Does the CYCA run the Sydney Hobart?

Yes. The CYCA is the organising club of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which it has conducted since the inaugural race in 1945. The event famously grew out of an after-dinner conversation among club members that turned a planned cruise to Hobart into a race. The Sydney Hobart, starting on Sydney Harbour each Boxing Day, remains the club's signature event and one of the world's great ocean races.

The CYCA is based at Rushcutters Bay, in the Darling Point area of inner-eastern Sydney, on Sydney Harbour. Its marina can berth large yachts, and its clubhouse and facilities sit on the waterfront. The harbour location, close to the Heads, makes it a natural base for ocean racing out into the Tasman Sea.

When was the CYCA founded?

The club was established in 1944. It began when a group of keen sailors started meeting informally in Sydney and soon acquired a boatshed at Rushcutters Bay, later purchasing waterfront premises there. Within a year of its founding it had launched the Sydney Hobart, and it has grown into one of the largest and most respected yacht clubs in the world.

What races does the CYCA organise besides the Sydney Hobart?

Alongside the Sydney Hobart, the CYCA runs a full offshore program, most notably its Blue Water Pointscore series of ocean races — including the Cabbage Tree Island Race, the Flinders Islet Race and the Bird Island Race — and the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour. It also runs inshore and one-design keelboat racing and a strong youth sailing program.

New South Wales

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is one of the world's leading ocean-racing clubs, based at Rushcutters Bay in Sydney and best known as the organiser of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Photo: Alex Proimos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2 min read

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is one of the world's leading ocean-racing clubs — based at Rushcutters Bay in Sydney and known the world over as the organiser of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Established in 1944, it has grown into a global standard-bearer for offshore racing.

The club

The CYCA sits on the waterfront at Rushcutters Bay, in the Darling Point area of inner-eastern Sydney, with a marina that berths large offshore yachts and a clubhouse at the heart of Australian ocean racing. Its membership runs into the thousands, and its culture is built around bluewater racing — the demanding, offshore end of the sport — supported by a strong youth and development program.

Front view of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia clubhouse at Darling Point — Rushcutters Bay, Darling Point — Photo: Shkuru Afshar, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

History

The club began in 1944, when a group of keen sailors started meeting informally in Sydney and soon acquired a boatshed at Rushcutters Bay. The following year, an after-dinner conversation turned a planned cruise to Hobart into a race — and the Sydney Hobart was born, first run in 1945. The club later bought its waterfront premises and grew steadily into one of the most respected yacht clubs anywhere.

Where it sails

The CYCA races on Sydney Harbour and, above all, offshore into the Tasman Sea. Its position near the Heads makes it a natural launch point for ocean racing down the New South Wales coast and across to Tasmania.

Racing and events

The CYCA is defined by its offshore program. As well as the Sydney Hobart, it runs:

The Blue Water Pointscore series of ocean races — including the Cabbage Tree Island Race, the Flinders Islet Race and the Bird Island Race.
The SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour.
Inshore and one-design keelboat racing, and a leading youth sailing program.

For more on what sets this kind of racing apart, see our guide to offshore versus inshore yacht racing.

Following the club

The CYCA publishes its racing calendar, Notices of Race and results — including full Sydney Hobart coverage — through its official website. To follow the great race itself, see our guide to how to watch the Sydney Hobart, and the sailing terms glossary for the language of ocean racing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia?: The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is one of the world's foremost ocean-racing clubs, based at Rushcutters Bay in inner-east Sydney. Established in 1944, it is best known as the organiser of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, and it runs a full offshore racing calendar including the Blue Water Pointscore ocean races. With a membership in the thousands, it is recognised as a global leader in ocean racing.
Does the CYCA run the Sydney Hobart?: Yes. The CYCA is the organising club of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which it has conducted since the inaugural race in 1945. The event famously grew out of an after-dinner conversation among club members that turned a planned cruise to Hobart into a race. The Sydney Hobart, starting on Sydney Harbour each Boxing Day, remains the club's signature event and one of the world's great ocean races.
Where is the CYCA?: The CYCA is based at Rushcutters Bay, in the Darling Point area of inner-eastern Sydney, on Sydney Harbour. Its marina can berth large yachts, and its clubhouse and facilities sit on the waterfront. The harbour location, close to the Heads, makes it a natural base for ocean racing out into the Tasman Sea.
When was the CYCA founded?: The club was established in 1944. It began when a group of keen sailors started meeting informally in Sydney and soon acquired a boatshed at Rushcutters Bay, later purchasing waterfront premises there. Within a year of its founding it had launched the Sydney Hobart, and it has grown into one of the largest and most respected yacht clubs in the world.
What races does the CYCA organise besides the Sydney Hobart?: Alongside the Sydney Hobart, the CYCA runs a full offshore program, most notably its Blue Water Pointscore series of ocean races — including the Cabbage Tree Island Race, the Flinders Islet Race and the Bird Island Race — and the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour. It also runs inshore and one-design keelboat racing and a strong youth sailing program.

← All clubs

More clubs

Related clubs

Sydney HarbourNew South Wales

Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron

The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS) is one of the world's leading yacht clubs, founded in 1862 and based at Kirribilli on Sydney Harbour — with a storied history in the America's Cup, the Admiral's Cup and Olympic sailing.

Read the profile

Moreton BayQueensland

Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS) is one of Queensland's oldest and largest yacht clubs, founded in 1885 and based at Manly on Moreton Bay — a hub for everything from junior dinghies to Olympic and Grand Prix sailors.

Read the profile