Newsletter 22 April 2015

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We trust you all had a fabulous Easter.  Another short week ahead with ANZAC Day holiday on Monday.  

ANZAC Celebrations at Kawau

Kawau Boating Club is pleased to be involved in this year’s ANZAC Day events.

It was hoped that the Royal NZ Navy would attend the Dawn Parade commemorations at Lidgard House, Kawau but sadly, this is not to be.

There will however be a midday/12.30pm ceremony on Anzac Day, Saturday 25th April led by John Duder and assisted by other members of the community.  Precise start time will depend on the Kawau Cruises Ferry arrival time.  (Ferries leave Sandspit wharf at 8am, 10.30am and 2.30pm. Return from KBC 9.20am, 1.30pm, 4.10pm.  Adult return $55, children 5-15yrs $31 return, under 5's are free.  Book early on 0800 100 490).

A display table will be present and nibbles and drinks available following the ceremony.  Following the ceremony, participants will be invited to remain in the Boating Club rooms to socialise.   The bar will be open from 1pm (as decreed by Licensing Laws) and nibbles will be served courtesy of Kawau Boating Club.

Robyn and David Lee, managers of KBC welcome all members and the public to this special commemorative event.

Marina Update

Since hurricane Pam (mid-March), the weather has been perfect for the disposal barges.  Between them they have now made 55 trips out to the dump site beyond Gt Barrier Island (as at 17 April).

Hopper Construction expect two more barges to arrive on site before the end of April to aid the disposal process.  The two additional barges are self-propelled SoundChem barges that can be loaded while aground. The western reclamation adjacent to Lees Boatyard should be concreted by end of April/mid-May.  This area will then be available for Pacific Pontoons to use, in addition to part of the Yacht Club car park, when they return to construct the remaining pontoons.  There's a lot of groundwork going on with the landscape changing daily.  If you've not seen progress for  while, head down and have a look.

Marina berth sales are ticking along nicely with all the 12m and 18m berths sold.  There are now only 18 berths left to sell.

Work in the Yard

There's a lot of people working on their boats down in the yard.  Over the winter months, this year, every metre of the SYC yard will be in high demand, needed for pontoon making and general construction activity.  Already the yard is looking pretty full. If you're considering hauling out over the next few months, a wise man would discuss his requirements with Haulout Manager - Michael Blank at the earliest opportunity.  Phone 425 5564 or 021 826 862. 

8 Brick Bay Drive

A reminder that further operations have begun on the 8 Brick Bay carpark.  As such it is closed until further notice. What happens next is that the ground will be further flattened, a tough plastic surface laid, grassing and the planting of some 1000 trees needs to be undertaken.  We will shortly be advising of a date for a working bee whereby we will require  some planting folk to help us in the final step towards the completion of the carpark.

SYC Sailing Division

Laughter & prizes a-plenty at Kaiaraara Bay Gt Barrier	Mussel-bouy swinging with partying in background

About 14 SYC boats headed over to the Barrier on Easter Friday and enjoyed several pleasurable days together.  A lively prize-giving was held on the evening of the first day followed by dinner ashore, and on the second night, an equally enjoyable evening was had at Smokehouse Bay, accompanied we might add, by a jolly good guitarist from our fleet.  Whilst most had to scurry back to Sandspit on Easter Monday, some took advantage of the great Easter weather and managed to get a few days around the back of the Barrier, which is always a real treat.  Our thanks goes to Conway Stewart for organising such a great social event, with a tidy bundle of sponsored gifts/prizes for all participants.

The Sailing Division prize-giving took place on Saturday 18 April.  Tim Clissold, owner of catamaran Pulse took home a fair portion of the trophies including the coveted Summer Series trophy for best overall performance for the season AND the trophy for the Friday night series.  To be fair, Tim enters every race he possibly can, so his win was well-deserved.

A Full house for the Sailing Division prize-giving	Don & Jacqui Mckay owners of Mischief Maker, receive the Teal Trophy from Commodore Bruce Milne for winner of the two-handed race.  Sailing Convenor Jeremy Noakes, behind.

Following dinner and the prizegiving, guests were treated to a 90 minute presentation b young solo round-the-world sailer Laura Dekker.  The extremely capable and free-spirited Laura gave a truly inspirational talk, one that we know, given the opportunity, the majority of our members would very much like to have attended.

Circumnavigating the world solo was never about setting a record or finding fame for sailor Laura Dekker. It was about one girl and her boat on an adventure into the big blue. But New Zealand-born Dekker, who was raised in the Netherlands, says it was thanks to her father's knowledge of boats and encouraging her independence that she was able to accomplish her dream of sailing around the world solo by the time she was 16.    After completing her world voyage, Laura continued through the Pacific Ocean for the second time, having covered a total of 36,000 nm with her boat Guppy, arriving in New Zealand on September 2, 2012.

Dekker held us in awe as she retold her story, and for those who would like to read about her for themselves, check out her book One Girl, One Dream, available at local bookshops.

Centreboard Division

Seven Mahurangi College Students were chosen from the Sailing Team of 12-14 students, to attend the 420 Nationals in Taupo recently.  Held at the lakeside Taupo Boating Club, 30 teams raced for 5 days, 13-17 April.  This was a match racing competition as opposed to fleet racing, whereby rather than individuals working hard to be first across the line, each school must do their best to bring their team of 3 boats over the finishing line more or less together in order to earn the least amount of points (1 point for first, 2 for 2nd etc).  The kids went out on a barge and rotated crew throughout the day as and when necessary to get around the course, with each race lasting about 10 minutes.  This year, the Mahu team did not do so well, but bearing in mind that most team members are themselves new to sailing as a sport, they competed very well, learned such a lot and had a really great time.

Sailing takes a back seat in the school calendar now until Term 4 (September), enabling the kids (and the coach!) to enjoy a bit of R&R after an intensive season of practices and racing.

SYC Thursday social evenings

Hi ladies!  Join us on Thursday evenings for a drink at SYC.

Manning the launching ramp

Keep up to date with all Kawau Boating club happenings by becoming a member.  Click here on their website for info on membership, to glean their latest newsletter - and be sure to click on 'Clubhouse' too for the very latest news including info of their popular Thursday evening Curry Nights.  New stocks of Tee-shirts and KBC bergies are available too.

KBC enjoyed a very busy time over the Easter Break and appreciate all the patronage.  They have plenty of water and fuel for boaties, (including a new pump for 91).  They get plenty of queries regarding opening hours, fuel availability, mooring bookings etc and ask that you direct such queries to the clubhouse land-line (09) 422 8845, their mobile 021 084 20890 or email clubhouse@kawauboatingclub.nz (not info@.....address).  This way you'll get a quicker, more accurate response.

Please note that from Monday 20 April (end of school holidays) the club is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until the end of May.

The Club will then be closed for winter from the end of Queen’s Birthday Weekend until early October.  Keep an eye on the website and Facebook for updates.  At this stage, they're hoping to still have the pumps manned for water and fuel during this time, but check before you head over to replenish supplies.

According to World War 1 military records, 103,000 New Zealanders served overseas, 59,500 were casualties and 18,200 died.  We remember them and their families this weekend.  There are a large number of the World War 1 centenary commemorations around local areas.  If you can't make it to Kawau, see the latest edition of the Mahurangi Matters to see the full list of services.

Have an enjoyable weekend all.

Kind regards

Glenys Milne

Publicity Officer