Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron (RMYS), just twenty minutes from the CBD of Melbourne, embraces what it means to be a Discovery Sailing Centre at its fullest. The club opened their doors in 1876, and since then has become highly successful, producing many fantastic sailors through their booming programmes. 

Under the President Paul D'Arcy, the club is in constant pursuit of growing club membership and sharing the joy of sailing. 

RMYS - Discover Sailing Day

An Engine for Bringing New Members into Sailing

Becoming a Discover Sailing Centre has opened doors to RMYS that would otherwise be unattainable. The access to qualified instructors is one of the benefits that have allowed them to be a “genuine engine for growing the sport” according to D’Arcy.

Over the 2025-2026 sailing season their participation numbers have improved astronomically, with a 28% increase of participants in their Australian Sailing courses. 

“It’s always the opportunity to have new members and new sailors at the academy. But the biggest impact is on our community in St Kilda,” added D’Arcy. “Discover Sailing Day shows to the public our enthusiasm to run all sailing activities.”

It is safe to say that increasing the number of participants through their club is what they are all about.

For them being a Discover Sailing Centre is “a natural choice when you want to show to the public how active the club is but also promoting your activities to have new sailors and promote sailing.”

Their previous Discover Sailing Day event hosted 300 participants on both keelboats and Dinghies. These large numbers are attributed to the level of instructors, coaches, and volunteers, as well as their large diversity of sailing courses available to participants.

A Moment for their Volunteers

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any club. RMYS is eternally grateful to have such a great group of people who volunteer their time to help on their Discover Sailing Days and the various sailing courses. 

“At RMYS the volunteers and members contribute a lot to the event, from assisting creating positive experiences on the boats, to club house tours, managing the all-important Barbeque, and even simply being welcoming at reception,” noted D’Arcy.

Moving Forward to the Next Discover Sailing Day

RMYS is in constant pursuit of bringing new members to the sport, aiming to increase participation at their upcoming Discover Sailing Day. Held on the 22nd of November, the club will open their arms to many more sailors from the area, with the one pursuit to spread the word that sailing is a sport welcome to all. To register for their Discover Sailing Day, click HERE