The Castle Yacht Club is one of the senior clubs wholly associated with the Solent classes. There is one noticeable point about the clubs on the Solent which the development of small-class racing called into existence—that is, that many have not sought the ‘Royal’ prefix. The Castle Club is one of these. It was founded in 1887, and takes its name from the situation of its quarters, which are at Calshot Castle, on the neck of low-lying land at the junction of Southampton Water with the Solent. There are small quarters there which are open for the season. The formation of a modern machine-gun battery at this spot, in connection with a boom defence for the protection of Southampton Water in case of war, has somewhat interfered with the club, and the quarters had to be shifted from the southern to the northern side of the promontory a few years ago. Fears have been expressed that the time may not be far distant when the quarters will have to be dispensed with altogether.
