Not a Member?

If you are interested in any aspect of the Royal Thames, you are welcome to contact the Club Secretary or other members of the secretariat - see the contact page on the website. Alternatively talk to a Flag Officer, one of the sailing Captains, or a member of the General Committee. For potential members the best starting point is to contact the Membership Administrator

We are glad to welcome new members. The 'Thames' may look traditional - and we are proud of our heritage - but behind the facade it is lively and friendly. New members bring new ideas, new skills and new contacts on both the sailing and social sides.

You may have heard that the Club is exclusive, and to a degree it is. Members are expected to be experienced yachtsmen and women with an interest in the sea and nautical affairs and anyone joining should have this background, and be recommended on a personal basis. However, if you meet these criteria, and are thinking about becoming a member, the secretariat and Membership Committee will do all they can to facilitate the process.

This website gives a flavour of all the Club's activities, and may suggest some reasons why membership of the Royal Thames can be so satisfying. So far as possible the wide interests of all the different types of member are kept in mind when developing Club programmes, or considering the facilities of the Clubhouse.

Joining the Club

In principle, potential members are invited to join the Club by their proposer - who should be a current member of at least one years' standing. They should then be introduced as widely as possible, perhaps by taking part in a Club event or two. Otherwise it is a good idea to come to the Club and meet several members. Members’ Drinks Evenings, which take place on last Thursday of each month and are always attended by members of the Membership Committee are ideal for introducing potential members to the Club.

Once the joining process is begun, it is the Proposer who carries it forward - but if you are thinking you might like to join the Royal Thames it will help you to know the procedure.

These are the steps:

At the request of the Proposer, the Membership Administrator will send to the prospective member a Membership Nomination form, along with an information leaflet detailing the various membership categories and subscription rates and the Direct Debit Form that will be needed later.

The prospective member completes the form and returns it, along with a Yachting CV to the Membership Administrator, who will hold it until other formalities have been completed.

The Proposer, probably with the help of the prospective member, will identify another Full Member to second the application.

The Proposer, again probably with the help of the prospective candidate, will identify two more members to support the application. It is not necessary for the incoming member to have known them as long he or she has known the Proposer. These Supporters sign the form that is held by the membership Secretary or the Proposer.

There are some internal rules about who may propose candidates for membership. At least one of the four members involved must be a current or past Flag Officer, or a member of the General Committee, the Membership Committee or the Sailing Committee. Both the Proposer and the Seconder must each write a letter to the Chairman of the Membership Committee at the Club stating how long the candidate has been known and the reasons why he or she would be a suitable member of the Club.

When the Membership Committee approves the application, possibly after a personal interview if the new member has not been able in the meantime to attend any Club events, the candidate will be nominated for election to the Club. The names of all nominees are displayed in the Clubhouse hallway for a period of three weeks, to give all the members the opportunity to comment on the applications.

Assuming there are no objections or other difficulties, most candidates are elected within a two to three month period. They are then sent a letter confirming this and welcoming them to the Club and invited to fill in a Direct Debit Form, along with their first year's subscription. Once the subscription is paid the process is complete and the candidate confirmed as a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, entitled to fly the Club's colours, wear its privileged ensign and generally enjoy all the other benefits that membership brings.