Welcome to the Cairns Yacht Club!

For 116 years, the Cairns Yacht Club (CYC) has been a cornerstone of the Far North Queensland sailing community. At Marlin Marina and Ellis Beach, the club offers a variety of facilities, including two clubhouses, training amenities, a scenic beachfront lease, along with three keelboats (J24 and Masrm 720), 32 dinghies (Optimist, Pacer, Laser, Quest), two catamarans (Nacra 350), three power boats (rescue), and eight outrigger canoes. Over the years, the club has fostered a vibrant sailing community through a diverse range of events, training programs, social activities, and quality boating facilities. 

One of the club's long-standing traditions is Wednesday Afternoon Go Sailing (WAGS), which has been a vital part of getting the community out on the water for over 40 years. It is estimated that since its inception, WAGS has provided memorable experiences on Trinity Inlet for over 28,000 people.

For keelboat enthusiasts, the club organises races every fortnight, catering for sailors of all skill levels. With the support of Australian Sailing, the club offers a range of keelboat crewing, helming, and skippering courses, enabling members to improve their sailing skills.

Dinghy sailing is another highlight at CYC, with the club holding off the beach races and regattas at a picturesque beachfront location at Ellis Beach. The facility offers camping opportunities to support multi-day regattas. Training programs in Australian Sailing Start Sailing 1 and 2 are offered to enthusiasts looking to expand their dinghy sailing skills.

The club is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of sailors through its Junior Sailing programs, which include Australian Sailing Tackers 1 and 2 (7 – 12 years old) and Youth Sailing (12 – 17 years old, Australian Sailing's Out There Sailing curriculum). Through an eight-week learn to sail after school program, the club participates in the Clontarf program, promoting healthy relationships and building self-esteem and confidence in young Indigenous men.

In 2023, CYC launched SheSails, a program aimed at empowering women in sailing. Since its inception, SheSails has made a significant impact, with over 400 women participating in land-based and on-water training and social events. In particular, SheSails has been instrumental in cultivating female talent in sailing, having supported the development of 2 female Australian sailing instructors and 2 female sailing mentors.