Real Club Marítimo de Santander
The Real Club Marítimo de Santander is a traditional sailing and yacht club at Puerto Chico on Santander Bay (Cantabria, Spain). The clubhouse stands on piles by the pier and is linked to the quay by a short walkway; facilities include among other things 226 berths with water and electricity, summer mooring buoys, hospitality with bar, terrace and restaurant, plus showers and sanitary facilities. The sailing school and racing school offer courses and youth programmes, including Optimist and other dinghy classes; regattas take place regularly at weekends. Founded on 13 October 1927 with the support of Alfonso XIII, the club looks back on Atlantic ocean races, Olympic achievements and world championships and remains a central hub of Spanish sailing.
History
The Real Club Marítimo de Santander (RCMS) was founded on 13 October 1927; its predecessor was the Real Club de Regatas. In the founding year, with Alfonso XIII as honorary president, the New York–Santander international race was planned for the following summer, starting a series of Atlantic races to French and English ports. In August 1932 the first wooden clubhouse was looted and burned; the present structuralist building of the 1930s rose on reinforced-concrete piles at Puertochico pier, resembling a white ocean liner. From 1948 races such as Brixham–Santander and Belle-Île–Santander renewed the international tradition; New York–Santander returned in 1957, Cowes–Santander in 1958. Classes such as Star and Snipe raced in the bay; a highlight of the 1960s was Semana Naval 1968. Late in the 1960s the El Puntal sailing school boosted youth sailing; the 1970s saw fleets of Dragon, Finn, Dinghy, Vaurien and Optimist. Floating pontoons and berths in the Puertochico basin were added later in the 20th century; on 19 October 1987 a terrorist attack damaged the clubhouse, later restored with respect to its style. Since Olympic medals in Montreal 1976 and Moscow 1980 members have won many national and international titles. Into the 21st century Snipe and First Class 8 dominated racing; since 2006 the J/80 fleet has replaced FC8 and ranks among Spain’s strongest. The club has hosted world events including Snipe (1950), Yngling (2004), J/80 (2009), Olympic classes (2014), RS Feva (2016) and the Santander Sailing World Cup 2017.
Information
Facilities
226 berths with water and electricity; summer mooring; bar, terrace and restaurant; showers and sanitary facilities; city-centre location; fuel in the basin; club shop at reception.
Activities
Weekend regattas; sailing school and racing school; summer courses; dinghy sailing; board games; sport fishing; hospitality and social events.
Youth section
Active sailing school and racing school with summer courses and youth programmes, including Optimist and other junior classes.
Guest berths
Yes, summer moorings and berths