Newsletter 6 March 2015
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Newsletter 6 March 2015 |
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Greetings. Summer's officially over. Autumn is upon us. We're back in full stride at the yacht club with plenty happening behind the scenes. We sometimes get asked what, exactly, the committee does. Well, here's a summary in case you were wondering. The SYC Committee has round-table committee meetings every month, all of them with a lengthy agenda and much to discuss. The committee is made up of a 14-strong team of members and each contributes significantly to discussion, representing all divisions and various aspects of the club. A stringent eye is kept on each division; how it's tracking, it's budget, costs, outgoings, time-line for various projects and forecasts for the future. The committee talks in general terms about how the club is going with an update and focus on for example, maintenance of the yard. This covers all manner of 'thin If you have any contributions you'd like to make to these meetings which you feel are of sufficient importance to be discussed, then we encourage your input. Please email Jenny Bronkhorst in the first instance by emailing: sandspit_yc@xtra.co.nz and she will direct your query to the appropriate person. Meetings take place on the third Tuesday of each month.
In the las Meantime, a couple of people have banded together and have offered to provide meals to SYC for a one-off occasion, on Friday 13 March. From 5.30pm the bar will be open and a choice of three meals will be available: Country Cottage Pie $15 Thai Green Chicken Curry $15 Fresh Vegetable & Pasta Salad $15 There might even be some Apple Pie on offer for afters!! So come along and enjoy the companionship of fellow SYC members and friends. No bookings required. We'll be catering for sixty; so when we've done those numbers, the kitchen will close. A couple of reminders on club etiquette in the club rooms: There is to be no BYO. Please sign non-members into the Visitors Book at the Bar (required for legal reasons); Please order and pay cash at the kitchen counter; Please return your empty plates, used cutlery, glasses and bottles to the respective counter. We'll keep you posted as to future availability of meals as the picture becomes more clear.
It's time again for us to track down some newcomers to undertake bar duties. The Thursday night bar staff are finding their turn is coming around a bit too often and they are in need of another four volunteers. The job is easy; turn up at 4pm, serve drinks through to 7pm, clean the tables, tidy the chairs and lock up. Job done. Being a bar person is a great way to make yourself known to others and to figure out who's who around the place! We'd like to also train up a couple of extra people to learn how to use the deep frier so that hot chips and nibbles are available to the Thursday nighters. Contact our bar manager Robert McRae on 423 0102 or 027 478 1355 who will show you the ropes. And as we hope to have the Friday catering up and running soon, we'd been keen to have another two couples/4 people put their hands up to join our list of volunteers, and/or to take over from a couple of people who have done their dash these past few years and deserve a break. Again, please contact Robert McRae.
As you know, this area is currently part of the construction site for the marina. As such, please be advised that there is to be no fishing or diving off the wharf 24/7. If you see any kids taking a leisurely dip around here or going fishing, please do your bit and ask them to find another place to undertake these activities.
2 x Championships - Sunday 15 March A busy couple of weeks ahead on the water for the SYC Centreboard Division as they squeeze much activity in before the end of the season at the end of the month. The 2015 Centreboard Division Club Championships and the Mahurangi College Championships will take place on Sunday 15th March. It will be a full-on day with Optis, 420s and people everywhere and it would be great to have some extra help to run these events. If you're free and keen to assist, Secretary Carola Corkhill is the lady to call. Phone her on 422 9933 or 0273 313 161. Have A Go - help needed Wednesday 11 March In addition, this coming Wednesday 11th March, we would love to call on the expertise of one extra person to assist with the Have A Go Sailing initiative being run out of Algies Bay by Yachting New Zealand with our assistance. You'll probably need to drive one of the club inflatables around the co The Have A Go Sailing is an opportunity given to 8-10 year old children (Year 4-8) run by Yachting NZ in conjunction with local schools. About 12 children per day from Snells Beach School are in training this week (3,4,5 March) and Ahuroa children will have a go next week, on Tues 10th and Wed 11th. The SYC Centreboard division provides helpers to assist the YNZ facilitator and it is hoped that by introducing such children to our club, we may encourage the children to undertake a longer commitment to this sport. If you're free and keen to help, please phone me, Glenys Milne on 4222 479 or 0274805051 to find out more. New Blood It was neat to have two new people at the most recent Centreboard Division Committee Meeting. With a bit of luck they may become permanent fixtures. We do however need more people making an effort with this division. If you have children or grandchildren keen on sailing, we'd really like to have you on our committee. It's not onerous; it can be fun and there's plenty to discuss. Next meeting is on Thursday 12 March at 7.30pm at the SYC clubrooms at Aglies Bay. Feel free to come along and check things out. Junior Coach The Centreboard Division is still in search of a junior sailing coach, or even someone with enthusiasm and sufficient knowledge to talk to a group of young kids about tuning their sailing boats and how to maximise their enjoyment in them. Even if you can just do a one-off, one-hour tutorial with the kids and their boats, it would be helpful. If you think you might be a contender for helping out, kindly call Carola Corkhill on the numbers above. Sailing Division Some fantastic light weather sailing on Friday night (27th Feb) and another good session back at the clubrooms after – thanks to all for driving over/coming back to the clubrooms after putting your boats away. Very light winds again for the single handed race on Saturday 28th Feb. Fantastic to get nine yachts out for the single handed race. Well done to everyone who came out and sailed. (Results below). There were good performances from Pulse, Lorbas and Hallmark and really neat to see Magic Flute out for the first time in a while and also Romilley on Rationale in her first single handed race. Also out for the endurance was Waimanu, Rattle and Rum, Floyd and Matangi. A real test for these solo sailors trying desperately to wring the very best speed out of their charges in such light airs – a great sight to behold, that's for sure.
Photo shows Hallmark and Lorbas hotly contesting best position. On handicap: Pulse (1st), Hallmark (2nd), Lorbas (3rd), Matangi (4th), Floyd (5th), Magic Flute (6th), Rationalle (7th), Waimanu (8th), Rattle & Rum (9th). Pulse flew around the course then headed off into the distance ….“from there I headed out to sea to watch the Volvo boats come in. Nice to be acknowledged by the leading boats, despite that they would have all been working hard, as they were just so close to each other. A great spectacle of high tech boats and sails. I sailed most of the way to Little Barrier to get beside Team Brunei, then put the kite on for a lovely sail back to a good anchorage and well deserved sleep at North Harbour at Kawau.”. Please be advised that Race 5 of the Kaos Gold Summer Series has been moved from this Saturday 7th, to this Sunday 8th (1100hrs off Algies) so that the Sandspit boats that are sailing in the Route 66 Auckland to Marsden Cove race on Friday (6th), can make it back in time to do the Sunday race. (They're a keen lot these SYC sailors!!). We look forward to another great turnout and fun day on the water. The following race is the Fred Lidgard Memorial Race on Saturday 21st March which will conclude with a BBQ on the beach to which all SYC members are invited (be they sailors or not). Winds will determine course and subsequent place for BBQ. Stay in touch with Sailing Convenor Jeremy Noakes on 027 217 2588.
This sign at the Sandspit board-walk that goes over the mangroves, always gives us a chuckle... sign reads : "Caution. No handrail on boardwalk. Risk of falling 60 metres". The 60 metres in fact refers to the approximate length of the boardwalk, not the distance one might fall....
Have you ventured down to check out the Volvo boats yet? Auckland is to be applauded for the fabulous set-up they have at The Viaduct Harbour for these boats and the way in which they've embraced the opportunity to enlighten the public on things to do with this class of yachting. There's ample opportunity for seeing not just the boats themselves, but learning how they work, how the race is put together etc. The 2015 Auckland Stopover features a packed programme of live entertainment with a variety of acts for all ages and many interactive gear to play on/with. Visitors to the Volvo Ocean Race Village can visit Pit Lane where they can view the boats being checked and serviced on their respective stands. And they can view the sail loft floor and the workshop containers with their unending bustle of activity. (The masts are not on display - the spars and rigs were wheeled off on trolleys along local streets in the middle of the night, headed to the nearby facility of Southern Spars for their 6,000-mile service). On 15th March the boats start Leg 5, sailing from Auckland to Itajai, Brazil. The teams will ultimately cover 38,739 nautical miles - equivalent to 44,580 miles or 71,745 kms. The 'One Ton Cup Revisited', is underway in the Waitemata Harbour, with racing hosted by the RNZYS in a salute to the modern era of such vessels. (As at today 4th March), after two days in the five-race offshore series sailed in the Hauraki Gulf, Chris Bouzaid's 36-foot Rainbow is the points leader on corrected time). The boats are moored in the Viaduct Harbour for viewing when they are not racing with the final being raced on Saturday 7th March and followed by a public prize giving in the Race Village. So it's all happening down at the Viaduct. It's well worth taking the time to visit – meet friends and treat yourself to lunch whilst you're there. The website below provides up-to-the-minute info that you may find helpful. The Village is open every day until 15 March; Mon-Wed 10am-9pm, Thurs to Sat 10am-10pm. Sunday 10am-9pm. Free entry. Present your SYC membership card (or your Volvo car keys!!), at the 'Sealounge' in the Volvo Pavillion next to the ANZ Pavillion at the Viaduct before Thurs 12th March, and you'll receive a complimentary beverage of your choice. (You'll need to print off and bring along the voucher found on the Volvo website though - and be sure to check the Sealounge opening hours). http://www.volvooceanraceauckland.com/index.php. Worth looking at Yachting New Zealand's “Briefings” newsletter too..... yachtingnz.org.nz/newsletter/briefings .
To save repetition and to keep things simple, just click on the Sandspit Marina website to glean the latest information from this ongoing project.
Generally it has been a great season so far for the Gamefish club. Water temperatures are a bit higher so there have been quite a few marlin and big snapper caught. The Warkworth One-Base competition held over Anniversary Weekend was well attended with 81 anglers and 25 boats joining in. The weather was a lot kinder than it had been for the last few competitions so the boats could venture a bit further out. Five striped marlin and 2 sharks were tagged and released. Everybody enjoyed the occasion at Smokehouse Bay on the Saturday night which culminated in a heap of prize-draws. The main prize giving and dinner was held on Sunday at Fitzroy Club where Trevor Bogue took home the lucky draw prize which was a trip for two somewhere exotic.
And again, best you click on the link to keep up-to-date with all that's happening at the Kawau Boating Club. Many of our members are reporting back about the wonderful atmosphere over there, the great meals and the camaraderie they receive whilst in the KBC. If you've not yet joined, then certainly do consider it ($100pp or $150/family – buy the flag, and maybe the tee-shirt too whilst you're there). The facilities are now open seven-days making it an ideal destination for a great day out and fabulous meals provided too. (We understand it was a fantastic night there last Saturday watching the NZ/Aussie cricket match on Sky TV on the big screen – live and happening at KBC!!) Click here: www.kawauboatingclub.nz
Weren't those big tides back in late February fascinating? We were hoping they'd drown out all the mangroves, but it From Wikipedia: The term “King Tide” is a common term for the highest tides that occur over the course of the year and eventuate when a new or full moon occurs at the same time as the moon is at its closest to the earth (in its perigee). The gravitational forces of the moon and also the sun influence all tides on earth. When the sun and moon are in alignment – as is the case with a new or full moon – their combined gravitational pull results in exceptionally high tides, known as Spring Tides. These Spring Tides become King Tides when the moon is in its perigee due to the stronger gravitational force of the moon on the earth’s oceans. A more scientific term for these naturally occurring King Tides is perigean spring tides.
Many SYC boats have offered their services on this one. There's 140 people registered to go fishing, with 80-90 of them being children. This is a great initiative for the younger members of our community and it's pleasing to see great support from boaties offering their boats. Due to a flurry of late registrations, the Lions Club are keen to do a last-minute sourcing to find 2-3 more boats who might be keen to take out a few groups of miniature-sized fishing enthusiasts. The event starts at 9.30am at Sandspit Wharf and concludes with a prize-giving at SYC at 12.30pm. If you think you might be able to help, please contact Warkworth Lions Club President Angela Taylor on 425 0595 or 027 268 4992. Thanks everyone – have a fantastic day out.
In the last newsletter, we asked if anyone could help us out with supply of native trees to fulfil our planting obligations. We would like to acknowledge the successful negotiations we've undertaken with Craig Mcnaught (ex The Grange nursery) and have most of our plants now sourced. Thanks are extended to those who offered to help us out.
Mason Contractors are about to do further work on the carpark at 8 Brick Bay Drive. Please be advised that it will be closed as far as a carparking option is concerned until further notice.
Easter Friday is on 3rd April. Primary and Secondary school holidays start on Friday 3rd and go through to Sunday 19th April. If you're at a loss as to how to entertain the kids whilst you're working, (or if as Grandparents you want a break!) might we suggest you send them on the excellent courses held at MERC (The Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre) at Long Bay. Week 1: Tuesday 7th - Friday 10th April (No programme on Easter Monday). 9am-4pm daily. Week 2: Monday 13th - Friday 17th April. 9am-4pm daily. 7-13yr olds will enjoy a selection from the following activities: Abseiling, Archery, Body Boarding, Canoeing, Caterpillar Climb, Climbing, Dinghy Games, Giants Ladder, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Orienteering, Outdoor Survival, Paddle Boarding, Raft Building, Rocky Shore, Sailing, Slingshot, Snorkelling, Stackem, Surfing and Tree Climb. $35 per child/day. 14-16yr olds' activities may include Bush Walk, Canoeing Expedition, Mountain Biking, Paddle Boarding Expedition, River Crossing, Reef Swimming, Sailing Expedition, Sea Kayaking Expedition, Snorkelling and Tree Abseil. All activities safety briefs begin at MERC, then most activities are run offsite, so a packed lunch and drink bottles are a must. $40 per child/day. To find out more, go to merc.org.nz or email the main MERC office on office@merc.org.nz. That's it for this week. If you have anything of interest to share with fellow members, then please do not hesitate to contact me. I'm always on the lookout for tasty morsels!
Warm regards Glenys Milne Publicity Officer
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