Newsletter - 17 October 2015

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Missing Dinghy

A smart-looking, 6”6’wooden ply dinghy went missing from rack 36 at the yacht club in early September.

Painted white with grey fold down wheels at the stern for transportation. If you know anything please phone Terry Norris on 425 0208.

If you need to view a separate photo that you can zoom in on, please let us know.

Membership

We're all up to date with the processing of memberships now.  If you haven't received your sticker and handbook it could be because your payment is one of two which remains unidentified.  Please call Louise at the office on 425 9008 if you think this might be you.

Marina

We're seeing changes daily now.  Several of the marina arms are in and fingers off them growing steadily too.  At last you can visualise how things are going to look when it's all finished.

Many people think that all the marina berths have been sold and they've missed out.  Not so.  There are a handful left, in varying sizes, so if you're interested, contact Elspeth on 425 0099.

SYC Sailing Division

The sailing season is underway! On Friday 9th October, Barry Pardoe and crew aboard Hallmark won the bottle of rum for the first Warkworth Super Liquor Friday Night Race of the season, just ahead of his rival, Tim Clissold on Pulse.  Five keen boaties had a bit of fun zipping around the course, and though not a huge turnout, they had an enjoyable time and met up at Cafe Sandspit for the prize-giving and after-match function.  Well done Hallmark!!

This Saturday, 17th October, is the first race of the Mahurangi Marine/Yanmar Summer Series. A round-the islands race which starts off Algies at 1100hrs. (All participants should have been notified directly).

As it's Labour Weekend next weekend, there is no 'race' per se (24/26 October) but there is a cruising division event for all punters (fizz-boats, launches and sailing boats).  See below for Cruising section for details.

The two-handed race takes place on Saturday 31st October followed by the Lee's Trophy race on November 14th.   This will finish in the Mahurangi where we will join up for after race festivities with the cruisers. This should be a really good club get together so we're hoping it gets loads of support.

It is very important that you have the latest copy of the SYC handbook to participate because it has all the new courses and instructions. Going off old handbooks will ensure you get misguidance and lose your position in racing.  Please read through the Sailing Division section of the Handbook carefully.  There you will find a coded course map which is absolutely necessary to have on hand.  Beware the codes have CHANGED!

All details of the races will be emailed to those interested parties closer to the time.  If you'd like to be included in these emails, please contact Jeremy by phone on 0272 172 588 or email hawkesnestorchard@xtra.co.nz.

Matakana Marine /Volvo Penta Cruising Programme

It's time to start detailed planning for your Labour Day weekend cruise.  This is for boats of all shapes and sizes (as long as you can get to Kawau!)  Here are a few things that you need to know.

There will be a BBQ for all members on the lawn at Mansion House at 5pm on Saturday 24 October. You need to bring food to put on the BBQ, cutlery, plates, and drinks.  Organiser Conway Steward aboard catamaran Kittyhawk will be providing 2 BBQs but if we have a good turn out, more BBQs would be appreciated so as to avoid a queue for the hot plate.  If you have a portable BBQ please consider bringing it ashore.

All boats represented at the BBQ will be in the draw for spot prizes.  These include:

$100 voucher from Matakana Marine / Volvo Penta (one of 10 to be awarded this year)

1 RFD smoke flare from Survitec Group

2 x $10 vouchers from Burnsco

2 x packets of Rush coffee

1 x Brick Bay Martello Rock wine

1 x Gill personal rescue knife from Burnsco

For those yachties who wish for a bit of competition on the way to Kawau, we will be starting a cruising race at 1100hrs on Saturday 24 October. The race will start between Kittyhawk and the Algies Bay reef marker.  There will be a 5 minute horn at 1055, followed by a horn at 4 minutes and at one minute to the start, with a starting horn at 1100.  There will be no flag signals.  Extras may be flown if desired and dinghies (if carried) may be on deck.  The course will be advised via email on Friday 23 Oct and via channel 77 on race day.  At this stage it is proposed that the course will be from the start, taking Motuora Island to port, and finishing on a transit between Martello Rock and Martello Light.  Skippers must take their own times at the finish (that is if they want to be competitive about it.  We in Kittyhawk will not bother about that).  I will get a list of current handicaps from Tim Clissold on Pulse so skippers can work out their corrected times if they wish. (It might pay you to take a calculator!).

The Mahurangi Cruising Club is also holding a cruising race on Sunday 25 October in which SYC members are invited to participate.  We will all be socialising in the Kawau Boat Club afterwards so it's going to be a great evening.

We are hoping for a great turnout from a cross-section of our club and looking forward to meeting some new folk.  Come and enjoy yourself and do hope for decent weather.

For information regarding the cruising/social series, please contact Conway Stewart on 425 5892 or email conway@pl.net.

As detailed in the last newsletter, the next social cruise is on Saturday 14 November.

Kawau Boating Club

Good news!  KBC is back open from Friday 16 October.  Open Wed-Mon until 9th December, then 7 days over the holiday/summer season. Hours as follows:

Monday and Thursday 10am-7pm

Friday,Saturday, Sunday 9am-8pm (last meal orders 7pm)

Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Hosts David and Robyn are back, supported by Mitch, Tom and Jo.  As well as the usual, the shop will be stocking bread and milk, NZ Herald, bait and is licensed for off-premise liquor sales.  Plenty of action this Labour Weekend.  Find out more by visiting their website.

WWGFC - Fishing Competition Sat 7 Nov - Ladies Only!

MYSTERY WEEKEND FOR TWO prize sponsored by World Travellers & Southey’s Group for the average weight snapper at the Ladies Fishing Event Saturday 7th November with a 7am start. Tickets are limited to 50.  Tickets $40 and $20 for Juniors 16 & under. Weigh in is at Kawau Boating Club 3-4pm.

Tickets can be bought at Hunting & Fishing Warkworth, Sandspit Yacht Club, or ph Louise O’Sullivan 425 7021, 0274257224. The competition is open to everyone, Gamefish membership is not a requirement.Click here for poster.

Coastal Classic Race to Bay of Islands - Friday 30 October

Always an exciting race; sometimes very very fast, sometimes a drifter.  Always plenty of good (or hard-luck) stories afterwards.  And a fantastic social scene at the conclusion of the race, with serious partying after prize-giving in Russell on Saturday evening. As far as we know, just three SYC boats are taking part this year - Pulse, Scintilla, and Floyd.  We wish them a safe and enjoyable passage.

SYC Centreboard Division

There was a good turnout for the junior sailors on the first day of their season Sunday 11th October at Algies Bay.  Every Sunday for the next 8 weeks, coaching of the Learn To Sail programme takes place.  We have two spaces left for any latecomers but they'll have to start this Sunday.   At 12-noon there is sailing for all ages and stages.  Bring your dinghy along and join in the racing and the fun.  $10 for members, $20 for non-members (to pay for patrol boat fees).

This week we have had a full week of hosting the first of eight local schools with the YNZ Have A Go initiative at our Algies Bay facility. This is an awesome opportunity to introduce young sailors (9-12yrs) to the world of sailing, most having not had any experience before.  They progress fast, and full-on day of laughter and learning.  Thanks to Terry Burton who has been helping me (Glenys) with this.

If you're free to give a hand from 9am-2pm on Tues 27 and Wed 28 October, it would be great.  Helping to get the kids fitted out, rigged up, and then coming along on the patrol boat to help with supervising and giving pointer on sailing for the young sailors (aged 9-12). We just need one extra person on each day.  Phone 4222 479.  There'll be another opportunity to help out in Feb and March 2016. 

The Centreboard Division has a one-day Patrol Boat Course coming up on Saturday 31 October on which we have a couple of spaces left.  Primarily, the aim of having an educator come in and teach this certified course (limit 12 people), is so we can extend our pool of qualified people to help out with Have A Go, Learn To Sail Days and possibly even regattas.  If you'd like to know a bit more about this, see contact details below.

For more info, contact Centreboard Secretary Glenys Milne on 4222 479, 0274 805051 or email glenysmilne@yahoo.co.nz.

Yachting New Zealand Service Awards and YNZ Youth Performance Awards

Peter Lester will be Master of Ceremonies, ensuring this year’s Awards presentation will be a fabulous celebration of the year of sailing. To view the list of accomplished kiwis nominated for the various awards, and to purchase tickets to attend the event, click here.

Seeking support for Coromandel Pier

Barry Brickell (OBE) painter/sculptor, would like to hear from boaties as to whether they would value and support a new wharf/marina facility in Coromandel. Barry is best known for his creation of the Driving Creek Railway and Conservation Estate.

For some years Barry has been promoting the concept of a long pile wharf or pier out into Coromandel Harbour, beyond the current wharf with vehicle, pedestrian and light rail access into Coromandel township together with an all-tide ferry and boating access with floating marina facilities.

While not asking for financial support, Barry needs to gauge potential interest from the greater Auckland boating fraternity to help present a case for Council support. He has already engaged Jacobs International Consultants to furnish a business case with the Thames Coromandel District Council Mayoral fund having contributed $10,000 to this.

Barry says that the Coromandel Harbour, as the potential gateway to the upper half of the peninsula, has had access problems for hundreds of years. He believes that with the Coromandel township close by offering a wide range of visitor facilities, such a pier would be a major asset.

For further information or to give your support/suggestions, please email: coromandelpier@gmail.com or phone Barry Brickell on 07 866 7279. Alternatively, phone Barry's sister Romilly (SYC member) who lives locally, on 425 4150 or 021 055 3921 to find out more, or email romillyjoy@gmail.com.

SYC Thirsty Thursdays

Reminders:

If you're heading out at Labour Weekend (24-26 Oct), be sure to check all your gear is in good working order and seaworthy before your leave; that you have sufficient life-jackets, emergency procedures worked out, and that you have a clear picture of the forthcoming weather conditions.

Above all, have fun, and be sure to hook up with other SYC members on the lawn at Mansion House from 5pm on Saturday 24 October and later at the Kawau Boating Club.

And give that Ladies Fishing Comp some thought before it's too late - tickets limited to 50 so may sell out fast.  It's a great opportunity for a day out on the boat with the girls, with the men doing the running around and you concentrating on the fishing - sounds heaven!

Last but not least, we'd like to encourage more of you to fly the SYC burgee so that our club members can identify each other more readily.  This will help with improving our greater socialisation; make the effort to row over and say Gidday.   Club burgee's are available for $30 each from Jenny and Louise at the office.  (You can consider purchasing SYC polo shirts whilst you're there; available in beige and black for those wanting them.  Or SYC caps, we have a stash of them too).

At time of sending this out (1330hrs Sat), there's a contingent of yachties enjoying after-race drinks at Mansion house.  Nice... and that's what a club is all about.

Take care.

Kind regards

Glenys Milne

Publicity Officer

Don't forget:

SYC Christmas BYO picnic at Algies Bay, from 3pm Sunday 6 December.