Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club

** An Introductory Scheme provides prospective applicants for membership, who may consider yet in meeting the admission requirements for ordinary member, the opportunity to experience on a one-time basis and for a limited time the benefits of membership without incurring entrance fees. Full details can be viewed here**

Ordinary Membership

Junior Membership

Full Membership

Short Term Membership

Cadet Membership
(sponsored by a Member)

Age 18 and over

Single/Married Ordinary Membership

Candidates who have a proven record of experience in sailing or rowing and wish to continue to participate in sailing or rowing activities may apply for single or married membership.

Application Procedures / Criteria

Order of Priority for Admission of Ordinary Membership

Schedule of application submission deadlines

Download Fees for Ordinary Membership

Application Form- The issuance of an application form is restricted to a qualified Proposer who must be an active Full Member for more than 3 years.

Autopay

Spouse of an existing Member

A single Member who subsequently marries may apply for his/her spouse to become a Member. The spouse is required to complete an application form and to pay an entrance fee.

Schedule of application submission deadlines

Download Fees for Spouse Membership

Download Spouse Membership Application Form

Children of Members

Cadet Membership ( Download Application Form)

Children who is aged over 12 years but less than 18 years, may apply for Cadet Membership. Children in this age group may be able to sign chits. At the age of 18, Cadet Membership becomes invalid, and persons of this age may apply to convert their membership into Junior Membership.

Child Membership ( Download Application Form)

Children aged over 5 years but less than 12 years must be entered on the parents' application form. Child Members have no signing rights.

At the age of 12, Child membership becomes invalid and persons of this age may apply to convert their membership into Cadet Membership.

Age 18 and below 32

Download Guidance Notes and Fees for Junior Membership Applicants

Schedule of application submission deadlines

Application Form- The issuance of an application form is restricted to a qualified Proposer who must be an active Full Member for more than 3 years.

Autopay

Change from Junior to Ordinary Membership

Junior Membership becomes invalid when a Junior Member reaches the age of 32. Junior Members may apply to convert their membership into Ordinary Membership.
( Download Application form Change from Junior to Ordinary membership)

Ordinary Membership lasts for 5 years. After 3 years of membership, an Ordinary Member may apply to become a Full Member and thereby obtain permanent membership of the Club. To become a Full Member, he or she must have taken an active part in sailing or rowing activities organised by the Club and have demonstrated an active interest in the management and administration of the Club's activities. There is no additional entrance and subscription fee.

Admission Guidelines / Procedures

Download Application Form

Full Membership enables a Member to have 10 votes at General Meetings as opposed to 1 vote for Ordinary Members. A Full Member who has been a Full Member for more than 3 and 2 years respectively may propose and second applicants for ordinary membership.

If an Ordinary Member has not become a Full Member after 5 years, he/she may apply to the Membership Committee for an extension of Ordinary Membership. Extensions are at the discretion of the Membership Committee.

The Membership Committee meets every month to consider applications for membership. Copies of applicants' forms are circulated to the Committee before the meeting and applicants' details are posted in the club for information of the general membership. Candidate may be required by the Membership Committee to attend an interview.

Schedule of application submission deadlines

Age 21 and over

Persons who can demonstrate experience and active participation in sailing or rowing to the satisfaction of the Membership Committee and must confirm that he/she resides in Hong Kong and expects to reside in Hong Kong for a period not exceeding 2 years.

Short Term membership is for a maximum of 2 continuous years, it cannot be extended, and an applicant can only enjoy the privilege of this membership once.

Download Guidance Notes and Fees for Short Term Membership Applicants

Application Procedures / Criteria

Schedule of application submission deadlines

Application Form- The issuance of an application form is restricted to a qualified Proposer who must be an active Full Member for more than 3 years.

Autopay

Children of Short Term Members

Cadet Membership ( Download Application Form)

Children who is aged over 12 years but less than 18 years, may apply for Cadet Membership. Children in this age group may be able to sign chits. At the age of 18, Cadet Membership becomes invalid, and persons of this age may apply to convert their membership into Junior Membership.

Child Membership ( Download Application Form)

Children aged over 5 years but less than 12 years must be entered on the parents' application form. Child Members have no signing rights.

At the age of 12, Child membership becomes invalid and persons of this age may apply to convert their membership into Cadet Membership.

Children of Short Term Members will expire upon the 2nd anniversary of Short Term Membership or subject to the age limited whenever the soonest.

Age 9 and below 18

Some information giving real evidence of the applicant's enthusiasm and competence in sailing or rowing activities.

Schedule of application submission deadlines

Monthly Charge

Download Application Form

Autopay

For Ordinary / Short Term / Junior Members

The applicant should provide a full summary of all Sailing/Rowing qualifications and experience are given to afford a maximum chance of success to the application. Failure to provide this information may result in an application being rejected by the Membership Committee in which case the application deposit will be forfeited (except for Short Term Members).

For Short Term Members, other than details of Sailing/Rowing qualifications and experience, a proven track record of experience in sailing or rowing must be attached with the application plus written confirmation from the applicant's employer, or other person satisfactory to the Membership Committee, regarding the duration of employment.

An applicant must be proposed and seconded by two Life or Full Members who must have been Full Members for at least 3 and 2 years respectively and to whom the candidate must be personally known. These Life or Full Members may not have more than 5 applications in process at any one time. A Cadet Member sponsored by a Member must be sponsored by a Life, Full or Ordinary Member. The sponsor shall undertake to guarantee all monies which may at times be due from the Sponsored Cadet to the Club.

Letters of recommendation or verification from other Clubs or Associations are helpful and should be attached to the Application Form. Any relevant information, which becomes available after the form is submitted, should also be given to the Membership Office. Any letters of support from the Proposer/Seconder (or other Members), containing information relative to the applicant's sailing/rowing activities, should also be submitted to the Membership Office, (e.g. regular crewing aboard a Member's boat; purchase of or intention to purchase a boat - document must be shown to verify intention to purchase; attendance of sailing/rowing course or similar; assistance in organisation of races or Club events, etc).

For current or former cadet members who wish to convert their membership from cadet to junior, the applicant should have at least on 4 occasions participated in any sailing and/or rowing and/or paddling activity (excluding sailing or rowing training courses) within 12 months prior to the application.

Novice, navigation and other sailing courses run by the Club are open to non-Members, although priority is given to existing Members. Applicants for Ordinary and Junior Membership who have no, or very little, sailing/rowing experience or have not yet participated in any of the Club or other sailing/rowing activities, are encouraged to join these courses in order to improve their chance of gaining admission to the Club. However, joining sailing and rowing training courses goes some way towards demonstrating interest in sailing or rowing but doing so does not count as having acquired sailing or rowing experience. Alternatively, applicants may consider the Club's Corporate Nominee Membership where sailing/rowing criteria are not required to be met.

Please note the above is not a definitive list of entry criteria, the Proposer and Seconder are required to complete a confidential questionnaire and may be required to attend a Membership Committee meeting prior to the application being progressed further.

The General Committee may from time to time set a membership ceiling for Life, Full and Ordinary membership while the Ordinary membership is currently fully subscribed.

Whilst the ceiling is in place, the Membership Committee continues to consider applications for Ordinary Membership with successful candidates placed on a membership waiting list.

The waiting period depends on the number of vacancies that arise due to the resignation of current members or their transfer to absent membership when leaving Hong Kong. The current expected waiting period is five to seven months.

Exceptions to the membership ceiling are made, for existing junior members transferring to ordinary membership at the age of 32, for the spouse of an existing member and for successful candidates who are ranked on the ‘A1’ membership waiting list.

In considering applications for Ordinary Membership, the Membership Committee takes into account all factors that support the applicant’s bona fide interest in the Club’s water sports activities. These factors may include the applicant’s lifetime rowing, paddling and sailing history, boat ownership, volunteer activities and training courses. An application based on sailing should contain details about the type of sailing, roles on board, training, and goals after joining the Club. Priority will be given to applicants who have engaged in racing, race management, volunteer duties and other activities that reflect an interest in becoming an active member of the Club community. Statements by the applicant’s proposer and seconder are given considerable weight and should contain similar details.

The criteria and guidelines set out below are a starting point for the Committee’s consideration of an application but are not by themselves necessarily sufficient for approval.

Criteria / Guidelines*	Priority	Membership Waiting List Ranking
Applicants with distinguished sailing/rowing achievement or record who are able to demonstrate an active and continuing commitment to the sport on or off the water.	Immediate granted Ordinary Membership status	A1
Those applicants who have extensive sailing/rowing experience over a number of years and are able to demonstrate they have made a sustained active commitment to the sport on or off the water.	First priority in waiting list	A2
Those applicants who: (1) (a) have completed and logged at least 60 hours of sailing (preferably including racing) in the last year or (b) participated in at least three rowing/paddling races and attended at least 27 organised rowing/paddling sessions as organised by the Club in the last 9 months; (the undertaking of sailing or rowing or paddling courses will be taken into account for admission but does not in itself constitute sufficient grounds for admission) AND (2) are able to demonstrate an active and continuing commitment to the sport on or off the water.	Candidates can only be admitted when A2 list is cleared and vacancies are available	B
*Experience and activities outside Hong Kong will be taken into account for applicants who have recently arrived in Hong Kong or are actively engaged in the sport outside Hong Kong. However, in all cases, the applicant must be able to demonstrate a genuine intention to be actively committed to the sport in Hong Kong and/or to the RHKYC.

In order of Priority:-

New applications for Ordinary Membership and for those successful candidates who are awarded an ‘A2’ ranking, when a membership vacancy arises, he/she will be admitted as an Ordinary Member according to his/her waiting list number; then
New applications for Ordinary Membership and for those successful candidates who are awarded a ‘B’ ranking, successful candidates can only be admitted when ‘A2’ is cleared and membership vacancies are available

Note:

Existing Junior Members applying for Ordinary Membership, Spouse of Existing Members and successful candidates who are awarded an ‘A1” ranking, applying for Ordinary Membership could be admitted as Ordinary Members once Membership Committee approved their applications; and they will not be counted as part of the 3,600 ceiling and hence will be granted immediate Ordinary Membership status.
When 2 successful candidates are graded/awarded the same priority/ranking, the one who holds the earlier waiting list number will be admitted first.

ELIGIBILITY

The minimum period of ordinary membership for an Ordinary Member to apply to become a Full Member is 3 years.

CRITERIA

An applicant, must complete ALL of either the sailing criteria OR the rowing criteria as listed below; and all the relevant information must be verified or endorsed by the respective authorized person as indicated on the form.

List of the Club’s Appointed Committees, Working Groups, Class Association Officer and Committee members, Organising Committee of sailing/rowing events, where the Club is either the Organising Authority or co-organiser with a National Sports Authority Charity Foundations and an External Organisation list can be viewed here.

An Ordinary Member who has been an Ordinary Member for more than 3 years may apply for full membership by completing the below Part A, Part B and Part C:

PART A

SAILING / ROWING ACTIVITIES

Sailing Section :

Participated in either organised racing or social cruising events at least 12 times per year during each of the most recent 2-year period, at least 50% of which must have taken place in Hong Kong waters.

Rowing Section :

Participated in at least 4 rowing or paddling races and attended at least 36 organised rowing/paddling sessions during the most recent 12-month period.

PART B

SAILING/ROWING MANAGEMENT DUTIES

VOLUNTEER DUTIES

Sailing Section :

Performed race management duty or training or safety duty or other race support activity organised by the Club at least once per year in 3 out of the last 5 years.

Rowing Section :

Performed race management duty or training or safety duty etc organised by the Club at least 5 times during the most recent 12-month period.

Serving as a Mentor for oneIntroductory Scheme participant or for a child in the 'Sail-to-Change' programme may be treated as the equivalent of performing oneof the activities listed above under "Sailing Section" and "Rowing Section". Multiple credits may be given for mentoring multiple Introductory Scheme Participants.

Volunteer Duties

Assisted in sailing or rowing events or charity activities organised as recognised by the Club at least 4 times per year in 3 out of the last 5 years.

PART C

COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT

For both Sailing and Rowing Section :

Served for at least one annual term (or the full term within a year, if less than one year) during the most recent 5-year period on one of the:

The Club’s appointed Committees, or
The Club's appointed Working Groups, or
The Club’s approved Class Association Officer and Committee Members duly appointed through their own constitution and electoral process, or
The organizing Committee of any sailing/rowing events where the Club is either the Organising Authority or co-organiser with a National Sports Authority (such as the Hong Kong Sailing Federation), or
The Club charities such as the RHKYC Charity Foundation, or
Any external organisations promoting sailing/rowing development in Hong Kong thus providing either direct or indirect benefit to the Club. ( An approved list can be viewed here)

The applicant must have attended the relevant required scheduled meetings as validated by the recorded minutes and/or validated in writing by the respective Chairman or organisation.

For Ordinary/Short Term/Junior applications, applicants with extensive sailing/rowing experience can expect to have their application approved within 2 to 6 weeks once all requirements have been met. Applicants with limited or no experience of sailing/rowing are encouraged to acquire such experience by joining the Club's sailing/rowing activities. Please contact the Club's Sailing/Rowing Office. Alternatively, applicants may consider the Club's Corporate Nominee Membership or Individual Debenture Membership where sailing/rowing criteria are not required.

Schedule of application submission deadlines and briefings as follows:

Date of Membership Committee Meeting / Application Submission Deadline / New Members' Briefing / Cocktail

Month	Application Submission Deadline	Meeting	New Members' Briefing
July 2022	23.06.2022 - 1700hrs	07.07.2022	09.09.2022
August 2022	21.07.2022 - 1700hrs	04.08.2022	09.09.2022
September 2022	18.08.2022 - 1700hrs	01.09.2022	09.09.2022
October 2022	22.09.2022 - 1700hrs	06.10.2022	13.01.2023
November 2022	20.10.2022 - 1700hrs	03.11.2022	13.01.2023
December 2022	17.11.2022 - 1700hrs	01.12.2022	13.01.2023
January 2023	22.12.2022 - 1200hrs	05.01.2023	13.01.2023
February 2023	19.01.2023 - 1700hrs	02.02.2023	10.03.2023
March 2023	16.02.2023 - 1700hrs	02.03.2023	10.03.2023
April 2023	20.03.2023 - 1700hrs	03.04.2023	16.06.2023
May 2023	20.04.2023 - 1700hrs	04.05.2023	16.06.2023
June 2023	17.05.2023 - 1700hrs	31.05.2023	16.06.2023

The Membership Committee is one of four elected committees at the Club. The Committee will consider applications for membership every month at their regular meeting. Copies of application forms will be circulated to the members of the Committee before the meeting and applicants' details will be posted in the club for information of the general membership. The candidate and/or his/her Proposer/Seconder may be asked to provide additional information and/or attend an interview with the Membership Committee.

After each meeting, the candidates whose applicants have been considered at the meeting are informed by post of the Committee's decision. The Club reserves the right to reject an application in its sole discretion without giving any reason.

Successful candidate is required to attend one of the next three briefing sessions held immediately after his/her election to be a Member and to collect his/her membership card and will be charged the monthly subscription from the beginning of the same month in which he/she is admitted as a Member. Failure to attend one of the three briefing sessions would result in his/her membership being withdrawn and his/her application deposit considered forfeit. A successful candidate has to pay his/her entrance fee by the end of the month in which he/she was elected.

The candidate's details will remain posted at the Club for one full month after the Membership Committee meeting which dealt with the application. If at any time it appears that a candidate was admitted under any misrepresentation or that material information was withheld, the Membership Committee may take steps to nullify the membership concerned.
An applicant has no right to apply for temporary membership or use the Club moorings, hard standing or boatyard or car park facilities between the time that he/she has applied for membership and the date of his/her admission as a Member.
An applicant who fails to be elected as a Member may, after the expiration of three months from the date of the application being rejected, may re-apply for Membership by submitting a new application.
A Short Term Member or former Short Term Member may apply to be elected as an Ordinary Member of the Club on or after ceasing to be a Short Term Member. When applying for Ordinary Membership, all the normal application procedures for Ordinary Membership shall apply and the normal Ordinary Membership entrance fee shall be paid.

Current Entrance Fees are:

Ordinary Married Couple:	$156,000
Short Term Married Couple:	Nil
Ordinary Single:	$104,000
Short Term Single:	Nil
Spouse of a Member:	$52,000
Junior:	$3,000
Cadet Member sponsored by a Member:	Nil
Individual Debenture:	$2,180,000
Corporate Nominee:	$2,600,000

An applicant shall pay an entrance fee at the rate applicable when he/she is admitted as a Member of the Club.

Entrance fees must be paid in full within one month of admittance as a Member of the Club (unless payment by instalments has been allowed by the General Committee). It is possible for applicants for Ordinary Membership under 38 years of age to pay their entrance fee by instalments (interest free): 30% down payment and the balance to be paid over 47 months. This scheme must be completed before the applicant's 38th birthday, i.e.:

Ordinary Single:

30% down payment: $31,200

Monthly Instalments: $1,550 per month x 46 months and last payment $1,500

Ordinary Married:

30% down payment: $46,800

Monthly Instalments: $2,325 per month x 46 months and last payment $2,250

Thus, it is also possible for applicants over the age of 60 to pay their entrance fee by instalments (interest free): 30% down payment and the balance to be paid over 47 months.

A crossed cheque for the appropriate amount must be submitted with the application form:

Ordinary Married Couple:	$2,000
Short Term Married Couple:	$4,800
Ordinary Single:	$2,000
Short Term Single:	$3,720
Junior:	$3,000
Individual Debenture:	Nil
Corporate Nominee:	Nil

Cheques must be drawn in favour of the "Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club". Except for a Short Term application, such payment is not refundable but, in the event of the application for membership being successful, such deposit shall be treated as part payment of the entrance fee. The deposit paid by a Short Term Member is refundable when he/she ceases to be a Member of the Club, after the deduction of all monies owed to the Club. For a Short Term Member who ceases to be a Member of the Club less than 12 months after joining, an administrative charge will be required, which is currently $1,000. In order to secure payments to the Club, a Short Term Member is also required to sign a blank credit card voucher when submitting an application.

Current Monthly Subscription are:

Ordinary Members:		Short Term Members:
Married Couple:	$1,600	Married Couple	$2,400
Single:	$1,240	Single:	$1,860
Cadet:	$190	Cadet:	$285
Child:	Nil	Child	Nil

Junior Members:	Cadet Members sponsored by a Member:
$690	$190

Corporate Nominee Subscribers:		Individual Debenture Members:
Married Couple:	$1,600	Married Couple/ Single:	$1,600
Single:	$1,240	Cadet:	$190
Cadet:	$190	Child:	Nil
Child:	Nil

New Members elected during the course of a month is payable from the 1st day of the month in which he is elected/admitted as a Member.

Ordinary, Short Term Married Couple and Single Members and Individual Debenture Members are also required to pay a monthly building levy and a minimum food and beverage charges per account:

Current Monthly Building Levy and Minimum Food & Beverage Charges are:

	Building Levy	Minimum F&B Charge
Ordinary & Short Term Couple/ Individual Debenture	$231	$498
Ordinary & Short Term Single	$189	$498

There is also an optional annual donation of $100 charged to members' accounts at Easter each year to help fund the RHKYC Charity Foundation’s work in the community. Members who wish to opt-out of this donation should contact the accounts office.

In addition to the monthly subscription, a Junior Member must pay a monthly instalment:

Age	Instalment	Age	Instalment	Age	Instalment	Age	Instalment
18	$190	22	$390	26	$590	30	$790
19	$240	23	$440	27	$640	31	$840
20	$290	24	$490	28	$690
21	$340	25	$540	29	$740

Junior Members who have paid monthly instalments for a continuous period of at least 25 months at any time before their 32nd birthday can secure a ‘lock-in’ of the entrance fee for Ordinary Membership, which will then be equal to the fee that was effective on the date they were admitted as a Junior Member.

The monthly instalment counts as partial payment of the entrance fee for Ordinary Membership, but in the event, a Junior Member resigns before his/her 32nd birthday or fails to be admitted as an Ordinary Member, 100% of the instalments paid will be refunded.

The Club requires all new Members to pay their monthly accounts by means of an autopay arrangement with their bank. A direct debit authorisation must accompany an application for membership. The direct debit authorisation will be processed upon an application for membership being approved by the Membership Committee. In the event that an application for membership is withdrawn or not approved by the Membership Committee, the direct debit authorisation will be returned to the applicant.

( application form)

The issuance of an application form for Ordinary, Short Term or Junior Membership is restricted to a qualified Proposer. A Proposer should contact the Membership Office to obtain an application form. Exception to this requirement is for Full Membership, Spouse Membership of an existing Member, Cadet Membership sponsored by a Member and Corporate Nominee Membership where the application form is available from the Club’s Membership Office or Reception or download from the Club’s website.

Should you require any further information, please feel free to contact the Membership Office on 2239-0372 or email membership@rhkyc.org.hk.

Individual (Personal) Membership

Age 18 and over

Age 18 and below 32

Age 21 and over

Age 9 and below 18

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Individual (Personal) Membership

Membership Path

Individual Debenture Membership

Age 18 and over

Age 18 and below 32

Age 21 and over

Age 9 and below 18

Application Procedures / Criteria

Admission Guideline – For Consideration of Ordinary Membership

Order of Priority for Admission of Ordinary Membership

Admission Guideline - For Consideration of Full Membership

Waiting Time

Membership Committee

Entrance Fees

Deposits

Monthly Charges

Monthly Instalment

Autopay

Application Forms

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