N.S.Z.V. De Loefbijter
N.S.Z.V. De Loefbijter is the student sports and social sailing association of Nijmegen, open to students of Radboud University and HAN University of Applied Sciences. Since spring 2023, a major part of the fleet is based at Watersportcentrum Het Bastion on the Spiegelwaal, only minutes by bike from the city centre, while keelboats are kept on the Kraaijenbergse Plassen near Cuijk. The fleet includes Polyvalks, Laser Picos, Laser Standard, J/22 and Flying Junior boats. The programme features weekly Wednesday evening sailing, instruction and training weekends, racing teams and social drinks at Villa van Schaeck. Beginners without sailing experience are welcome; skippers are certified through the club's own training system and a CWO diploma is not required.
History
N.S.Z.V. De Loefbijter is the Nijmegen student sailing association and has combined competitive sailing with student social life for many decades. The first documented board was led by Han Schouten as praeses; the 59th board now leads the association in the 2025–2026 academic year. Over the years the club became a fixture in Dutch student sailing, with rotating boards, active disputen such as Heerendispuut Beaufort (since 2011), Damesdispuut Polaris (since 2021) and Gemengd Dispuut Argonautica (since 2024), and the club magazine Loefbode. A major milestone was the 'room for the river' project from 2013, which created the Spiegelwaal branch of the Waal and paved the way for Watersportcentrum Het Bastion. Construction to prepare the complex for Nijmegen watersport clubs began in December 2021; the boat hall opened in April 2023, enabling sailing on the Spiegelwaal. The full indoor facilities with showers, toilets and a shared theory room followed after a construction delay. De Loefbijter now uses the Bastion as its urban home for dinghies, while keelboats remain on the Kraaijenbergse Plassen. The fleet committee was founded in the 54th board year, merging former dinghy and keelboat maintenance groups; in the 55th year trailers, tools and materials were added. Well-known events include FestiValk, the Caférace organised by Loefbijter, the NSK weekend in Heeg, the Spiegelwaal regatta, the Nestor Trophy, the SLAK during Pentecost and regular Friesland weekends. Today sailing remains the main sport, complemented by weekly drinks, intro programmes for new students and a broad committee system in which every member participates.
Information
Facilities
Watersportcentrum Het Bastion on the Spiegelwaal with boat hall, indoor showers, toilets and a shared room for theory and rigging; moorings and sailing on the Kraaijenbergse Plassen near Cuijk; weekly drinks at Villa van Schaeck in Nijmegen.
Activities
Sailing, Wednesday evening sailing, instruction and training weekends, racing with teams Loefbijter 1 and 2, Friesland weekends, weekly Tuesday drinks, intro and post-intro activities, FestiValk, Caférace, gala, dies drinks, theory evenings and sailing symposia in winter.
Youth section
Student association with intro week, first-year sailing, open Wednesday evening sailing in September and participation in the Southern Optimist Championship for students without prior experience.