Friends of Hunter's Fleet

The Friends of the Hunter Fleet was founded in 1996 to maintain a continuing link with the many people who made donations in order to set up the Trust, to act as a "User Group" for the Hirers of the yachts and to help the work of the Trust. Today 'The Friends' enjoys a membership of over 740 and is very much part of the Hunters Yard environment providing practical and financial support to strengthen the aims of the Trust in terms of preserving the Fleet, maintaining the traditional skills of wooden boat building and encouraging youth sailing.

Each 'Friend' pays a nominal annual membership fee (currently £10, to include all members of the family) which covers the cost of Newsletters as well as contributing towards donations to the Trust. These donations are used for specific items which can be identified, not the general running costs - e.g. during 2003 season new sails for Luna, a Wood and Woodcut 1 were provided together with awnings for Wood Anemone, Luna, Brown Bess & Sundew. In 2004 the total fleet of cabin yachts benefitted from replacement blocks at a cost of nearly £2000.

The Friends is also a social organisation. The Committee meet regularly and organise two well attended events at the Yard each year which include free sailings for members. A very popular 16 page newsletter is 'professionally' produced three times a year and a copy sent to each member's home to keep them in touch with the happenings at the Yard and personal accounts of items present and past. A substantial discount is allowed to members who hire the boats during Friends' week and high quality burgees and lapel pins are available to members only.

Additional members are always welcome. Application forms are available from Hunter's Yard or by emailing the friends directly at