Formation 1865 | Website www.rpyc.com.au | |
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Location Australia II Drive
Pelican Point,
Crawley, Western Australia | ||
The Royal Perth Yacht Club (RPYC) is a yacht club in Perth, Western Australia.
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Early history
The Royal Perth Yacht Club can trace its origins to 1841 when a group of sailors staged a modest regatta to celebrate Foundation Day. In 1865 this original group of pioneer sailors formalised the Perth Yacht Club. Today it is the third oldest yacht club in Australia after the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.
In 1880 a jetty was built at the foot of William Street. The clubhouse opened in 1889 and in 1890 it received the Royal charter and the Lords of the Admiralty granted the club the Royal Warrant to fly a blue ensign.
In 1920, the clubhouse was extended and the club formed the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve in Western Australia. The club shifted to Crawley in 1953 when the William Street site became unusable. In 1979, the RPYC organised the 20,000 kilometre Parmelia Race from Plymouth, England.
America's Cup
Having been the challenger club for Australia II's victory in the 1983 America's Cup, the RPYC hosted the 1987 defence off Fremantle Harbour at a newly established annex. The entrance road that the RPYC is on was commemoratively renamed Australia II Drive.
Club flag
At a general meeting in 1891, the old blue PYC burgee was replaced with a triangular St George's Cross with a St Edward's Crown in the upper canton.