Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

About Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

The CYCA is known around the world for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, but the race occupies one week of a much larger sailing year. From Darling Point, the club runs Monday and Wednesday twilights, winter pursuit racing, coastal passages and a full offshore program.

Its most direct entry point is crewing. The free Sailing Concierge places newcomers on boats for selected race days, while Crew Connect introduces sailors to owners looking for regular crew. A sailor can begin on the harbour and build towards coastal and offshore racing without owning a yacht.

Training and sailing programs

The practical offshore pathway is to become dependable harbour crew, learn a role properly, move into coastal passages and short offshore series, complete Safety and Sea Survival training, and build experience through the Blue Water Pointscore.

The Youth Sailing Academy accepts 13 to 18 year olds through a four-day School Holiday Course, including complete beginners, before progression to winter squads and representative racing. The club also runs women's training and racing and Offshore Pathways information evenings.

Club history

Founded in 1944, the CYCA staged the first Sydney to Hobart race in 1945 and has remained its organising club ever since. The race now closes the Blue Water Pointscore and requires year-round work across race documentation, safety audits, crew eligibility, training, briefings, broadcasting and on-water tracking. Volunteers remain central to delivering it.