RCYC Ladies Association  
  Royal Cape Yacht Club    
home about the clubFunctions & events - both sailing & non-sailing, offering more incentives  
for lady members to utilise the Club, network and get to know each other.  

The RCYC Ladies Association is open to all lady members of the club or wives of members of the club. The objective is to have a forum where the ladies of the club can network with each other, get to know each other and support each other.

leaning ladies

"... 110 Women out on the water, racing hard, in less than fair weather! ... shows that we're serious ... and that we can manage the boats in that kind of weather. We're not just there to sip champagne on the foredeck in bikinis!" - Mary-Ann Sharwood
 


Some interesting facts and figures on the emancipation of RCYC:
  • The ladies cloakroom was completed in January 1973
  • Ladies were not allowed in the senior members lounge before 19h00
  • In August 1974, it was agreed that wives of members, unmarried daughters of members and ladies actively interested in sailing could apply for membership but it took another 5 years before this was permitted
  • In 1978, the membership clause was changed from "gentleman" to "person," which paved the way for female membership. The motion was carried by 152 votes against 16.
  • 1979: The first official female members were Molly Warr and Dr Peggy de Kok.
  • At the 59th AGM in 1979, ladies were especially welcomed as members and for the first time in the history of the club attended the AGM.
  • It was only in the late 1980s that women were allowed into the hallowed male preserve of the bar!