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The darwin sailing club inc.

The Darwin Sailing Club is an active and vibrant family-orientated club offering year-round sailing and hospitality to members and visitors to Darwin from the beautiful clubhouse on Fannie Bay. Enjoy the award-winning hospitality of our Waterfront Bistro and the diverse range of beverages carefully selected by our wine and beer connoisseurs. The open and airy clubhouse on Fannie Bay offers the perfect setting to enjoy the spectacular Darwin sunsets with family, friends and associates.

5 Atkins Drive 0820 NT Australia

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• Sport and fitness | Sailing and rowing

The Darwin Sailing Club

Time out says.

Watersports are a way of life in Darwin, not just because you can’t swim in the water due to the apex predators. There are multiple sailing clubs, but the one in Fannie Bay has the kind of beer garden that tourism brochures live for. The huge green lawn is set with big white plastic tables that extend down to the point where the grass meets the sand of the beach. This is where you want to sit in the afternoon sun under the palm trees, with a local green ant gin and tonic in hand.

Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

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Dinah Beach Cruising Yacht Association

A welcoming seaside club with laid back atmosphere, rustic open-air bar & kitchen (dinner) 7 days & a great variety of local and touring live music every Wed, Fri & Sun. Visitors and new members welcome.

Our popular eatery ‘The Galley’ serves fresh, local sourced seafood from the fishing fleet just down the road plus a generous Aussie a-la-carte menu.

For the sailor we provide a range of DIY yacht repair and access facilities including floating pontoon, careening poles and hard stand sites. We also host an active local, blue water and international yacht racing calendar.

There’s no gambling facilities whatsoever, just a fantastic unpretentious ambiance to encourage social connection with known friends and new. Everyone is invited to come relax, refresh, dine and dance to our unique marine backdrop.

We are located two minutes drive from the CBD down Tiger Brennan Drive or Garramilla Boulevard. We look forward to your company.

Darwin Sailing Club

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Fannie Bay Northern Territory 0820

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Great views and location The food here is nothing special - standard Club/Pub food which I rate a 3 out of 5 - but the views and location are outstanding. This is a wonderful spot to cool down on a hot dry season afternoon with a few drinks and dinner while watching the sun set over the Arafura sea!

See all photos from Suzie L. for Darwin Sailing Club

Actually a 3.5/5 star experience, however I am giving the benefit of the doubt and rounding up. Upfront, the chief selling point of dinner here is the wonderful outdoor setting that overlooks the bay. Right over the rock wall sits several tiny sail boats, rolling in the tide as the sun sets in the distance. The community feel was excellent. Dozens of tables on the lawn, each filled nearly to their capacity with families and the like chatting and dining. That being said, since it is busy, the wait can be a while for food. A good while. It may be a benefit to arrive early, or get a side salad while waiting. The menu isn't spectacular, but they have a good spread of seafood to choose from. I ordered a fettuccine and it was average. One of my friends was not into the Ceasar salad that arrived well after the rest of the table's food. She didn't eat it. I would come back because the setting is so lovely.

Savored every passing second of this sunset as the day slipped into the night while enjoying dinner

Here to meet some people. Was awesome. Food was great...get the parm!!! Bartenders were great. Awesome place to have a meet up. Oh and the view...

Great view and perfect sunset. Seafood platter was amazing!!! Good times. A must see if in Darwin!

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Darwin Sailing Club (The)

Open to Members and Visitors, we are located on the beautiful Fannie Bay with excellent sunset views, the in house Bistro provides a fine selection of Asian and Australian dishes and the friendly atmosphere ensure an enjoyable afternoon overlooking the bay or a great evening socialising with the members and guests.

Hours: Open 7 Days for Lunch (12-2) and Dinner (5:30-9) Bar Hours from 12 onwards (Weekdays) 10:30 onwards (Weekends)

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The Darwin Sailing Club

  functions @ dsc,   something to suit any event.

The Perfect Place

The Darwin Sailing Club in conjunction with the multi-award winning 'Waterfront Bistro' is the premier outdoor   function space in Darwin. Arrange something as simple as a platter and bar tab for 10, a corporate lunch for 40, a cocktail party, an intimate wedding or anything in between, the team here at DSC have handled it all. The Darwin Sailing Club will impress your guests with its superior service, delicious food and some of the most stunning views in the NT. 

We look forward to receiving your Event Enquiry Form.

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Phone number, email address, postal address , opening hours, the club is open 7 days a week year round.

10.00am to late - 7 days year round

12.00pm to 2.00pm - 7 days year round

5.30pm to 9.00pm - 7 days year round

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Kimberley Coast Cruising Yacht Club

Kimberley cruising – adventure, explore, fish, fun.

Darwin is a major support centre for the oil & gas and mining industries, as well as a key maintenance and support centre for the commercial fishing and pearling fleet, a well developed coastal shipping and barge fleet and the Navy’s northern patrol boat fleet. Therefore, it has most of the major suppliers and services required to maintain a cruising vessel. Probably not likely to bother most of us, but if your vessel is over 35 metres, you require a pilot, or a pilot exemption to enter Darwin Harbour limits, regardless of whether it is a private, or commercial vessel. 

Anchorages.

The most popular anchorage for cruising vessels is in Fannie Bay, off the Darwin Sailing Club 12° 25.54 S – 130° 49.56E. The up side is that the Darwin Sailing Club is a welcoming, boatie friendly place with good quality food and a very pleasant place to spend some relaxing time. The down side is that the tidal range makes it difficult to move a dingy up and down the beach.

The less popular alternative is in Frances Bay, opposite Stokes Hill Wharf  12° 26.29 S – 130° 51.36 E. The latter is open to the south east breeze and is also affected by the wake of passing fishing boats and work boats moving to and from the Duck Pond. It’s popular with long term live-a-board’s because of it relatively easy dingy landing, as compared to Darwin Sailing Club, and it’s close proximity to the Darwin CBD. It’s a convenient spot to drop the pick if you are waiting for the tide to enter the Duck Pond, Tipperary Waters Marina, or Bayview Marina.

All 4 Marinas in Darwin are entered via locks due to the large tide range. You must prearrange your berth in any of the marinas before you arrive at the lock. They will not allow you into the marinas without prior notice. All the marinas have procedures and paperwork to be completed prior to entry. You should contact your choice of marina well in advance. 

Cullen Bay Marina is the unofficial home of the Kimberley Coast Cruising Yacht Club . If you’re mooring there, you’re almost certain to meet up with other KCCYC Members.

Tipperary Waters Marina 12° 26.96 S – 130° 51.16 E is a modern marina built within a residential development. Their lock is restricted by tide, requiring some planning as to times of use. Approach past Stokes Hill Wharf, on at least 4.0 metres plus of tide. Call the lockmaster 0407 075 077 well beforehand to arrange a time, and when passing Stokes Hill Wharf use VHF Channel 8, call sign “Tipperary Lock”. The lock will only take up to 6 meters beam. They have a limited number of rental berths available and accept live-aboards in some of their berths. Best to book well in advance to get a berth. There is a small convenience/liquor store, cafe and fast food shop in the development, and the Darwin CBD is around 20-25 minutes walk. http://www.tipperarywatersmarina.com/lock.html There are 2 chandlers near the marina. Nautical Supplies, which is also the RFD liferaft service agent. http://www.nauticalsupplies.com.au/   and Darwin Ship Stores near Fishermans Wharf.

Bayview Marina 12° 26.55 S – 130 51.56 E is the centrepiece of a modern residential development. It is the most likely place to obtain a rental berth in Darwin. The lock is restricted to 7.25 meter beam and 2.5 meter draft. It lies approximately 500 meters further up the same tidal creek as Tipperary Waters Marina, and like Tipperary Waters, it can only be approached on at least 4.0 meters of tide. Call the lock master 0477 661 130 to book an entry time, and use VHF Channel 68, call sign “Bayview Lock” when passing Stokes Hill Wharf. The passage up Sandgroves Creek to the lock is not well marked and has many permanent moorings in the deeper parts of the channel. For first timers, it is recommended to ask advice from the lock master about the tides and the approach channel before you pass Stokes Hill Wharf. There are no shops, or eateries at Bayview, and it is a good 40 minutes walk to the CBD, which can be testing on a humid day. You should plan on hiring a car, or using taxis and buses if staying in Bayview. https://bayviewmarina.com.au/ [email protected]

The Francis Bay Fishing Boat Harbour 12°27.33 S – 130°50.96 E, locally known as “The Duck Pond” , run by the NT Government, is an alternative to the private marinas. http://www.darwinport.nt.gov.au/port-trade-development/frances-bay-marina

It’s primarily a fishing boat harbour for the large pearling, prawn and fishing fleet based in Darwin. If they are busy, they will not take smaller cruising vessels that are able to use the other private marinas. However, in an emergency, or if your vessel is too big to access the other marinas locks, they will usually squeeze a cruising boat in for a short spell. All the services you would expect at a commercial marina are available. It also has 2 great advantages. Firstly, you are able to drive a car, crane, truck etc. on the docks, right up to your vessel for loading gear, or carry out heavy maintenance. Secondly, it is within 15-20 minutes walking distance from the Darwin CBD.

The lock master will allocate you a position on one of the fingers when you are in the lock. There are no pen or berth numbers. You are given direction such as “tie up between the red rig tender and the black prawn trawler on C jetty”. Mooring in the Duck Pond can be interesting and will test your close manoeuvring skills. Berths in the Duck Pond are “Stern To”. You reverse up to fixed concrete jetties, with bows tied to 1 metre diameter steel mooring piles placed about 25 metres off the jetties. Most of these steel piles lost their fenders many years ago, consequently they are very unforgiving if you hit one. The method I use to tie up is to reverse up to the appropriate bow mooring pile, lasso a rope over the pile, then manoeuvre into position to reverse past the pile and back to the jetty, while a crew member walks the bow rope forward ready to tie it off.  Reverse towards a jetty bollard, which are about 10 metres apart. When close enough to the jetty, tie a stern rope to the jetty bollard, and then tie off the bow rope to prevent your stern touching the jetty, which is concrete and very unforgiving. From that point you can take your time to adjust your mooring ropes. The jetties are fixed, so don’t tie stern ropes off short, because there is minor tidal movement in the marina caused when the lock is opened. It is common practice to tie off to vessels either side of you, but ask permission first if anyone is on board the vessel.

Be warned, it is a commercial marina, where angle grinding, spray painting and general heavy maintenance needed on a commercial fishing fleet is the daily norm. It is also a place where colourful characters, and rugged deckhands abound. If your vessel, or your manner, is proper and pristine, you can expect to get at least one of them a little sullied.  We have left R&R at the Duck Pond several times, and have suffered minor damage to the paint from angle grinding swarf, and damage to a rubbing rail caused by a mad barramundi boat skipper, who moved our boat and didn’t tie it up properly. But these minor inconveniences are far outweighed by the fantastic people and personalities who live and work in the commercial vessel industry in Darwin, some of which have become our close friends.

Using the Locks.

The water level in the Cullen Bay lock can rise or fall as much as 5 meters depending on tides. The other 3 locks have slightly less rise and fall of up to around 3-4 meters, because they can only be entered at mid tide range.

• The Lock Master will give you instructions on when to enter and leave the lock, and where to tie up. Stay tuned to the VHF channel used by each lock. Cullen Bay Ch11, Duck Pond Ch6, Tipperary Waters Ch8 and Bayview Ch68 .
• Water rushing into the lock can be powerful enough to turn your boat diagonally within the lock.
• Use fenders on both sides. You may find another boat beside you in the lock.
• Depending on the size of your boat, other boats can use the lock at the same time as you. The Lock Master controls this.

• Have bow and stern lines ready on the side you intend tying up when you enter the lock with a crew member at each. No springers needed.
• The lock masters control all 4 locks from your port side when entering from the seaward side. It is best to tie up that side, allowing the lock master to assist with your lines.
• At the bottom of the tide, you will be well below ground level and will probably have to tie off to steel pipes, or a ladder built into the side of the lock in the case of Cullen Bay, and to heavy ropes lashed to the side of the lock wall in the case of the Duck Pond.
• Don’t “tie off” or “make fast” the lines to your bow and stern cleats. Wrap one bend around the cleat with a crew member holding the bitter end ready to adjust the line in or out.
• Your crew will need to adjust the lines as the water level falls or rises. They need to be on the ball all the time, otherwise you could find your boat hanging off a line as the water level disappears beneath you. Or, in rising water, a line left slack could result in the water rushing into the lock, forcing your bow or stern away from the side of the lock, and twisting your boat diagonally within the lock.
• Keep your engine/s running in case you need to adjust your position. The water rushing in can move your boat. The instructions on some of the locks say to stop your engines when in the lock. I have never done this, because on many occasions I have needed the engines to manoeuvre. My vessel weighs 48 tonnes, and it is not easily moved by my wife hauling on a rope. Smaller vessels may be OK without engine power in the lock

Fuel – The 2 fuel jetties in Darwin used by cruising boats are Cullen Bay Marina 12°27.12 S – 130°49.27 E and Fishermans Wharf 12°27.59 S – 130°51.03 E.

The Cullen Bay Marina fuel jetty can be accessed in all tides, and is located on a floating pontoon arm in the lock basin on the seaward side of the lock. However, for deep draft vessels, be wary about the channel into the basin at spring low tides. It can get shallow and it is flanked by shoals and sand bars. I suggest you wait for more water before entering. The fuel pontoon can only be accessed by one vessel at a time, so at popular times, there may be a queue.  The fuel pumps will be obvious when you get there. The same pontoon is also used by ferry operators and fishing charter vessels. If you want to tie up to the pontoon, other than at the fuel pumps, it must be on the southern side of the pontoon, well away from the fuel bowsers The the north side of the pontoon is reserved for ferries only. The fishing charter fleet unload and load passengers on the south side of the pontoon and they have special access rights, so you need to be prepared to move your vessel at short notice if instructed by the lock master, or a skipper on any of the commercial vessels that have privileged docking rights, such as ferries or fishing charter vessels. Your vessel cannot be left there unattended.

The fuel pumps accept major credit cards.

The Fishermans Wharf fuel jetty is accessed past Stokes Hill Wharf. The approaches to the wharf are shallow, and deep draft vessels should allow sufficient tide before entering the wharf basin. Large fishing vessels tie up alongside the wharf in all tides, therefore I suspect the wharf basin itself is dredged to accommodate them.

The fuel sales are operated by Baileys Marine Fuels Australia. Phone 08 8941 3320. You can apply for a Baileys Fuel Card at   http://www.baileysmarine.com.au They will also accept major credit cards.

Baileys pumps are very hi flow and you need to adjust the flow at the pump before you use it. Generally, there is a ball valve in each pump enclosure to adjust the flow from stop to fast. My advise is to start very slow and adjust the flow up to what your intake can handle. If you start the flow too fast, you are likely to get blow back from your filler or put high pressure on your fuel tank if the tank breather is not large enough.

The main advantage of using Fishermans Wharf, is that their diesel pumps are all hi-flow. At times, they can also be cheaper than Cullen Bay Marina, but I suggest you compare the prices yourself.

Fishermans wharf is exactly what the name implies. It is often very busy, with commercial boats rafted up 2 or 3 wide against the wharf. At these busy times you can expect to be instructed by the Baileys Fuel staff to tie up beside another vessel. You must then collect the fuel line via the other vessel, passing it over the deck of the other vessel to your boat.  Baileys are very strict on safety protocol when fuel is being loaded. You must have one crew member on the jetty at the pump ready to hit the emergency shut off, and another crew member at the hose filler nozzle on your vessel. Ensure you have sufficient, capable crew on board for this purpose.

I have fuelled R&R here several times. One memorable occasion was being rafted up against 5 small harbour tugs tied side by side. The tugs offered absolutely no fore and aft stability and I spent an hour or so sitting at the throttles nudging R&R backwards and forwards to prevent hitting the boats in front and behind us. My crew at the time were not experienced boaters, and they were very unimpressed about having to climb over 5 small tug boats and drag a heavy, dirty fuel line back and forth. However, I have also been the only boat at the wharf at times, and the process has been quick and easy.

Shopping.   Being the Northern Territory capital city, Darwin has a well developed business district with all the shops expected of a city this size. There are also large shopping centers in Palmerston and Casuarina. Darwin is a market goers delight, with large and small markets catering for fruit and veg, cloths and art of all types. Mindil Beach Markets are the most well know and popular, and are well worth a visit on a Thursday evening during the dry season just for the food and free entertainment.

Marine Repairs. Many major engine, gearbox, electronics and boating equipment manufacturers are represented in Darwin by local branches or agents. Boat repairs and maintenance are usually not a problem. However, most parts are flown in “overnight” (in Darwin speak this means 2 or 3 nights). During the peak of the cruising season, qualified labour becomes very sought after, so be prepared to wait to get something replaced or repaired.