Simon’s Town - Docking
Anchoring:
Simon’s Town
It is possible to anchor off Simon’s Town in False Bay, although permission must be obtained from the SA Navy.
Conditions can be a bit rolly but safe. False Bay Yacht Club has an excellent club house with bathrooms, a restaurant and bar and is home to many friendly local yachties – including GGR veteran Jeremy Bagshaw.
Marina Berthing:
False Bay Yacht Club
Simon’s Town is home to the False Bay Yacht Club (FBYC), a South African Naval Base, and a National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) station. There are approximately 260 walk-on moorings at FBYC, which are under the control of a non-profit company, the Simon’s Town Marina Company (STMC). In order to visit the marina, cruisers must obtain a temporary membership of FBYC. All moorings have water and electricity.
Only in strong SE conditions, some surge is experienced, otherwise, the marina is well sheltered.
Temporary Visitor Membership fees are payable to the False Bay Yacht Club by any visitor who has a boat temporarily moored in FBYC waters in Simon’s Bay. Mooring and slipping fees are charged by the marina company.
There are a number of swing moorings available for visitors, which are also administered by STMC.
Boats larger than 52 feet must book prior to arrival as there are very few spaces available to them. As this is becoming a popular spot for visiting yachts in general, booking in advance might be advisable for other boats also.
Contact Kim Dunstan – Ph: 064 790 3302 – Email: admin@stmc.co.za.
The FBYC also has haulout facilities administered by STMC, and include a sling lift and space on the hard for around 11 vessels at a time. On site are numerous services, including a diesel mechanic, a stainless steel manufacturing workshop, a chandlery, fibreglass repair and manufacture services, a rigger, a carpenter and electrician, and services for antifouling and diving your vessel.
Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club
Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club is on the western shore of False Bay. It has a small, shallow, harbour that is very tide dependent.
Moorings:
At Harbour Island, Gordon’s Bay, the Boardwalk offer moorings for yachts from 8 to 12m (single or double bays). They also offer self-catering holiday apartments overlooking the marina.
Contact details for all berthing providers can be found under Related Businesses.
Last updated: October 2024
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Related to following destinations: Simon's Town, South Africa
Port Navigation
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Regular Noonsite contributors Brent Crack and Mary Bevan sent the following as they sailed towards Cape Town leaving False Bay.
Last night was one of those epic nights that only come along ever so rarely.
We departed Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club and were immediately into brilliant blue bioluminescence. The water churning along the hulls lit up the surrounding area like a spotlight was on us.
About ten miles from the Cape we were joined by a large pod of dolphins, streaming through the phosphorescence as they swam and jumped. They left trails in the glow as they went and were visible a long distance from the boat, 500 meters or more, just by the glow as they swam.
And then we went through many huge schools of small fish. The whole sea was glowing, and the dolphins were hunting. The fish were jumping all around us, boiling as they were being chased and eaten. The smell of fish in the air was abundant, just from the shear numbers jumping at one time. Every now and again, larger fish would join the dolphins and dart past, completely visible in the bioluminescence.
Words do not adequately describe it. Pictures would not capture it. Memories are all that exist
Now we are stuck in drizzly foggy gloom as we slow motor our way up the coast towards Cape Town.
Before coming to False Bay, we had never seen dolphins in the bioluminescence, and now we have seen it twice – once on approach to the bay and again on departure
This is Bill and Cathy Norrie from SV Terrwyn,
We just sailed from Simon’s Town (FBYC) to Cape Town (RCYC) after having kept Terrwyn in the FBYC for over a year. We were extremely pleased with the wonderful Yacht Club staff, Spilly, Kim, Pam, Natasha and Sifa who were always available to help us with the details of keeping SV Terrwyn safe and sound.
All the guys in the boatyard were terrific and the work we had done was top notch. Baden, the stainless steel fab guy, made some “Burglar Bars” installed for us since we are heading for the Caribbean. Andy overhauled our outboard engine; Chris the marine mechanic; Robert Galley Marine Electronics; Tony and Jeremy in the Chandlery are all names that you need to note if you have work that needs to be done.
Most importantly was John the Diver who looked after our precious yacht through the whole year, adding new dock lines and diving to change zincs if necessary. The haulout at the end was very professionally done. The anti-fouling paint, waxing and polishing of topsides, cleaning and polishing of stainless steel were all done with professionalism and promptness. At an amazingly good price.
We highly recommend this marina and boatyard.
Cathy and Bill Norrie
SV Terrwyn