Introduction
Pretoria Sailing Club (PSC) is situated on the shores of the Rietvlei Dam within the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, the largest urban Nature Reserve in South Africa.  The Club was founded in 1959 and celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in 2019.  We share our facilities with the Centurion Canoe Club (http://www.centcc.co.za) who are our long time partners and friends.  We are one of the largest sailing clubs in South Africa, and boast a sailable area of around 3 square kilometers.
Our aim is to be and remain the sailing club of choice for the sailing community of the wider Pretoria and Johannesburg areas for both single and double-handed dinghies.  We have full facilities both on and off the water, with informal racing nearly every week-end between August and May, and ad hoc sailing events during the remaining winter months.  The clubhouse has an outdoor pool, catering and change-room facilities,  and an outdoor braai area for members and their guests.  We also run a fully stocked bar of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for members to enjoy.

We place special emphasis on the training and development of young sailors from age 7 upwards, and have club-owned Optimists that beginners can learn in before deciding to buy their own boats, and also club Dolphins, Lasers and Gypsys for adults.  We always welcome new members, and will explain to you how to join and become part of the PSC Family.  Contact us via email or WhatsApp to arrange a visit to the club.

How to find us

We are situated in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, off Nellmapius Drive, south east of Pretoria, just off the R21 highway, approximately 10 minutes by car from Centurion and 30 minutes from Sandton and Johannesburg.  To find us, type in Pretoria Sailing Club in Google Maps or Waze,  from where you are, and the rest is easy!

The Main Club Dinghy Classes
Our members enjoy competitive racing in a variety of mono-hull sailing boats (note catamarans are not permitted on the dam, nor are power boats apart from those used to run the racing).  The main classes at the Club are:
  • Finns – we have over 35 boats at the Club, and this is currently the most active class
  • Dolphins – again we have over 30 boats at the Club, and a very competitive fleet
  • Lasers – over 40 at the club, mostly used for leisure sailing, but it is becoming a  competitive class again
  • 505s – a small but very competitive fleet: many use PSC as a base and travel around the country to compete in various regattas
  • GP14s – again a small but committed fleet that spend a week-end per month alternating between Victoria Sailing Club and PSC
  • Flying Dutchmen – used to train and help our student and youth members, and is fast becoming a competitive class
  • Optimists – for the under 14 sailors, we have more than 15 at the club, of which 8 are owned by the club and can be hired.
  • Dabchicks – for the youth sailors as they grow in confidence or graduate from Optimists

There are a wide variety of other boats at the club, the message to all is that whether you want to learn to sail, sail competitively or just for leisure, we can offer you full facilities that will meet your needs.

Sailing Facilities
During the sailing season (August to May) we run a combination of club sailing and formal regattas.  Club sailing on weekends starts at 14h00 on Saturday, and 10h30 on Sundays, with 3 back-to-back races, followed by clubhouse activities around the bar or dining areas.  Each race lasts approximately 30 minutes, and therefore the time on water is usually around 2 hours if you sail all 3 races.

PSC hosts several regattas every year, including national, regional and club events for various classes.  The Charity Regatta is our flagship annual event held at the end of January.  We have a ‘Bridge’ boat that sets courses, starts and finishes races, and two safety boats (both rigid inflatables) to ensure competitor safety on the water.  Formal regattas are advertised on the “Events” page.

Onshore Facilities
There is a large, secure car park, accessible to members via an automatic cell phone system.  The car park includes an area where members can park and store their trailers if they are not able to store them at home.  Trailers are securely fastened by chains and padlock to the ground.

Boat parking is a combination of open and covered parking. There are 3 slipways for launching and a separate one for guests visiting for regattas.

Picnic and braai facilities are available in front of the Club House, under shady trees. There is a swimming pool. The club has two spacious lounges and a galley that provides light meals and refreshments. We have cloakrooms and ample ablution facilities equipped with hot and cold showers.  On application, the venue may be hired by members for private functions.

Affiliations
Pretoria Sailing Club is affiliated to the South African Sailing (SAS) [part of the World Sailing organisation] and for many years has been, and continues to be, a proud supporter of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI).