Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club - CCYC

16/06/2026

WINDY CREW TRAINING WEEKEND

Three new sailors joined experienced sailor and Keelboat Instructor Nick Corbet to complete the Crew Course last weekend.

After a safety briefing and introduction to BENDIGO alongside the pontoon, they headed out for their first session in the windy conditions on Keppel Bay.

During the day, they engaged in a relentless dance of tacking and gybing under Nick's calm guidance. They learned to work as a team to synchronise movement and lines as they tacked or gybed. They learned to use winches, clutches and jammers as they controlled the boat during manoeuvres.

At first, movements are clumsy and out of synch until they learn the routines of working in a cockpit. There are lines everywhere, the boat is heeling and weight always has to be moved to the topside to assist stability.

By the end of the first day, Juan, Jasmin and Rene began to read the wind and wave effects, teamwork improved and the 'language of sailing' was being understood.

On day 2, Nick developed crew skills further by completing man overboard exercises, learning to heave to, anchoring and reefing underway. All in windy conditions.

They were all smiling at the end of the course, and plan to continue their sailing by joining race boats on Saturdays or WAGS on a Wednesday. Sailing crews build a bond - an easy familiarity that comes from sharing experiences, particularly a windy weekend on the water.

The next Crew Course in on July 11/12. Cost is $360 and places are available. The CCYC Sailing School runs one course a month. Register by going online to ccyc.org.au and the Sail page and training. Registration and payment is done online.

11/06/2026

WAGS Delivers Again

It wasn’t looking promising for WAGS on Tuesday, but Wednesday morning turned on sunshine and a steady 12-knot breeze.

Four boats headed out, with WAGS Officer Kevin setting the challenge of locating a shark buoy off Yeppoon Main Beach. As the fleet sailed past Cooee Bay, the radio crackled with reports that we were making quite a sight from the shore and from the Keppel Bay Sailing Club.

After rounding the buoy, the fleet enjoyed a lively zig-zag beat back upwind before turning for home. The morning concluded back at the clubhouse, where crews gathered to relive the sail, compare notes, and enjoy the usual post-sailing discussion.

Another great day on Keppel Bay with good company, sunshine, and enough breeze to keep everyone smiling.

09/06/2026

The Blues Club are back at the CCYC this Sunday!!!

Don't miss a fantastic afternoon of great music and groovy vibes right on beautiful Rosslyn Bay Harbour.

Fish and Chips or pack your own picnic, we dont care!

Just book your table now and be here !
49336501

08/06/2026

Wags is on again this week.

We will be heading out for a sail this Wednesday 10 June as the weather is looking promising.

If you would like to participate, please be at the CCYC at 10am for a great day on the water. We should be back at the clubhouse at 1pm.

08/06/2026

Heat 3 of the Bendigo Bank Brass Monkey Series was held on Saturday in a pleasant 10-knot southerly breeze.

PRO Greg set a course starting with a windward beat to Iron Pot. Six boats made it to the start, although BARRACUDA was forced to withdraw before leaving the pontoon after discovering a rudder issue.

With Greg aboard, VOLANTIS laid the start buoy and then acted as the starboard-end vessel for a moving gate start. Our usual start boat, Deirdre P, was on loan to Ocean Crusaders supporting the Keppel Cleanup.

INFINITY timed the start perfectly to lead the fleet across the line, closely followed by MODERATION.

After rounding Iron Pot and Miall Island, the fleet split onto their respective courses. The Performance Division continued on to Wedge Island, while the Cruising Division sailed a shorter leg via Pelican Island. Both divisions then headed for home, leaving Iron Pot to starboard on the final leg.

VOLANTIS took line honours in the Performance Division, but it was INFINITY that claimed victory on corrected time. In the Cruising Division, BLUENOSE delivered an impressive performance to take the win ahead of VIVACIOUS, MODERATION and FINAL FLING.

Another enjoyable day of winter racing in Keppel Bay, with close competition across both divisions.

07/06/2026

Ocean Crusaders Inspire Action at CCYC
Annika and Ian (Thommo) from Ocean Crusaders joined us at CCYC last Wednesday evening to share their remarkable journey of transforming a rotting TP52 into Australia's only all-electric racing yacht. They then went on to compete in the last four Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race events.
Their other great passion is protecting our oceans, waterways and beaches. They spoke about the creation of Ocean Crusaders and the Island Guardians Campaign, highlighting the growing challenge of plastic pollution and marine debris.
The presentation attracted a strong turnout, with plenty of enthusiasm and discussion about the practical steps boaters, beach walkers and the wider community can take to help reduce rubbish on our beaches and in our waterways.
Ocean Crusaders and local volunteers have been using CCYC facilities including the pontoon, boat ramp, Deirdre P and the yard as a base for five days of rubbish removal operations throughout the Keppel Islands.
The results have been outstanding. By Saturday afternoon, after just three days of work, more than 1.1 tonnes of rubbish had been removed from the Keppels.
To follow their efforts and see how you can get involved, check out the Ocean Crusaders and JBirdIII pages. Together, we can help keep the Keppels and our coastline the pristine environment they deserve to be.

29/05/2026

KEPPEL CLEANUP

Ocean Crusaders (represented by Ian and Annika Thomson) are conducting the Keppel Cleanup in our local Islands from the Thursday 4th to Monday 8th June.
They are bringing their barge up and will be transporting volunteers to the selected island for the day, provide bags to collect the rubbish you find, then bring all that rubbish back to CCYC, and send it to the dump (or recycle is possible)
For those that have a boat, you can get yourself to the rendezvous point (island or beach), collect a bag, then do you bit by cleaning up the island, then leave your bag and bring yourself home.
Many of us get very disappointed by all the plastic and rubbish that floats to our once pristine islands, and get irate when we realise that some grubs have camped on an islands and left their residue there.
This is your chance to do something for our area that is very painless, and you don’t have to carry those smelly bags back on your boat.
To register click on this link https://keppelscleanup2026.eventbrite.com.au/
For more info on Ocean Crusaders https://oceancrusaders.org/

Our work requires investment in equipment and talent to deliver the best results. There are several ways in which your company can support our activities

26/05/2026

King Cooe aka Steve Kneen is back at the Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club - CCYC this Sunday afternoon from 3pm.

Our fave for cruisin tunes and chilled vibes , Steve Kneen is not to be missed.....and did I mention the best sunset in Yeppoon?

Fish and Chips or pack your own picnic, we dont mind! Just be here this Sunday!

Book your table today.
49336501

26/05/2026

CQ CHAMPIONSHIPS
The first three heats of the Causeway Lake Boat Licensing CQ Championships were held over the weekend in challenging and constantly changing conditions. Forecast light SW/S/SE/E winds and fading afternoon breezes kept competitors and PRO Greg on their toes throughout the series.
Heat 1 on Saturday morning was set as a 3½ lap beat-and-run course around the buoys off Lammermoor Beach and Wreck Point. The breeze was extremely light at the start, shifting before finally filling in from the beach. FINAL FLING appeared to read the conditions perfectly, charging from the back of the fleet to lead around the first mark, with MODERATION next to pick up the new breeze. The constant wind shifts created plenty of opportunities and frustrations, with VIVACIOUS eventually taking line honours.
Heat 2 was again set as a buoy race due to the variable conditions. After a significant reset of the start line the fleet enjoyed a tight and highly contested start in fading winds. MODERATION rounded the first mark in front before VIVACIOUS took over the lead and line honours. With the breeze continuing to ease, PRO Greg shortened the course to 2½ laps. The monohulls CHAI and MODERATION then fought out a thrilling finish, with CHAI crossing just 8 seconds ahead of MODERATION, followed by FINAL FLING.
Sunday’s Heat 3 became an island race past Iron Pot and Pelican Island, with the original course sending the fleet to Miall Island before returning home. However, the breeze continued to fade as the fleet approached Pelican Island, leading to the course being shortened at Pelican and then home. CHAI was first over the start line but was overtaken by MODERATION. VIVACIOUS headed inshore on port tack and emerged in front when the fleet converged again. By Iron Pot, MODERATION had regained the lead from VIVACIOUS, with CHAI and FINAL FLING close behind. Another crossover saw VIVACIOUS ahead and maintained a starboard tack while the monohulls stayed closer to the rhumbline. When they met again the order was MODERATION, CHAI, VIVACIOUS and FINAL FLING.
As always, rounding Pelican Island in light winds and tidal flow proved challenging, but all boats managed to launch spinnakers for the run home. A fortunate patch of breeze on the final leg helped MODERATION pull away to the finish.
After handicaps were applied, the weekend belonged to the monohulls. MODERATION leads the championship by a single point from CHAI, followed by VIVACIOUS and FINAL FLING.
The final two heats are scheduled for July, when hopefully the performance boats will also join the action.

25/05/2026

CCYC CREWS OUT CRUISING

The crews of BLUENOSE and O'CAROL have sailed north to The Percys for two weeks and are on their way back. They plan to stop off at the Dukes, Island Head Creek, Pearl Bay and Port Clinton on the way back down the coast.

The weather will be on their side with light southeasterlies for the next couple of days, a swing to the north and a light south westerly change by the weekend.

The Percys have a rich history. First nations people had a long history of occupation and used the islands to source food. Archaeological research has discovered stone artifacts and middens. Little is recorded of their centuries of occupation of the islands. Times were to change for these people as colonial settlement encroached and the traditional use was replaced by settlers that took the land in the name of the Crown when leases were issued.

Captain Cook sailed past the islands in 1770, naming them after his benefactor, the Duke of Northumberland. The first European to land and chart the islands was Matthew Flinders in 1802.

European settlement began on the Percys in the 1870's. Pioneers like James Joss and Charles Mason established homesteads and bartered with passing ships. Goats were introduced to the island in 1874 to provide food for shipwrecked sailors.

The White family held the island lease for 43 years moving there in 1921. They developed it into a self sufficient, wool producing operation. They built the original homestead and sheds, which still stand. Famously, they built a 30 foot wooden sailboat called "The Islander" which improved their access to the mainland.

In 1964, an eccentric Englishman called Andy Martin purchased the lease of the island. He was a former Olympic athlete, and a larger than life character. He lived a hermit like existence, largely off grid, and planted fruit orchards, raising cattle, vegetable gardens and bee-keeping.
He welcomed yachties, and a walk to the homestead to buy some mead, honey, and fruit and vegetables ( in season) was always on the agenda. There were some visitors seeking
an alternative lifestyle, and Andy had them 'pay their way' by working on the island during their stay.

The A frame (aka The Percy Hilton) was built by passing sailors and volunteers over the years and it serves as a nautical bucket list where sailors leave momentos, signboards and sit around a fire sharing stories.

Andy departed the island in 1996, and the Hickling family took over and lived there for 12 years. They had an old pearling lugger called the "Ruby Charlotte" and continued the island's spirit of self sufficiency and hospitality.

After they left, there followed a period of uncertainty as various parties laid claim to the lease.
In 2011, the island leasehold changed under the Nature Conservation Act and 83 percent of Middle Percy was designated as a National Park to protect its unique history and cultural heritage.

Today, volunteers caretakers and leaseholders manage the remaining historic infrastructure and keep the island's famous hospitality alive.

A great place to visit if sailing up the coast. Be warned, West Bay is notorious for roll if strong SE trades are blowing. The holding is good and you will always find good company ashore in those conditions.