Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club is a fully-volunteer sports club located in Paynesville, East Gippsland. Established in 1937, the club has a rich history and a strong commitment to sailing, spanning over 85 years. Today, it is known as one of the most successful family sailing clubs in Victoria.
Situated on the foreshore of McMillan Straits and Lake Victoria, the club offers breathtaking views of the lake. The facilities at Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club have expanded over the years and now include a fully-licenced bar, club rooms with lake views, a launching area with ramp, crane, and mooring jetties. The club also offers wet berths, a hardstand, and undercover boat storage.
Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club is known for being one of the most active sailing clubs in country Victoria, operating all year round. In addition to the Sunday full fleet cut and thrust seasonal sailing between October and May, the club also runs a winter series on Saturdays once a month. For those interested in competitive stern-chaser sailing, the club runs a successful Twilight Series on Tuesday evenings during daylight saving hours, followed by a social meal.
An Ancient Mariners Series is also available, offering sailing opportunities for trailable and keel boats every Thursday or Friday depending on wind strengths and weather. The club welcomes visitors but requires them to be members of a yacht club or register for a sail pass, which can be obtained through the GLYC website at no cost. Visitors intending to race their own yacht must provide proof of insurance.
During the summer months, Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club hosts a variety of regattas on behalf of class associations and Yachting Victoria, showcasing the club's sailing expertise and bringing in funds. The flagship event is the Easter Regatta, a well-supported annual regatta held over three days, featuring diverse boat classes such as Flying Fifteens, Mosquitos, Sabres, and more.
The club is also an accredited Discover Sailing Centre, offering sail programmes for individuals of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities. These programmes include a sailing school for novices and youth development, Tackers programmes for kids and adults during school holidays, Sailability sessions for local schools and individuals with disabilities, adult and teen programmes, and powerboat handling courses.
In addition to sailing activities, Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club also offers venue hire for various events, including functions, weddings, community meetings, seminars, and corporate events. The main hall and rooms are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including a projector and interactive whiteboard system.
For more information about Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club and its activities, interested individuals can contact the club via email at glyc@sailglyc. Com or find them on Google Maps.