Real Club Náutico de San Sebastián
The Real Club Náutico de San Sebastián (RCNSS) is a historic yacht club on La Concha Bay in Donostia-San Sebastián. Founded in 1896, its clubhouse on the Paseo de La Concha is a rationalist architectural landmark and hosts sailing, canoeing and diving sections. The sailing school offers year-round Optimist, 420 and ILCA training plus summer courses in the bay; events such as the Liga EKP Cruiser series and the Armada Cup Plymouth–Donostia shape the sporting calendar. Past and present combine Olympic Star heritage, youth development and active club life with restaurant and harbour facilities.
History
In 1896 a group of Donostia yacht sailors founded the Real Club Náutico San Sebastián, then a summer residence of the Spanish Court. The first facilities were on a large barge (gabarrón) in La Concha Bay; in 1905 the club moved ashore and acquired a fish farm on the Paseo de La Concha, its present site. There the current clubhouse was built to designs by José Manuel Aizpurua and Joaquín Labayen (1928–1929), an icon of rationalism and today a Bien de Interés Cultural (Monument). Famous international regattas were held in 1929 and 1930; in 1951 and 1955 the club organised the transoceanic race Havana–San Sebastián. Donostia's Star fleet shaped local sailing from 1932 to 1992 and produced Olympians such as Emilio Gurruchaga (Rome 1960) and José María Benavides (Tallinn 1980); architect Aizpurua won the 1931 European Star Class championship. Internationally known is the Armada Cup Race, linking Plymouth and San Sebastián every two years—the only international cruiser offshore race in the Basque Country, first held in 1986 after the 1984 twinning agreement and continued in 2026 as the 7th edition Memorial Vicente Munilla. Today the club covers sailing, canoeing and diving with schools and competition programmes.
Information
Facilities
Landmark clubhouse on La Concha Bay (BIC monument), bar-restaurant, berth management, sailing school, canoe school, diving section, solarium, shop, bridge/Puente, Escora race office
Activities
Sailing (Optimist, 420, ILCA, cruiser), canoeing/kayaksurf, diving, Liga EKP Cruiser, dinghy regattas, Armada Cup Plymouth–Donostia, UDA summer courses, club magazine Trasluchada, cultural events
Youth section
Active sailing school with Optimist, 420 and ILCA; year-round tecnificación plus UDA summer courses (Optimist ages 8–12, dinghy sailing from 13); youth race team and canoe school
Guest berths
Yes, berths on request