Kieler Yacht-Club e.V.
The Kieler Yacht-Club e.V. has been the sailing and watersports centre on the Kiel Fjord since 1887 and is the home port of Kiel Week. With more than 1,400 members, the KYC is one of Germany's largest sailing clubs, combining top-level regatta sailing, ambitious cruising and sail training for all generations. The club operates clubhouses on the Kiellinie, in Strande and in Düsternbrook, its own shipyard with berths, and the juniors and racing group, yacht school and training group. The programme includes international events such as YES, MaiOR and the 29er World Championship, the Wednesday regatta in Strande Bay, Bundesliga and performance teams, and courses from Sport Boat Licence Sea to coastal skipper certification. Olympic medallists, world champions and young talents shape the club's long tradition to this day.
History
Since 1887, the Kieler Yacht-Club has shaped sailing – with a history closely linked to Kiel Week, competitive sport and the joy of sailing. As early as 1882, merchants and shipyard owners sailed on the Kiel Fjord for the first time; this gave rise to the first Kiel regatta as the birth of today's Kiel Week. In 1887 the Marine Regatta Association was founded – the nucleus of the KYC. Under Kaiser Wilhelm II the club became the Imperial Yacht Club; the Kaiser sailed himself and Kiel Week became a major social event. In 1910 the Kiel yacht school was founded – one of the first youth sections of any sailing club. The First World War halted almost all activities; 455 members fell and many yachts were confiscated. In the 1920s the KYC recovered economically and in sport; the clubhouse on the Hindenburg waterfront was occupied in 1926, and international regattas and youth work gained importance. In 1937 the club was renamed Yacht Club of Germany; the 1936 Olympics shaped regatta infrastructure, and from 1939 sailing largely ceased again. After the war the KYC reformed; Kiel Week resumed from 1948 and the clubhouse was rebuilt. Kiel hosted the Olympic sailing competitions in 1972, with the KYC playing a major role in planning and execution. In the 1970s and 1980s new regatta formats such as MAIOR and YES emerged, youth development expanded, and in 1987 the club celebrated its centenary. In the 1990s Kiel Week grew rapidly; Point of Sailing Marketing GmbH was founded for professional event management. In 1991 the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation built the youth clubhouse in Strande. Today the KYC remains a central player in German and international sailing; youth work, major regattas and active cruising life define the club with an eye to the future.
Information
Facilities
Clubhouse at Kiellinie 70 (since 1926, Hotel Kieler Yacht-Club with historic halls), youth clubhouse in Strande (since 1991, LOKYC restaurant), Düsternbrook location, shipyard for GRP and classic yachts, berths, training grounds of the juniors and racing group in Strande
Activities
Regatta sailing with Kiel Week, YES, MaiOR, blueribboncup and Wednesday regatta, cruising with squadron cruises and opening and closing of the season, German Sailing Bundesliga and performance team, youth training in juniors and racing group and yacht school, training group for adults, courses and seminars from radio to medicine
Youth section
Youth section for sailors aged 6 to 24: juniors and racing group in Optimist, ILCA and 29er in Strande, plus yacht school for yacht sailing with cruises to Denmark and other areas
Boating license training
Available: 1
Bernd Küper
Board members
Additional officials
Regatta calendar
2026-05-01 Mai Offshore Regatta (MaiOR)
2026-05-23 Young Europeans Sailing (YES)
2026-06-20 Kiel Week
2026-06-13 Tanis von der Mosel Race
2026-07-02 29er World Championship
2026-08-01 NOIR – North German Real Estate Regatta
2026-08-01 Strande KÜZ Regatta
2026-08-01 Regatta Commodore Cup
2026-08-01 Go 4 Speed
2026-08-01 2.4mR Inclusive World Championship
2026-08-12 Wednesday Regatta
2026-08-19 Wednesday Regatta
2026-08-26 Wednesday Regatta
2026-09-02 Wednesday Regatta
2026-09-09 Wednesday Regatta
2026-09-16 Wednesday Regatta
2026-09-23 Wednesday Regatta Overall Prize Giving
2026-09-02 blueribboncup