Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia set up as private company in 1973; brings start of the North Haven suburb
The Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia's clubhouse and marina at North Haven on Adelaide's LeFevre Peninsula. In top-level racing, the club could claim three Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race winners.
The Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia – a latecomer, in 1973 – was being promoted as state’s premier club in the 21st Century with more than 1,200 members. The club and its structure, unique in Australia, stemmed from May 1973 when Adelaide businessman Malcolm Kinnaird mobilised a group of sailing associates.
The new club also launched the entire North Haven area, at the top of LeFevre Peninsula near Port Adelaide. North Haven was transformed from a coastal wasteland of marshes and sandhills to a suburban development with the club setting up its marina.
The Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, as a private company, owned about 36 hectares, including water and land from the inner breakwater to the North Haven harbour through to Lady Gowrie Drive. The opening of the club’s Marina West in 2009 added to its dynamic reputation enhanced by the high standard of its clubhouse and moorings.
CYC(SA) Management Pty Ltd owned the freehold of water and land areas. Senior (full voting) members of the company were the berth owners, who could buy, sell or lease their asset at market values. The club was run by a general manager and staff appointed by a board elected annually and controlling the club’s finances, staff and assets. The commodore was a non-voting board member. Other non-voting categories were club member, racing member, social member, intermediate member and youth member.
In top-level racing, the club could claim three Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race winners: SAP Ausmaid in 2000, Andrew Saies’s Two True in 2009 and Geoff Boettcher’s Secret Men’s Business 3.5 in 2010. Notable club members included James Hardy, Australian winemaker and businessman noted for his yachting achievements; Eric Neal, businessman, commissioner of Sydney, governor of South Australia, and chancellor of Flinders University; Kevin Scarce, a Royal Australian Navy officer who became governor of South Australia and chancellor of Adelaide University; Nick Bice, former race director of the Ocean Globe Race and America’s Cup sailor; and Chris Tillett, Olympic sailor.
The Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia sailing also included keelboat racing; cruising, inshore and offshore; women’s helm and Youth Sailing Foundation summer squad training. The club also operated South Australia’s only fully credited Australian Sailing and Royal Yachting Association training academy programmes such as: Discover Sailing, Start Powerboating, Women’s Discover Sailing; Women’s Boating Essentials’ Three Day Live aboard; Five Day live aboard; Start Yachting; Youth Out There Sailing; Safety Sundays; Safety and Sea Survival Certificates; Safety Boat Operators; She Sails initiatives. Its annual range of events included the Fred Neil match racing championships in March and the Adelaide to Port Lincoln regatta in February.
