Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) is one of Australia's leading yacht clubs, based at Newport on Pittwater north of Sydney — founded in 1867 and known for its elite racing and youth sailing programs.
Photo: Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
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The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) — the "Alfreds" — is one of Australia's leading yacht clubs, based at Newport on Pittwater, north of Sydney. Founded in 1867, it is known for its elite racing and youth sailing programs, and it organises the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race.
The club
RPAYC sits at Green Point, Newport, towards the southern end of Pittwater on Sydney's northern beaches. It runs keelboat, one-design and offshore racing on the sheltered waters of Pittwater and up the coast, and is particularly renowned for its sailing academy and youth development, which has produced Olympic and international sailors. It combines a strong racing culture with cruising and a full waterfront club.
History
The club was formed on 15 October 1867 at a public meeting of boat owners in Sydney. Its name honoured Prince Alfred, whose visit in command of HMS Galatea took place in 1868, and the Royal prefix was granted by King George V in 1911. Originally based at Kirribilli, the club moved to Pittwater after a 1919 decision to escape the increasingly congested Sydney Harbour, and its Green Point clubhouse opened in 1938.
Where it sails
RPAYC races on Pittwater — a large, protected estuary on Sydney's northern beaches that is one of the region's finest sailing and cruising grounds — and offshore up the New South Wales coast, most notably in its Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race.
Following the club
RPAYC publishes its racing calendar, race details and results through its official website. For the wider region, see our guide to sailing in Sydney and Sydney Harbour, and the sailing terms glossary for the vocabulary of the sport.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club?
- The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), known as the Alfreds, is one of Australia's leading yacht clubs, based at Green Point, Newport, on Pittwater north of Sydney. Founded in 1867, it is known for its strong elite racing and youth sailing programs, and it organises the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race. The club runs keelboat, one-design and dinghy racing on the sheltered waters of Pittwater.
- When was the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club founded?
- It was formed at a public meeting of boat owners in Sydney on 15 October 1867. The name honoured Prince Alfred of the United Kingdom, whose visit in command of HMS Galatea took place in 1868, and the Royal prefix was granted by King George V in 1911. The club was originally based at Kirribilli before establishing its Pittwater home.
- Where is the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club?
- The club is at Green Point, Newport, towards the southern end of Pittwater on Sydney's northern beaches, across the water from The Newport. It moved there after a 1919 decision to seek an alternative to the increasingly congested Sydney Harbour, and its Green Point clubhouse opened in 1938. Pittwater's protected waters make it an excellent racing and cruising venue.
- What is the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race?
- The Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race is an offshore ocean race organised by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, sending the fleet north up the New South Wales coast from Pittwater to Coffs Harbour. Held in the new-year period, it is a popular offshore event that gives crews a coastal passage race as part of the summer season.
- What sailing happens at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club?
- RPAYC runs keelboat, one-design and offshore racing on Pittwater and up the coast, and is particularly known for its elite sailing academy and youth development, which has produced Olympic and international sailors. It combines a strong racing culture with cruising and a full waterfront club, making it one of the leading clubs on the New South Wales coast.
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