Become A Member

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Whether you’re a seasoned sailor or new to the sport, young or wise, looking for ways to get out on the water, Nepean Sailing Club is for everyone who shares a love of boats, explores the Ottawa River and enjoys the sense of belonging.

Don’t own your own boat? No worries, join as a crew/social member and enjoy the many programs that’ll get you out on the water and in all the member events the Club has to offer.

Nepean Sailing Club has a variety of membership options to suit individual needs and budgets. The
breakdown of memberships and fees can be found on this page. A table explaining the benefits of the various types of membership is in this document.

Information for new members is on this page.

Ready to apply? Choose your membership type and fill out the form (please download and then fill in).

General
Membership
Form Crew/Social
Membership
Form

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BE A CREW VOLUNTEER CRUISE RACE SOCIALIZE

For more information, check out our FAQs below. Still, have questions? Drop an email to our Membership Administrator who will be happy to help you decide which membership suits your budget and needs, and walk you through the process.

Memberships are annual. Membership dues are for the membership year, November 1st to October 31st, and are non-refundable.

Yes, to have the opportunity to store a boat at NSC, you must be a full member, have paid all initiation fees and be placed on the wait list for a mooring. Mooring allocations are assigned in the spring to members in good standing in that year. Slips are assigned based on availability and appropriateness for the specific type of boat. And priority is given to membership seniority. If you looking for a mooring slip mid-summer, we will try our best to fit you in if space is available.

No, NSC offers a variety of options to store boats. NSC has wet mooring slips for sailing and power boats of a variety of sizes. NSC also offers ‘dry’ slips for sailboats on trailers and for dinghies. There are two cranes to assist with dry dock launches. And two ramps for dinghy sailors.

Each member should familiarize themselves with the club bylaws and policies as these
are fundamental to club management and members’ satisfaction, safety, and well-being.
The club policies cover key items such as; mooring assignments, financial management,
environmental practices, human resources, membership, privacy, and others. These
policies are found on our policies page.

The Members Lounge, The Galley (our restaurant) and bar are on the upper level, to socialize with fellow members and entertain guests. Adjacent to the Members Lounge is the Harbourview Hall for club functions, meetings and private parties. A large outdoor deck with covered protection completes this level of the clubhouse. No other place in Ottawa has the same ambience or view. Washrooms and shower facilities are located on the ground level along with a cloakroom, the office, and Sailing Room for meetings.

The club was founded not only to be a place to enjoy sailing and boating but also to socialize. There are social events and activities throughout the year both on and off-water. These are announced on the news of our website, the weekly members’ newsletter ‘The Telltale’, club posters, and on the club calendar. Activities run the full gamut including weekly Friday night music, trivia nights, gathering on the deck after race nights, special functions, family fun days, work parties, social sailing events, regattas, and barbeques. We like to have fun!

NSC offers a full range of sail training and boat handling programs for youth, adults, and able sailors during the season. All courses are Sail Canada accredited and taught by certified instructors using national standards. The award-winning NSC Sail Training Center specializes in Youth programs and CANSail courses in July and August for ages 7 to 16 using a variety of club dinghies, and adaptive sail training (all ages) during the season with the club’s Martin 16 fleet. Adult keelboat, dinghy, and powerboat courses are offered on-site by NSC’s sail training partner Advantage Boating, who also offer a variety of boat handling clinics and advanced courses in cruising and racing.

There are several handicaps and one design club fleets for both keelboats and dinghies that race weeknights (Monday to Thursday) during the sailing season. NSC also hosts multi-day regattas for local, provincial, national and even international events. Volunteers organize the races and run them under the leadership of a bosun. If you don’t have your own boat, you can sign up with the NSC “crew bank” for an opportunity to race on a boat with a skipper. Learn more about racing at NSC.

Advantage Boating offers a Sail Share program.

No, the NSC does not have a policy that requires members to put in a certain number of volunteer hours like some other sailing clubs do. However, NSC prides itself on being a club created and run by volunteers. Volunteerism is the backbone of the club and a great way to meet people and build a community. There are lots of ways to volunteer, whether it’s helping prepare a social event, helping with a regatta, or participating in a work party in the yard. Or maybe you enjoy gardening or are super handy at fixing things. There are opportunities to participate in whatever suits your schedule and abilities. Check out this volunteer page and this list of committees.

Update Log:
2025-07-17: SK: Removed the following paragraph:
If you are an NSC member without a boat, or you want to try something different, you can rent an NSC sailing dinghy or stand-up paddleboard. This is for any NSC membership level – full, crew/social, student, out-of-town – including membership through NSC Advantage Boating. You rig the boat, go sailing, and de-rig when done.
See https://nepeansailingclub.atlassian.net/jira/servicedesk/projects/WWW/queues/custom/1/WWW-508

Share, Explore, and Enjoy

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Nepean Sailing Club

Nepean Sailing Club

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Bar and Galley

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