Upsala Segelsällskap
Upsala Segelsällskap (USS) is a traditional sailing club in Uppsala with about 1,700 members and more than 550 registered boats. The harbour lies on Lake Ekoln at Skarholmen in northern Lake Mälaren, with the yard at Flottsund by the mouth of the Fyrisån; the club island Säby Klint is about two nautical miles from the harbour. Facilities include jetties and berths for around 350 boats, a clubhouse from 1989, a mast crane, a slipway and a fixed crane with a five-tonne lifting capacity. The club prioritises racing and youth work with evening training, sailing school and courses for children, juniors and adults, plus kitesurfing and iceboat sailing. Founded in 1907, voluntary member effort, Vision 2030 and certification as a “Säker Hamn” (Safe Harbour) still shape club life today.
History
Upsala Segelsällskap was founded in 1907. The name was originally written as “Upsala Segel Sällskap”; in 2017 the club decided to call itself Upsala Segelsällskap like most other societies, while keeping the historic spelling Upsala with one p. The yard has been at the river mouth in Flottsund south of Uppsala since 1923, now covers about 17,000 square metres, is leased from Uppsala Municipality and holds around 280 boats. The club island Säby Klint came under USS care by lease in 1928; a freehold purchase failed in 1932, but in 1936 the island (Säby 1:9) was separated from Säby gård and bought for 3,330 kronor from the Crown. The house on the island crest came from the Kungs-/Vaksalagatan corner to make room for Uppsala Sparbank’s head office. Until 1980 the present inner harbour was a large reed bed; Anders Öström began dredging in 1980 and built his own dredger, so the new harbour was essentially finished around 1988. The present clubhouse was completed in 1989. The club magazine USS Aktuellt has appeared four times a year since 1978 and has been digital since 2008. For the centenary, Ingemar Nilsson and Stig Jansson produced the chronicle “100 år med Upsala Segel Sällskap 1907–2007” with about 400 images. In 2022 adult beginner sailing began, ending each year with the 606 Beginners Regatta, and Froggen in Uppsala became the Swedish Youth Sprint Cup within a year. In winter 2023/2024 Vision 2030 was developed with RFSISU Uppland; the guiding words were adopted at the 2024 AGM. Since summer 2021 Klinten has had a voluntary guest harbour fee; the sauna was renovated in 2011. Skarholmen harbour is certified as “Säker Hamn”. Ebbe Johnson has been chair since 2025.
Information
Facilities
Skarholmen harbour on Ekoln with about 350 berths, additional berths at Flottsund by the yard, clubhouse (1989), club island Säby Klint with sauna, barbecue and swimming area, yard of about 17,000 m² with mast crane, slipway, fixed crane (5 t), environmental station, electricity and water; office in the clubhouse.
Activities
Racing including Tuesday evening races, youth training and sailing school, adult sailing and 606 courses, club fleet of eight 606s, kitesurfing on Ekoln, iceboat sailing, cruising and squadrons, social events on Klinten, förarbevis and VHF courses in the clubhouse.
Youth section
Active youth section up to age 24 with evening training (Optimist, 606, J/70), sailing school and day camps for ages 8–15, plus favourable junior membership.
Guest berths
Yes, voluntary fee at Klinten
Boating license training
Available: 1
Winter season in the clubhouse