The craft sailed at Staunton Harold Sailing Club vary much in appearance and performance. The youngest members tend to start out in small, stable, single-handed boats such as Toppers or Optimists, and progress into the larger and faster boats as they gain confidence. The adults sail a wide range of boats from Toppers to 29ers. Boats are either single or double handed, whilst some, such as the club's Laser13s are suitable to take whole families. Sail plans also vary between 1, 2 and 3 sail arrangements, with some boats having traditional symmetrical spinnakers or the latest asymmetric spinnakers. Whilst most boats are monohulls, multihulls such as the Challenger trimaran used by disabled sailors can also be sailed at the Club. Windsurfers are also often seen on the water. The only restriction on boat types are that boats with fixed keels and with Portsmouth Yardstick numbers of less than 900 cannot be sailed on our water.

All boats can take part in cruising on any day in the sailing season (March - December) provided that rescue cover is available. For those who want to race, any boat type can compete in the handicap series provided that it has a recognised Portsmouth Yardstick Handicap number. When several boats of the same type race regularly, they are given fleet status and during the summer / autumn series these race separately from the handicap fleet.