Royal Cape Yacht Club

Royal Cape Yacht Club is one of the oldest sailing clubs in the Southern Hemisphere. It was founded as the Table Bay Yacht Club in April 1905 and received its "Royal" title from King George V in 1914. Today it sits on Duncan Road, inside the Port of Cape Town, with Table Mountain behind it and a marina full of yachts in front, a few minutes from the V&A Waterfront.

The club's function venues are open to the public, not just to members. They range from a ten-seat boardroom to the Regatta Centre for up to 250 guests, so the club works for anything from a board meeting to a wedding or a company year-end. Members get discounted rates.

Why planners choose it

• No power interruptions: the club is inside the Cape Town Port, which is not affected by load-shedding.
• No restrictive noise limits: a rare advantage for parties and live entertainment so close to the city centre.
• Free, secure parking on site, with 24-hour security on the premises and car park.
• Real marina setting: yachts, water and Table Mountain views from the main venues and balconies.
• In-house catering from canapés to buffet and plated dinners, with specialist suppliers for décor, furniture and AV.

Function spaces

Regatta Centre

The club's flagship venue: an 18 m × 18 m, light and airy hall on the waterfront side of the club, with marina views and its own permanent bar. It seats about 150 guests at tables (the club quotes up to 200 depending on layout) and takes up to 250 for a cocktail party. Added to the club in 1985/86, it is still nicknamed "Teddy's Tent" by members. This is the room for weddings, gala dinners, awards evenings and year-end functions.

Visitors Lounge & Chartroom

Upstairs and private, with bow-shaped balconies overlooking the marina and its own private bar. Concertina doors join the two rooms into one space for up to 50 guests at round tables, or 60 cocktail-style (50 with a small dance floor). It also works as a meeting room in the Chartroom with a breakaway area in the Lounge.

Chartroom

For smaller meetings and workshops: 12 in a U-shape or boardroom layout, and 16 cinema or classroom style. It has a TV, air-conditioning and Wi-Fi.

Flag Officers Boardroom

A traditional boardroom for up to 10, with marina views, air-conditioning and a drop-down screen.

Main Hall

Up to 60 guests at restaurant tables, using the old-style South East Corner as its bar. It is not available on Wednesdays or Friday nights.

South East Corner and the Braai Area

Two small spaces for up to 20 guests each. The South East Corner is a quaint, old-fashioned bar area for canapé functions on Sunday nights, Mondays and Tuesdays. The Braai Area has wooden benches, with wood, utensils, crockery and cutlery supplied; drinks are bought from the main bar.

Food and drink

The club caters its own functions, with canapé, buffet and plated menus available on request from the functions office. Halaal and kosher events, including weddings, can be held on a dry-hire basis, which means venue only. The club's restaurant, Tavern of the Seas, uses local suppliers and serves the club's own coffee blend, the Royal Cape Roast. The club is cashless: card or approved electronic payment only.

Events hosted

Weddings and receptions, conferences and high-level meetings, product launches, year-end celebrations, awards dinners, birthdays, bar and bat mitzvahs and private parties.

Fun Casino evenings at Royal Cape Yacht Club

Fun Casino Entertainment has entertained at six events here since 2024: club awards dinners, a bat mitzvah, and 40th and 50th birthdays, for groups of 60 to 200 guests. The Regatta Centre suits a casino evening well. Tables fit easily alongside dinner seating, the permanent bar keeps guests close to the action, and the lack of noise limits means the evening doesn't have to end early.

Planning tips

• Book the right room for your numbers: Regatta Centre for 60 to 250, the upstairs Lounge & Chartroom for up to 60, and the Boardroom for 10.
• Halaal or kosher catering? Use the club's Dry Venue Hire booking form. The venue is hired without catering.
• Ask about the deck and marina for photos and pre-dinner drinks, and check access arrangements for arriving through the port.
• Bring cards, not cash: the club is cashless.

Getting there

Duncan Road, Table Bay, Foreshore, Cape Town. The club is inside the Port of Cape Town, close to the V&A Waterfront and the city centre, with free secure parking on site. Phone 021 421 1354, or email functions@rcyc.co.za for function bookings.