Coming up against clubs and schools teams from the Eastern and Western Cape, the Madibaz rowers took three first places, one second and a third.
NMMU Rowing Club chairman Wade Murison said they were delighted with their results even though regular rivals such as UCT, Stellenbosch and Rhodes were not able to attend.
"Unfortunately those varsities could not make it because of the ongoing higher education protests, which also affected our numbers," he said.
"The competitors in our senior events were Alfred Rowing Club from Cape Town, Buffalo Rowing Club from East London and the Zwartkops and PE clubs from Port Elizabeth."
He said Madibaz had six rowers who competed in the senior (ages 19 to 26) and masters' (27 and above) categories, where all races were contested over 1 000m.
Louis Nel showed good early-season form for the Madibaz, taking first place in the men's A division single sculls race and achieving a similar result with Sebastiaan Marx in the A division double sculls.
In the doubles sculls race, they edged out colleagues Murison and Dane Walker for the win.
Murison walked away with the title in the men's masters' singles sculls, while Karl Whitlock and Alasdair MacPhail were third in the men's B division double sculls.
MacPhail was fourth in the B division single sculls race.
Murison said the Madibaz club regularly took part in the Knysna regatta, but it had been the first time for several of their members.
"It was a great start to the season and we are looking forward to a few more events that are coming up."
He said they would be taking part in the ECRA Champs Regatta in East London on the Buffalo River on October 29 and their provincial rivals, Rhodes University, had confirmed that they would be racing there as well.
"So we are looking forward to even harder and closer racing at the end of the month. All races at this regatta will be over 2 000m."
Murison said there would be a break in November and December before the programme resumed in January.
"Our first event next year will be the Settlers Sprints Regatta on the Settlers Dam in Grahamstown on January 28 over 1 000 metres.
"That will be followed by the Buffalo Regatta in East London on February 17 and 18."