Club in Focus: Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club (CCYC)

A short walk from the Keppel Bay Marina, Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club (CCYC) is situated in the beautiful Rosslyn Bay in Yeppoon. Established in 1974 by a small yet passionate group of sailors, this club has grown to become the centerpiece of its local sailing community, regularly hosting community events as well as sailing-focused activities.

Situated close to the local cruising grounds of The Keppels, CCYC is particularly well known for their extensive keelboat expertise. Having become an accredited Discover Sailing Centre in 2016, the CCYC runs monthly keelboat courses, including sessions on crewing, helming and skippering. The popularity of these courses has recently led them to include Spinnaker courses within their program, making them the only Discover Sailing Centre in the country to do so. 

This success is largely due to the passion of their dedicated Instructor staff, not only for keelboat sailing but for CCYC itself. Alongside the club committee, the instructors are committed to delivering training at the highest standard.

Additionally, they have established themselves as an event hub for the local community, successfully marketing their venue as the place to be for special birthdays, anniversaries and weddings. With an unbeatable view of the stunning Yeppoon sunsets, their event space rarely sees a vacant weekend, and is currently booked almost every Saturday between now and the end of 2022.

Membership:

CCYC is a community focused club, currently supporting 334 members, 34% of whom are women.

The club is also home to RC44 World Champion, Joey Newton. A six-time America’s Cup athlete and two-time winner, Newton quotes his career highlight as coming back to win the 34th America’s Cup (2013) 9-8 after being down 8-1 to start.

Programs on Offer:

The CCYC owns a Swarbrick eight meter (S80), The Bendigo, which is used for all keelboat training.

While the CCYC does focus almost exclusively on keelboat sailing, it does offer other courses on request. The keelboat courses currently on offer are:

• Step 1
  • Start Crewing
  • Start Helming 
• Step 2
  • Start Skippering 
• Step 3
  • Spinnakers (Symmetric & Asymmetric)
  • Start Racing

CCYC also offers SailPass for locals looking to dip their toes in the world of sailing.

Key Club Events:

As well as the significant number of community-based events hosted at their clubhouse, the CCYC also hosts several key races in the area. Each year it hosts the Keppel 100, 3 Island Race and the Brass Monkey Series, each of which attract a large number of competitors as well as a significant crowd. 

These events are proudly sponsored by a number of the CCYC sponsors, including Bendigo Bank.

A 100 berth hardstand/ boat storage area and haulout and work area facilities are an integral part of the club’s operation and are well used. 

A club with impressive community spirit and a harmonious staff and volunteer team, the CCYC is a highly proactive club, regularly promoting the sport of sailing to their local community. With strong ties to their neighbors across the bay, Keppel Bay Sailing Club, the CCYC continues to go from strength to strength, and provides an inclusive space for individuals of all skill levels to develop their love for sailing.

Commodore: Bruce Sagnol