Founded in 1932, ZVYC is one of Cape Town's oldest Yacht Clubs.
⛵️Sailing
⛵️Rowing
⛵️Events
⛵️Venue hire Elkan Green, at the age of 20, was the fist secretary.
Early in 1932 a general meeting was held with the idea of forming a proper club. Nineteen enthusiasts gathered on veranda at “Skipper’s”, but things moved very slowly. A wooden shack was built, with a sail locker at the rear. Vice Admiral Tw**die lent his support to the fledgling club and Lady Tw**die performed the official opening. The club grew in strength and soon there was a fleet of about 20
boats ranging from canvas sailing canoes to a few scows and then Redwings came in numbers from Table Bay. Elkan Green brought in an Uffa Fox International dinghy and plans for the Sharpie, of which there was soon a big fleet.
‘Pop” Bongers designed a new clubhouse that was built by the members where today the swimming pool is. The Governor-General, the Earl of Claredon, opened it on February 12, 1934. A path had been cut through the bush to Peninsula Road to allow him access but then it was discovered that he could not walk that far and the path had to be widened to accommodate his car. This ‘path; is the existing ‘Governors Walk.’
In those far off days the Vlei would almost dry up in summer leaving only narrow channels to sail in. The winter of 1942 brought disastrous floods to the area and a channel was dug to the sea and a weir built to control the level of the water. This weir was later raised by over one meter. A w**d (Potomageton) started to grow in the Vlei in 1939 that made sailing very difficult. A fund was established and an underwater w**d-cutting machine was brought in from America. It was mounted on a barge and cut the week a meter below the surface, but to no avail. This battle continued until, as suddenly as it had appeared it sickened and died. All manners of explanations were given but it is thought that the chemicals sprayed on it by the Council helped quite a bit. By 1954 membership and boat ownership had increased to such an extent that an adjoining property knows as “Skipper’s” was acquired for a junior clubhouse, boat parking and an unofficial pub. The main classes at that time were the Flying Dutchmen, Sharpie, Goodricke, Finn, Sprog, Andy and Dabchick. Dinghy sailing was at its peak in the 1960’s and early 70’s. The very successful training and racing boat for juniors, the Optimist, was introduced in 1971. By 1979 the Vlei had become badly silted up and a dredger was brought in to pump out the mud, which it did with reasonable success. In the early hours of Wednesday, March 2, 1983 a fire broke out in the thatched roof of the clubhouse, and by morning the distinctive landmark was a pile of smoldering ruins. Money came into the re-building fund from far and wide and just one year later on March 24, almost 50 years after the first little building had been opened, the new clubhouse was opened by the Chief of the Navy, Admiral Dries Putter. In the early 1860’s, 6 to 10 rowing clubs were formed and they used to race in Table Bay for the Table Bay Victoria Trophy. Alfred Club was forming in 1864 and had its headquarters at various sites on the Vlei. As the only surviving club of that era, and with its own long history, it was incorporated in the ZVYC in 1986. In 1991 Bishops and SACS rowing clubs joining forces with ZVYC and built sheds to house their boats. In the same year the Western Cape Radio Sailing Club was incorporated in ZVYC. With urban development, the catchment area for the Vlei has become far greater than it ever was. This brings the problem that the run off of fertilizers and manure from the farms as well as pollution is carried into the Vlei. This is a long-term problem that the council is addressing. In the early 1990’s Water Hyacinth became and increasing problem in the Vlei. For the past number of years a ‘draw-down’ (opening of the weir) has taken place for two to three months in the winter. This has allowed the council and Rondevlei Nature Reserve to remove the Hyacinth by mechanical means. The winter rains have, with the weir being open flushed out the Vlei to reduce the build up of silt and give us clean water for the season.
27/07/2026
🚣 Our next Story Waves is one for the history books — literally.
Alfred Rowing Club and Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club invite you to join us on Friday 31 July from 6:30pm for a fascinating illustrated talk by Barrie Gasson on the golden years of rowing on Table Bay.
Before the construction of the Duncan Dock and the destruction of the Pier ended it all, Table Bay was home to a thriving rowing scene. Barrie will take us through rowing’s revival after 20 moribund years from 1914 to 1934, how the sport spread to UCT, Rondebosch Boys High, and Bishops, and how the finest Pier in the world played its part — before the bay’s boat rowing era ended forever.
Barrie Gasson is a retired Senior Lecturer in City & Regional Planning at UCT and co-author of Deeds not Words (2014), a history of Alfred Rowing Club. He is currently writing a history of university and schools’ rowing in Cape Town up to 1975.
🍷 Bar opens at 6:30pm — come early to meet and mingle
🥗 Delicious snacks available from Rochelle’s Kitchen
🎤 Talk starts promptly at 7pm, followed by Q&A
🎟 Free entry — everyone is welcome
Please RSVP by Thursday 30 July for catering purposes.
📧 [email protected] | 🌐 zvyc.co.za
We look forward to seeing you there! 💙
02/07/2026
🏉🇿🇦 BOKKE ON THE BIG SCREEN
Saturday 4 July | SA vs England kicks off 17:40
Come watch it with us at ZVYC! Tuckshop and bar open all day with light meals and snacks.
Members and the local community all welcome — bring your flag and your voice 📣
02/07/2026
📅 Save the date — 420 Pre-Season Training is coming!
Starting Saturday 18 July, we are running 6 Saturday afternoon sessions of 420 Pre-Season Training at Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club, open to all 420 sailors.
Get your young sailor season-ready before the season kicks off — link in bio to register.
🗓 18, 25 July | 1, 8, 15, 22 August
📍 Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club
01/07/2026
📅 Save the date — ILCA Pre-Season Training is coming!
Starting Saturday 18 July, we are running 6 Saturday sessions of ILCA Pre-Season Training at Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club — designed for ILCA sailors looking to build skills, confidence, and get race-ready before the new season.
Get your spot secured early — link in bio to register.
🗓 18, 25 July | 1, 8, 15, 22 August
📍 Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club
01/07/2026
📅 Save the date — 420 Pre-Season Training is coming!
Starting Saturday 18 July, we are running 6 Saturday afternoon sessions of 420 Pre-Season Training at Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club, open to all 420 sailors.
Get your young sailor season-ready before the season kicks off — link in bio to register.
🗓 18, 25 July | 1, 8, 15, 22 August
📍 Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club
01/07/2026
⛵ The moment we have all been waiting for — we’re back on the water!
Join us this Saturday 4 July from 12:00 – 16:00 at Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club for an afternoon of sailing. All are welcome — come as you are and come enjoy being back where we belong.
See you on the water! 💙
📍 Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club
🌐 zvyc.co.za
01/07/2026
⛵ Get your young sailor season-ready.
ZVYC’s 420 Pre-Season Training is here — 6 Saturday sessions designed to help beginner 420 sailors build skills, confidence, and time on the water before the season begins.
Register for the full 6-week block and make the most of every session.
🗓 18, 25 July | 1, 8, 15, 22 August
💰 R1200 for the full course — members
💰 R1500 for the full course — non-members
⛵ Boat hire available at R300 per session
📍 Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club
ZVYC’s ILCA Pre-Season Training kicks off on 18 July — 6 Saturday afternoon sessions designed to sharpen your skills and get you competition-ready before the season is in full swing.
Open to all ILCA sailors. Come for one session or the full block — whatever suits you.
🗓 18, 25 July | 1, 8, 15, 22 August
💰 R200 members | R250 non-members per session
⛵ Boat hire available at R300 per session
📍 Zeekoe Vlei Yacht Club
Congrats to both our TSL teams for securing 1st and 2nd at the team racing held at MAC today. Both teams undefeated apart from their flight.
Teams were:
Isabella Keytel & Ben Fourie
Joshua Keytel & Ben Madel
Joshua nankin & Cameron starke
Elisa Falcon & josie
blake madel & Gems
sean van aswegen & Michael Hacksley
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27/07/2026
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