Club Náutico Alcázar
Club Náutico Alcázar is a private sports association on the Bay of Cádiz in Andalusia and is described as the nautical club with the largest membership in the bay. Founded on 16 August 1956, it is located on Paseo José Manuel Hesle in the Puntales district and offers 24-hour marina service, lockers, changing rooms, a social hall, a gym and a dry-dock yard for about 400 boats. The programme ranges from historically rooted sailing with lateen rigs to canoeing and fishing as well as fitness and the Juan Soriano boxing school; paddling starter courses from age six and youth membership fees support newcomers. With more than 500 members, national canoeing successes and the traditional Virgen del Carmen maritime procession, the club is a firm social and sporting anchor for the city of Cádiz.
History
Club Náutico Alcázar de Cádiz was founded on 16 August 1956 as a private non-profit body whose sole purpose is to promote and practise physical and sporting activity within Andalusia. A group of friends with a clear seafaring vocation built and maintained facilities that were initially modest and later became a substantial club asset. Sailing with lateen sails traditionally featured in many bay competitions; national results in rowing, canoeing and powerboating made the humble club known nationwide. Today the club has more than 500 members and about 400 boats. The canoeing team regularly competes regionally and nationally and won gold in K-2 and silver in K-1 at Spanish championships. The grounds include a gym and the Juan Soriano boxing school under national coach Francisco Maye. From around 2016/2017 the club worked intensively on a new marina project: approved by the Junta de Andalucía, conditions of APPA accepted and ratified by members; new membership approvals were temporarily suspended until the assembly set new entry rules. Annual highlights include the Virgen del Carmen maritime procession (often with Spanish Navy support from Base Naval de Puntales), Members' Day with fishing and cooking contests, winter haul-outs in several stages, and Bahía de Cádiz canoeing trophies organised by the club. In December 2015 the bar-restaurant La Escollera del Alcázar reopened. In 2016 the family of former member Manuel Coello Villanego donated a 1989 Virgen del Carmen procession model to the club. Thus the club combines more than sixty years of history, harbour infrastructure and a broad nautical and social programme for Cádiz.
Information
Facilities
24-hour marina service, lockers, changing rooms and showers, social hall (also for celebrations), gym, dry-dock yard (patio de varada), crane and ramp service, bar/restaurant La Escollera del Alcázar
Activities
Sailing (historically lateen rig and bay regattas), canoeing/kayaking, fishing, rowing, powerboating, fitness and women's gymnastics, Juan Soriano boxing school, club festivals and Virgen del Carmen maritime procession
Youth section
Youth support via children's (infantil) and junior membership fees, canoeing starter courses from age 6, free children's workshops and Christmas activities (playroom, Santa, Three Kings)
Guest berths
Yes, haul-out for non-members