The Story of a Yacht Club

TRANSVAAL YACHT CLUB : 100+ Years of Sailing

The construction of Hartbeespoort Dam was completed in 1923. As water gradually filled the valleys and submerged the confluence of the Crocodile and Magalies Rivers, the familiar contours of the dam we know today began to take shape. It wasn’t long before boats of all kinds were launched onto these virgin waters, and before long, the idea of an organized boating club began to take hold among local enthusiasts.

On Friday, 23 February 1923, an informal meeting was held at the Grand Hotel in Pretoria, attended by F.W. Flitton, A.W. Flitton, G. Botha, Alderson, Pritthard, P. Jones, A.D. Holmwood, and V. Redpath. Subscriptions were set at £1.1 per annum, one guinea.

The first Annual General Meeting took place on 23 May 1924 at Polly’s Hotel in Pretoria, where the club was officially named the **Transvaal Yacht Club**. Mr. A. Aslaken served as chairman and was elected the first Commodore, with V. Redpath as Vice Commodore. 

The first boat launched under the auspices of the Club was a 20-foot gaff-rigged scow. Not long after, A.W. Flitton launched a craft featuring a new innovation: a Bermudan rig, now a standard configuration for both racing and cruising yachts.

These early members were true pioneers. Today’s 30 to 45-minute drive from Pretoria would have been a formidable 37km journey along a farm track winding through the Magaliesberg valley, the final approach across open veldt. On arrival, members were greeted not by facilities, but by open land and water’s edge. There was nothing no buildings, no slipways, no comforts.

The autumn rains of 1924 were generous, and the waters soon reached flood level. That August, a site near the Hartbeespoort Hotel was offered to the Club by the Department of Irrigation. Construction of the first building began in 1925. While the original structure was built by a contractor, later additions were carried out by Club members themselves. A concrete slipway, still extending to the dam’s bottom, was also built by members.

As with everything in life, change is constant. Over the decades, the Transvaal Yacht Club has seen sweeping transformations, not only in facilities but also in the broader social and sailing context of South Africa. From that first humble clubhouse has risen the modern structure we see today. Compared to older institutions like the Point Yacht Club in Durban (which celebrated its centenary in 1992), TYC may still be a youngster, but it boasts a rich and vibrant history. 

Improvements to Club facilities have been an ongoing feature. From the original clubhouse in 1924, built at a cost of just £92, we can trace each major expansion. Change rooms were only added in 1949, and in 1958 the Club added a car park and a caretaker’s flat.

It was in 1927 that TYC began to make a mark on the competitive sailing scene. Messrs. Flitton (Skipper), Richardson, Youatt, and Redpath competed on the yacht *Unit* at the Victoria Lake Club in Germiston, contesting the Transvaal Interclub Trophy. Incredibly, they won on their first attempt, and the Club honoured them with a celebratory dinner, by all accounts a lively affair!

From then on, TYC remained active in interclub competitions, especially in the 20-footer class, continuing to grow until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. Like many other clubs, TYC saw its active membership dwindle as members left for service, some never to return. 

By 1950, the Club was growing again, bolstered by improved access roads and ongoing development around the dam.

Many TYC members have gone on to great achievements. A.W. Flitton, for instance, sailed his 92-foot yacht *Cariad* around the world in 1947, repeating the voyage in the 1950s. Members have competed in international races such as the 1971 Cape to Rio, as well as local ocean races like the Vasco da Gama (from Durban to East London). Notably, member Reinhold Antweiler has made his 54-foot Sovereign Class yacht *Golden Sovereign* available for many such events, often crewed by TYC members.

The Club’s history also reflects wider social changes. In 1925, discussions were held about the possibility of admitting women. At the time, the idea was dismissed as "premature." It would take nearly 25 years before the "Old Guard" relented, likely influenced by the indispensable roles women played during WWII. In 1947, women were finally admitted. One of the first was Carmen Stauch, who distinguished herself both as a sailor and as an office bearer. Her portrait hangs today among the past presidents in the clubhouse.

In the same year, A.W. Flitton became President of the South African Yacht Racing Association, the first TYC member to do so.

Can you imagine flying boats landing on Hartbeespoort Dam? In 1947, enormous Empire Class flying boats did exactly that, using the dam as a scheduled stop. TYC was tasked with maintaining the moorings for these majestic aircraft, which departed on overseas flights directly from the dam. One can only marvel at the sight of these machines, four engines roaring, throwing up sheets of spray as they lifted off the water and into the sky.

The “Bilharzia scare” has haunted Hartbeespoort from the beginning. In 1947, the Club formed a "Bilharzia Committee", yet their investigations found no evidence of the disease-causing snail.

Even in those early days, TYC sailors regularly participated in coastal events. Boats were often shipped to the coast by rail,  far more practical than navigating poor roads. Sending a 20-footer from Hartbeespoort to Knysna cost £10,  a substantial sum at the time.

In 1950, TYC hosted the first National Championships at Hartbeespoort. As usual, coastal sailors complained about the dam’s light winds, but that didn't stop Hellmut Stauch from dominating the event. He won the Sharpie, 20-footer, and Goodrieke Dinghy classes, and topped the 16-foot unrestricted class as well. He also secured the South African Interclub Sharpie Trophy.

And if you think the weather is worse today, consider this: one race was abandoned after 2.5 hours because not a single boat had reached the first mark just below the Clubhouse!

The past few years have seen dramatic improvements in TYC’s facilities, matched by a proud record of sailing success. Chief among these was the Club’s victorious bid for the Lipton Cup in 1984. The team, managed by Bert Winkler, sailed the *Galactica* (an L26) to victory under the skilled leadership of Ewald Sternagel, with crew members Peter Hishin, Daryl York, Charlie Wallendorf, and Ronnie Gurnel.

In the early 1950s, persistent low water levels almost forced the Club to relocate to Rietvlei in Pretoria, a move that was fortunately avoided. (The Pretoria Sailing Club was later established there in the 1960s.) In 1970, the dam wall was raised by 2.5 meters, effectively doubling its full capacity. Later, water was allocated for industrial rather than agricultural use. At one point, the Pelindaba facility’s use of Crocodile River water caused prolonged low dam levels — but this usage has since ceased.

And so, the Transvaal Yacht Club continues to grow from strength to strength. Dinghies are now a rarity, but keelboat activity thrives, and TYC sailors continue to compete across the country with distinction.

Facility improvements continue apace, and always will.

The Transvaal Yacht Club has a proud and eventful history of sailing, camaraderie, and achievement. As we look to the future, there is every confidence that this worthy legacy will endure.