Join the historic Sydney Flying Squadron on an exclusive Sydney Stay-Day Tour.
- Meet at the club house in Kirribilli, a short walk from Milson's Point station or North Sydney wharf
- Enjoy a presentation on the history of the club and its founders in its dedicated heritage room
- View the extensive collection of memorabilia and to explore the skiffs and meet the sailors as they prepare their boats for the race
- Partake in a delicious lunch in Foy's, the club's official restaurant and bar
- Board our spectator ferry and head out onto the harbour to see and experience the race action live
- Return to shore for prizegiving in the club.
This is a unique opportunity to witness the fleet's splendour: glossy varnished wooden hulls, with approximately six sailors per boat harnessing the wind with extraordinarily large colourful billowing sails; a task not without its hazards, as these top-heavy boats are prone to and do capsize, ending all hopes of glory and a race day prize.
HHA & SFS members: $209 per person / Guests: $239 per person
Tour includes History Presentation, Lunch & Spectator Ferry Cruise. Drinks are available at the club and on the spectator ferry at member's own expense.
Please be advised that limited places are available on this tour and that it is likely to book out fast.
About the Sydney Flying Squadron
In 1891, Australia's oldest open boat sailing club, The Sydney Flying Squadron Yacht Club (SFS) was founded by Sydney draper and businessman, Mark Foy. He promoted a vision of open boat racing with broad popular appeal for spectators and open to all sailors, regardless of financial background. In doing so, he challenged the gentlemanly sailing conventions of the day, particularly by having coloured sails and prize money!
By the 1920s several over-full ferries would follow the boats around the harbour and thousands would line the harbour foreshores to watch the races with the skippers being the rock stars of sport in Sydney!
Located at the end of Careening Cove in Kirribilli, the SFS is still the home of the Sydney Harbour sailing open boat racing. The fleet of 18-footers continue to enshrine much of Foy’s vision. A fleet of near replica boats have been built and are sailed by volunteers using skills no longer practiced by modern day sailors.
With their coloured insignia, spectators can distinguish each skiff in the races which provide an insight into how sailing used to be almost a century ago. These unique wooden boats and their sailors keep alive the skills and excitement of boats you would normally only see in a museum, preserving the knowledge and a tradition that would otherwise disappear.