you will no doubt fit right in. The Commodore summed up the clubs ethos perfectly; "the more you put in the more you get out" and how well demonstrated that was.