Knysna Yacht Club

ABOUT US

The Knysna Yacht Club is internationally renowned for its hospitality and facilities and visiting yachts are always welcome.

The club offers two dingy sail training schools, a keelboat club, canoe club, restaurant,2 bars, a small play area for children and yacht berths.

The Club also hosts many social activities; a regular Wednesday happy hour, lucky draws, functions and events.

With our beautiful setting on the water it is a very popular get together for our members to socialise.

SERVICES

Member Facilities

• Restaurant
• Moorings & berths
• Boat Parking
• Shower facilities
• Sail training
• Clubhouse

Inshore

The Knysna Estuary provides an extensive stretch of water for sailors to enjoy. Not only is water plentiful, it also provides some unique challenges taxing the skill of some of the most experienced sailors and providing a bundle of fun.

The Knysna Estuary, surrounded by hills, being tidal requires local knowledge if you are to master the channels at low tide while fighting an ever changing wind, not to mention avoiding the pleasure vessels that ply the waters.

Sailing

KYC boasts an active dinghy and catamaran following with club sailing taking place most Saturday afternoons during the sailing season. Inshore sailing is managed by a Sailing Committee steered by the Sailing Secretary. Our sailing season follows our weather and generally kicks off with the Opening Cruise in September (the beginning of summer) running through to the Closing Cruise at the end of April the following year. The annual sailing calendar gives details of all club races, regional regattas as well as a few of the more significant events being run in other parts of the country. The various club series races eg The Parkes Cup, Ma Wyatt Trophy are named after past and present members who have supported the club generously over many years and made the club what it is today.

While all class of boats are accepted the preferred single handed class for dinghy sailing is Laser and Finn. Spearhead, 470 and 505 class boats are popular double handed dinghies.

Popular Catamarans are the Hobie 14 and 16 as well as the Dart class.

Club sailors, being members of the Eden sub-region of SA Sailing, take part in regional interclub regattas, interschool regattas and other regional as well as National sailing events. The club has also hosted National events in the past and is to host the 2015 Hobie 14 Nationals in January 2015.

Bridge and Rescue

You don’t have to be a sailor to be involved in sailing, as with every sport or activity there are always the backroom crew who make it all happen. If you have slight bend towards water but don’t want to get wet then helping out on the bridge or assisting on rescue is the way to go. Previous experience is not necessary, you will not be thrown in at the deep end without a life jacket, there will always be someone experienced around to help and guide you. If you are new to the club get involved, get to know people and enjoy your club.

Coaching

KYC is an accredited SA Sailing (ISAF - International Sailing Federation) training establishment. The training offered is open to all and largely driven by demand, with the majority of coaching being directed to junior sailors. This does not mean that if you feel you have passed junior status that you are not welcome, on the contrary, we will be delighted to impart some of the basics to help get you on the water.

While coaching is largely a practical activity there is always admin in the background; if you feel you would like to get involved in any aspect of coaching your help and assistance will be welcomed.

Boats and equipment also require ongoing maintenance and repair and a will pair of hands in this department is always welcome.

Canoe Club

The governing body of canoe racing in South Africa is CSA who have a system in place for the grading of all races and paddler proficiencies. Races are rated from flatwater C grade to extreme A+ rivers and new paddlers have to move up through their proficiency grades to be able to compete.

The Knysna Canoe Club section and other Garden Route clubs run a number of fun C grade races throughout the year and all are welcome to enter. The exciting Brak and Little Fish River races in the Eastern Cape are also well worth travelling to and are aimed at introducing new paddlers to the sport.

Knysna Canoe Club holds a well-attended time trial every Tuesday evening come rain or shine. The course alternates between a four lap 11 km race down to the railway bridge and a five lap 9km course through the Quays. Most time trials include sponsored lucky draw prizes. Anyone is welcome to join in regardless of fitness level or expertise and it is not compulsory to complete the full distance.