Port Kembla Sailing Club was formed when a few good friends who had a passion for water and sailing began sailing together on Lake Illawarra. Through the following years friends with the same interests joined in to form the sailing club. The club Port Kembla Sailing Club was formed in 1950 as the Northcliffe VJ and VS Sailing Club. It was later renamed the Lake Heights Amateur Sailing Club when the VJ and VS fleet declined and again in 1972 becoming the Port Kembla Sailing Club.
There have been many successes at competition level with many state and national champions, in all classes, listed on the Club’s honour boards. But underlying these successes is the same passion for a good time on the water as was displayed by the founding members many years before.
The club has grown on its present location to a renowned sailing club offering quality racing to Yachting New South Wales guidelines and race rules. The racing is competitive and of a high standard. But for those people who are after a more laid back approach, the club provides the camaraderie and assistance to all skill levels. Social sailing is enjoyed by all sailors and the Trailable Yachties tell stories of weekends in natural settings and during regattas. Monohulls as well as small and large cats enjoy sailing at regattas at clubs around NSW as well as interstate, renewing friendships with sailors from other clubs
For those who have not sailed before the club offers an excellent junior coaching and learn to sail programmes. For first timers the club provides boats known as Skyriders to teach children the basics of sailing in an informal positive style. As the children progress through the four stages culminating in racing, the children are encouraged to improve and extend themselves to achieve their best. The club is aware of the well being of all members and guests so safety is paramount at all times. For adults advice is freely available on choice of boats to purchase to give you and your family the enjoyment you’re looking for. Members will help you acquire your boat to minimise the chances of buying a poor condition boat for the wrong price. The club is also a great place to buy good second hand boats and sails. Once you have acquired your boat members will take you out in the mornings to teach and demonstrate the art of sailing. Once you have the skills racing in the afternoon will provide you with the opportunity to enhance those skills. If you are looking for a sport which can give competition, great friendships for you and your family and family holidays, come down on Saturday mornings to talk to those who have being enjoying the benefits of the club for many years.
The monohull fleet at PKSC has been steadily growing over the last few years. The classes sailed range from Flying Ants through to faster skiffs such as MG14, International 14 and Lightweight Sharpie. Courses sailed are old Olympic style with triangle and windward/return legs. Starts are on the course from the committee vessel with normal club races finishing off the clubhouse.
Results for the season are based on a yardstick system with the club championship being decided on class based yardstick and the pointscore on a personal yardstick. For the 2010-11 season, the Club Championship is over 7 heats with 5 to count and the pointscore over 25 heats with 19 to count. There will also be a pre-Christmas and a post-Christmas pointscore.
Due to the massive differences in speed of the boats participating, the class runs two courses with the faster boats doing one lap more than the slower ones. There is a Club Championship for fleets on each course - and the Pointscore is over the whole fleet with results being normalised for different course lengths.
The open waters of Lake Illawarra and good launching and rigging facilities are ideal for trailer yachts off all sizes. Regularly raced classes include the Blazer 740, Castle 650, the Ross 780, the Ross 650, and Sonata 760 Sports. The club has a sheltered all weather double launching ramp facilities with an adjacent wharf and plenty of parking for cars, trailers and rigging of boat. The lakes close proximity to the coast means consistency of good sailing breezes most times of the year. Regular Saturday club races start at approximately 2: pm. We usually set good sized triangular courses with fair windward works and fast spinnaker reaches and down wind legs.
Port Kembla Sailing Club is the home of state and national champions in Trailer Yacht divisions. We are about encouraging and helping each other for the benefit of the sport and the club with the goal of enhancing the sailing experience for all involved.
We are always keen to introduce families to sailing. When room permits anyone who is keen is more than welcome to crew on members boats or join in events on their own boat.
This division caters for all catarmarans, longer the 4.3 metres. This season the Taipan 4.9 cat and sloop will be the most hotly contested, and all other classes will be made welcome. Hobie, Nacra, Mosquito, A class, Prindle, whatever you have got, you will enjoy our club scene, and learn heaps. We already have some red hot sailors in our division, past state and national title holders.
We race every Saturday arvo at approx 2pm from September to May. We race a handicap series, where all classes of cats are given a fair chance of winning, depending on your boats potential and your skill during each race. 25 races are held and your best 19 results count. We also race a championship division where 7 races are held and your best 5 results count. Large cats can be raced with 1 or 2 persons on board, but if you want to sail 3 up,you can..
Since the lake has been recently re-opened, the water is now very clean, and no jelly fish to spoil your fun.
Safety is a big part of our club, and our fellow sailors will be pleased to advise you on the finer points of racing.
Commonly referred to as the ‘Small Cat’ class the <4.3m or 14 foot catamaran class at PKSC has been continually active since the early 70’s. The club has produced many national and state champions in this class over the years. In recent seasons about 10 boats regularly sail comprising mainly of Windrush 14 super sloop rig and 4.3 Maricats; both sloop and cat rigged.
PKSC runs two competitions in all classes. A pointscore is held over the season of 25 Saturday races, of which the best 19 count, and a Club Championship over a designated 7 Saturday races, of which 5 count.
Visitors and beginners are always welcome at PKSC and the ‘Small Cat’ class is a great place to start sailing, with heaps of advice both before you purchase and after you purchase your boat.