Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club

There is a well established tradition of women participating in sailing at NCYC. The club encourages and supports the growth of sailing for women. A number of female sailors have participated in the Sydney to Hobart Race, and women are regular participants in twilight racing, laser sailing, club racing on Sundays and regattas elsewhere in Australia.

The NCYC Sailing Academy provides a variety of opportunities for women, using the fleet of Force 24 keelboats. There are programs for women who are interested in learning to sail or building on their knowledge and skills. Twilight entrants and Sunday racing yachts are always willing to take women who have a basic knowledge of sailing and are keen to participate regularly. For the past two years, NCYC has had a crew in the Australian Women's Keelboat regatta in Melbourne and the Commodores Cup at Sail Port Stephens in April. NCYC had the only all female crew in a spinnaker division at Airlie Beach Race Week in 2014, and in 2016, nine women from the club sailed in ABRW on a number of different yachts.

On March 18th 2107, NCYC will be hosting the inaugural Force 24 Women's Regatta on Newcastle Harbour. This will be an opportunity for women members of the club and graduates of the Sailing Academy programs to gain more regatta experience. A three hour coaching and development session be held on the Saturday morning preceding the regatta. It is hoped that this will become an annual event.

Excellent facilities during our overnight stay here while cruising up the coast. Secure, all the amenities you need and a great restaurant/bar with welcoming staff.

- Staff were good

- location - short walk to main town

- Facilities - clean / shower / toilets / laundry

- Fuel & slipping available (shipwrights very good)

- Club - good meals / licensed / friendly

- Other - restaurants, bottle shop, fish co-op next door

We see several reviews by management who rightly state the good about the NCYC. But to bring balance to this discussion, here are a couple of things you also ought to know.

We stayed there over Christmas 2016 and found the staff friendly and helpful, just as we have at many sailing club marinas around the world. A lovely restaurant serving average food for average prices opens onto a lovely view of the marina and industry, accompanied by the regular passage of helicopters landing across the waterway when we were there.

In fact the town of Newcastle didn't really turn us on all that much, mainly because most of that historic city has been replaced by modern structures found in just about every big city.

But there are two important things to watch out for: The first is that the marina is exposed to the NE afternoon seabreeze which makes getting in and out of their berths a bit tricky. Our advice, if that wind is blowing when you arrive, find an empty spot on the end of a Tee, and slip into your berth early next morn. Same with getting out. We did not and got into a pickle, and we've been driving the famous Miss B for what seems centuries.

Second surprise for us: They charge visitors a hefty surcharge for fuel. At Coffs, the price of diesel was $1.42, Port Stephans a few cents more, but at the NCYC their automatic bowser wanted $1.68 for visitors - with most of that extra taken off for members. Something you might want to know if you're searching for a fair price.

All in all, our stay was excellent, but we just think the unaware could come unstuck on those two issues.

While I may be a bit bias as I am currently the CEO of NCYC I can confirm that one of our strengths at NCYC is our welcoming attitude towards 'out of towners' visiting our yacht club. Be them racing sailors coming to NCYC to compete in a regatta, blue water yachties finishing a race at Newcastle, cruisers on route up or down the coast, international sailors using Newcastle to clear customs in or out of Australia or game fishermen competing in a comp from Newcastle the feedback we generally receive is that we greet our members and guests with a smile and show them a good time while in Newcastle.

We would love to see you drop in to Newcastle and NCYC when your next in the area! We have plenty of marina space and will do our best to make you feel welcome regardless of whether you are staying an hour, a day, a week or a month.

Come visit NCYC - If its your first time we assure you it wont be your last!

Regards

Richard