Shelly Beach Skiboat club
Situated behind the Shelly Shopping Centre, the Shelly Beach Skiboat Club is one of the gems of the South Coast that is a must visit on your ‘things-to do’ list.
Even if you aren’t into fishing or not interested in going onto the sea for whatever reason, the sea views from there are breathtaking and the movement of the boats going in and out of the little harbour is hugely interesting to watch. Have a refreshing swim in the large tidal pool or enjoy a meal at the clubhouse.
Approximately 500 boats per month are launched from the very popular Skiboat Club. As many as 800 launches take place during the peak holiday season. It is the closest launching site to the Protea Reef, one of the finest off-shore reefs in the country. All disciplines of boating such as ski boating, angling, ocean adventures, jet skis, diving, spear and game fishing are catered for.
The clubhouse houses a dining room, bar, outside deck area, tuck shop and a swimming pool with a lapa.
Although the dining room isn’t a true restaurant, the meals on offer (for club members and visitors alike) are excellent and good value for money. Take note that the club kitchen is tiny and the staff numbers are limited – service might be slow. I didn’t find it a hindrance since enjoying the gorgeous sea views while watching the boats incoming in and going out had the time flying past without me noticing.
The bar is open seven days a week and only closes on Christmas day. The bar is for members and ‘signed in’ guests and have a reputation of being incident free and secure in the company of pleasant fellow members.
Visit their website to learn about their memberships and the club activities.
History of the Shelly Beach Skiboat Club
It all started with Sonny Evans, who was an engineer who worked in the sugar industry. When he, with his family, moved to the South Coast in 1955 he used to launch his boat from the beach in front of his house, but it was dangerous and let to several narrow escapes and much damage.
During the 1970’s several boat owners started to launch from the beach in front of the Metropole Hotel but it was dangerous because of the scattered rocks, especially at high tide. Sonny got permission from the Town Board and removed some of the rocks but it soon became obvious that the larger rocks needed to be blasted.
In 1973/4 fellow skiboat enthusiasts came together at Sonny’s home for an informal meeting over the forming of a ski-boat club at Shelly Beach. The club started off with 12 members. Sonny and Gert Claasens (who could speak Afrikaans and could sell ice to Eskimos) flew to Cape Town for a meeting in the Parliament Buildings with the Minister of the Land Tenure Board where they got permission to go ahead with the removal of approximately 24 cubic meters of rocks.
To make a long story short it took 2 years to clear a safe channel for boat launching. A concrete ramp was also build. Club members continued to remove more rocks over the past thirty years with jack hammers and cranes.
The clubhouse designed and built by Billy Mountjoy in 1981, was solely financed by club members by way of fund raising drives and sponsorships. The clubhouse was later extended towards the sea and a lapa and swimming pool were added ensuring that spending time at the club became a family activity.
Where is the Shelly Beach Ski Boat Club?
GPS: -30.80871, 30.41269
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