Hochrheinsegler Schwörstadt e.V.
Hochrheinsegler Schwörstadt e.V. is a family-friendly sailing club on the Upper Rhine in Schwörstadt, close to the Swiss border near Basel. The sailing area between Schwörstadt power station and Bad Säckingen offers a special challenge for beginners and experienced sailors alike due to river current and rapidly changing winds. The spacious club grounds provide numerous sailing dinghies for active members, including Optimists, Lasers, 29ers and larger training boats such as Sailhorse, complemented by a club hut, barbecue area, pizza oven and many recreational facilities. For over 50 years the club has promoted sailing for all sections of society with remarkably low membership fees, a youth camp, Friday sailing sessions and boating licence training on its own harbour site. Yardstick regattas, varied training courses and regular family events shape active club life in a friendly, relaxed community on the Rhine.
History
The club Hochrheinsegler Schwörstadt e.V. was originally named «Jachtclub Lörrach e.V.» and was registered in the Lörrach association register on 27 February 1967. In its founding year 1967 the club leased a riverside plot on the impounded Rhine above the swimming pool in Schwörstadt and built a small equipment shed in the first year. In 1969 a boat landing stage, slipway and swimming pontoon were added. In 1972 the municipality of Schwörstadt unexpectedly demanded relocation of the site, threatening the young club's existence after substantial investment. Fortunately the municipality offered a plot further upstream on a former spoil dump; members carried out extensive work including relocating all pontoons, creating vehicle access, building toilet and sewage facilities, earthworks, fencing and demolition of old structures. In April 1975 water-law approval for a landing stage and slipway was obtained. The clubhouse was built in 1976 at an estimated cost of DM 45,000, financed by DM 17,000 in grants, DM 8,000 cash reserves, DM 6,500 receivables and loans personally guaranteed by members. Each member paid a one-off contribution of DM 100 towards the clubhouse in addition to the annual fee; member labour was valued at DM 8,822. Since October 1972 the site has been leased from Schwörstadt municipality and was extended westwards in November 1974 through leasing from the Catholic parish endowments. Leadership changed over the decades from Dierk Sievers (1967–1974) through Horst Droese, Albert Gold, Norbert Wenger, Dr. Willi Knobloch, Richard Wetzel, Klaus Blank, Ewald König, Harald Ebner, Phillipp Heimann (2019–2021) to Klaus Obert as chairman since 19 June 2021. On 19 June 2001 the club was renamed Hochrheinsegler Schwörstadt e.V. with seat in Schwörstadt; the statutes were last revised on 5 April 2019. Today the club presents itself as an open, family-friendly sailing club on the Rhine with active youth work, boating licence training and regular events such as season opening, family days and kids camp.
Information
Facilities
Spacious club grounds on the Rhine with harbour area, boat landing stage, slipway, swimming pontoon, clubhouse, club hut, barbecue area, pizza oven and numerous play facilities for many sailing dinghies.
Activities
Trial sailing, Friday sailing sessions, yardstick regattas, boating licence training (inland licence, inland sailing licence, sea licence), kids camp, family days, inclusion afternoons, training such as capsize drills, sail trim and racing rules.
Youth section
Active youth programme with kids camp for ages 8 to 12, Optimist fleet and dedicated instructors; young sailors compete in regattas and training races.
Boating license training
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