Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
Encyclopedia
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
香港遊艇會) is a Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
sports club for sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
.
Founded as Hong Kong Corinthian Sailing Club in 1890 and became the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club in 1894.
It is one of the few local institutions which kept its prefix "Royal" after Hong Kong's handover to the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in 1997.
Early members were British only and military personnel on the board. Today, members are a mix of British expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s and local Chinese.
Facilities
The main buildings of the club are located by Victoria HarbourVictoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
on the former Kellett Island
Kellett Island
Kellett Island is a former island off East Point in Hong Kong. It is now connected to Hong Kong Island at Causeway Bay following land reclamation in 1969....
, now part of Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...
. The Clubhouse was built on the foundations of the old Naval Powder Magazine. It was moved there in 1938.
Prior to that, it was located at No. 12 Oil Street, in North Point
North Point
North Point is a mixed-use urban area in the Eastern District of Hong Kong. It is the northernmost point of Hong Kong Island, adjacent to both Causeway Bay and Quarry Bay, and projecting toward Kowloon Bay. Fortress Hill occupies the western end of the North Point area.-History:In 1899, The...
before reclamation
Land reclamation in Hong Kong
Land is in short supply in Hong Kong, and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:One of the earliest and famous project was the Praya Reclamation Scheme, which added 50 to of land in 1890 during the second phase of construction...
, when it lost its waterfront location. The former headquarter and clubhouse in Oil Street, built in the Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
style, had been officially opened on 21 March 1908 by the then Governor Sir Frederick Lugard. The building was subsequently used as a garage, government staff quarters until 1998, as a storehouse of the Antiquities and Monuments Office
Antiquities and Monuments Office
Antiquities and Monuments Office was established when the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance was enacted in 1976, to preserve Hong Kong's monuments under appropriate protection....
until late 2007, and is currently vacant. It has been listed as a Grade II historic building since 1995.
In addition to Kellett Island, the club has two other clubhouses:
- on Middle IslandMiddle Island, Hong KongMiddle Island is an island of Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of Southern District.-Geography:Middle Island is located 100 m off the southern coast of Hong Kong Island, between Deep Water Bay and Repulse Bay.-Features:...
- in Shelter Cove, Sai Kung