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The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron is New Zealand’s
most decorated yacht club, and aspires to be the leading local and international yacht club

Auckland’s hills and shores wrap around the sparkling Waitemata Harbour, making it a natural venue for boating of all types. The foundations of the city were laid in 1840 and the occasion was immediately marked by a regatta on the harbour. It was an appropriate portent of things to come as yachting and boating flourished on the harbour and ultimately grew to enjoy an international reputation.

Eleven years later, a small group of yachtsmen made the first attempt to establish an Auckland Yacht Club. It was shortlived, as were several subsequent efforts at getting a club off the ground.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron traces its origin back to the 1871 incarnation of the Auckland Yacht Club, with 30 yachts and 120 members on its register.

By then, the city had grown from a scattering of tents and shacks into a much more substantial and thriving venture, with the harbour playing a central role in its progress.

By the turn of the century, yacht racing was a thriving sport, attracting crowds of spectators and detailed reports in the local newspapers. Under the leadership of some of the city’s prominent captains of industry and commerce, the AYC showed continued growth.

A tremendous rivalry between the Logan and Bailey boatbuilding families spurred the growth of an outstanding fleet of racing yachts, most of which joined the AYC fleet.

In 1901, the AYC changed its name to the New Zealand Yacht Squadron. The following year the Squadron celebrated a major milestone when it received a warrant in the name of King Edward VII elevating its status to a Royal club.

With this recognition membership numbers almost doubled from 157 in 1901 to 300 in 1903.

During both world wars, yacht racing was largely suspended in Auckland. Members of the RNZYS served in all theatres of both wars and in all the armed services. A number of members who owned launches and were not able to serve abroad, were involved in harbour defence and patrol duties.

To accommodate steady growth, the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron moved through a succession of rented premises in the city until in 1955 it bought a handsome two-storey brick house in Parliament Street with sweeping views over the Waitemata Harbour. A decade later, the RNZYS acquired its current premises at Westhaven, first as a lease and subsequently as a purhase.

From the 1960s, the RNZYS was at the forefront of a steady rise in international competition. In 1966, James Davern sailed his yacht Fidelisacross the Tasman Sea and swept to line honours victory in the grueling 630 mile Sydney-Hobart Race. Fidelis set a new race record and the 17-hour margin between 1stand 2ndstill stands as the longest in the race’s history.

Three years later, Chris Bouzaid and a RNZYS crew took on the elite of international yacht racing. Travelling to Heligoland, Germany, Bouzaid and his Rainbow IIcrew won the prestigious One Ton Cup against a line up of seasoned competitors from the USA, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Holland and Switzerland.

On the foundations laid by these successes, the RNZYS trophy cabinets have played host to some of the biggest prizes in world yachting including the Half, One and Two-Ton Cups, the Admiral’s Cup, the Kenwood Cup, the Champagne Mumm World Cup, the Whitbread Round the World Trophy, the Louis Vuitton Trophy and the America’s Cup.

Carrying the RNZYS burgee into battle, Team New Zealand won the America’s Cup in San Diego in 1995, then successfully defended it on the Hauraki Gulf in 2000.

After losing to Switzerland in 2003, the RNZYS became the only yacht club in the world to challenge and win the America’s Cup twice when Emirates Team New Zealand scored a 7-1 victory over Oracle Team USA in Bermuda in 2017.

Coinciding with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s 150th sesquicentenary in 2021, Emirates Team New Zealand successfully defended the 36th America’s Cup in Auckland, defeating Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli 7-3 in the America’s Cup Match and ensuring the RNZYS remains the Home of the America’s Cup.

By agreement between the RNZYS and Emirates Team New Zealand, the 2024 defence of the America’s Cup will take place in Barcelona, Spain. The Challenger of Record is the Royal Yacht Squadron.

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COMMODORE
Andrew Aitken

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VICE COMMODORE
Gillian Williams

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REAR COMMODORE
David Blakey

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CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE
Matt Cole

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Marguerite Delbet

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Sheryl Lanigan

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Barry Martin

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Anna Sullivan

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Garry Scarborough

Scott Wilson

PAST COMMODORES

1871 – 1880 – Aitken, W – Daphne
1880 – 1882 – Kissling, G S – Toroa & Daphne
1882 – 1887 – Street C H – Muritai
1887 – 1888 – Stone, C B – Matangi
1888 – 1890 – Waymouth, J – Mapu
1890 – 1894 – Wiseman, J – Matangi
1894 – 1896 – Bloomfield, J L R – Viking
1896 – 1898 – Henderson, T – Volunteer
1901 – 1907 – Murdock, C P – Ida
1907 – 1918 – Bloomfield, J L R – Thelma
1918 – 1920 – Blomfield, E C – Pastime
1920 – 1922 – Johnston, J B – Waitangi
1922 – 1924 – Burt, A – Waitangi
1924 – 1926 – Gifford, A E – Rawene
1926 – 1928 – Frater, J W – Waitangi
1928 – 1930 – Endean, W P – Prize
1930 – 1932 – Macky, N L – Ariki
1932 – 1934 – Frater, J H – Waitangi
1934 – 1935 – Northcroft, E H – Ilex
1935 – 1937 – Gifford, A E – Rawene
1937 – 1939 – George, H J C – Victory
1939 – 1942 – Draffin, M K – Kotuku
1942 – 1944 – Macky, Dr F – Medina
1944 – 1946 – Tewsley, C S – Waitangi
1946 – 1947 – George, H J C – Victory
1947 – 1949 – Wilson, W S – Tawera
1949 – 1951 – Mitchelson, E J – Little Jim
1951 – 1953 – Miller, A S – Moana                                                               1953 – 1955 – Gifford, J – Rawene
1955 – 1957 – Angel, A A – Ariki
1957 – 1959 – Ellis, J S – Anthea II
1959 – 1961 – Faire, J F – Katrina

1961 – 1963 – Speight, G D – Waiomo
1963 – 1965 – Duder, A N – Spray
1965 – 1967 – Colville, S – Kahurangi                                                          1967 – 1969 – Marler, B M – Rawhiti
1969 – 1971 – Brooke, J B OBE – Kiariki
1971 – 1973 – Thompson, B B – Prize
1973 – 1975 – Beckett, W G – Panui
1975 – 1976 – McKenzie, J W – Sirius
1976 – 1978 – Littler, H A – Northerner
1978 – 1979 – White, W N – Charlemagne
1979 – 1981 – Stanton, R W – Pampero
1981 – 1983 – McDell, R M – Sunset
1983 – 1985 – Green, R H – Strategy
1985 – 1987 – Alison, D J – Eldaroma II
1987 – 1989 – Brooke, D E – Favourite
1989 – 1991 – Kerr-Taylor, E V – Amnesty
1991 – 1992 – Endean, R J – Ariel
1992 – 1994 – Maples, B L – Capella V
1994 – 1996 – Hay, P B – Zamzamah
1996 – 1998 – Heise, W J – Sambuca
1998 – 2000 – Kingston, P S – Mahia
2000 – 2002 – Taylor, P B – Seahawk
2002 – 2004 – Endean, W A – Go
2004 – 2006 – Charlesworth, D A – Oki Max
2006 – 2008 – Crawford, J C – Krystle
2008 – 2010 – Colebrook, S W – Accord
2010 – 2012 – Masters, R A – Outrageous
2012 – 2014 – Burrett, J S – V
2014 – 2016 – Anderson, A – Sure Thing
2016 – 2018 – Mair, S M – Clockwork
2018 – 2020 – Cook, I M – Ranger                                                                   2020 – 2022 – Young, A R – Checkmate

Images of each of our Past Commodores and their boats are hung in the Committee Room.

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