GBBC NEWSLETTER May16 - geilstonbayboatclub.com.augeilstonbayboatclub.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GBBC... · MOORINGS and GALE FORCE WINDS With the recent wild weather resulting

GBBC NEWSLETTER May 2016 geilstonbayboatclub.com.au Issue 6

FROM THE COMMODORE

After many years of deliberation the Committee has agreed to proceed with the Slip Refurbishment Project. The club is very fortunate to have members with the expertise to progress this project namely Mike Lever, Brendan Boon and

Scott Lovell. They have put in many hours of work and rest assured their efforts are greatly appreciated. This project will not be cheap and member’s attention is drawn to the article opposite in this newsletter. Hopefully the slips will not be out of action for long but when refurbished they will provide a much-improved asset for the Club. Members will be kept informed of progress and when known the dates that the slips will be out of action.

Also hopefully by the time this report is read, Keith Bolton and Scott Lovell will have satisfactorily removed about 80-90% of our electrolysis problems with the two slips. Some sacrificial anodes may be still needed. Wait and see.

Congratulations to Nigel Grey for his newsletters. Having spent several years as editor at various times, his product is a considerable improvement on mine.

In the absence of a Vice Commodore, Past Commodore Keith has stepped in and seems to have things under control. Thank you Keith.

On a sad note we extend our condolences to David Dougan on the recent loss of Cecily. It is also of concern that a significant number of current and past members are on the Sick List. We wish them a speedy return to good health.

Laurie

RAFFLE Raffle books have recently issued to all members. Please support your club by selling tickets to family and friends. First prize, an overnight trip for two on Stormbreaker from Strahan up the Gordon River should be attractive to all.

REFURBISHMENT OF THE TWO SLIPS

The Finance Committee is making a recommendation to the General Committee that the Club can fund the proposed works. For obvious commercial reasons we cannot fully

outline the financial details yet but the cost is expected to be in the vicinity of $60000 with existing club funds covering a

significant proportion of this.. However, the Finance Committee believes that the Club needs a contingency fund of $20,000 to be available over and above our present resources.

Taking into account previous similar situations (sealing of the car park is one instance) the Finance Committee is looking for the establishment of a “slip syndicate” providing an interest free loan to the Club of the $20,000 required, and to be repaid within 5 years. Legal safeguards will obviously be built into some sort of contract between the Club and X number of members. 1 x $20,000; 2 x $10,000; etc and 20 x $1,000.

Our Treasurer has indicated that he has already been approached by some members offering their help along these lines if needed.

So are you interested? Talk to John Wilcox in person or by email [email protected]

In due course we will give you proper recognition but we do not want public discussion of who and how much.

New Members

The Club welcomes the following new members: Kate Ashlin, Alistair Creed, Janine Crook, Clinton Crook, Richard Cutlan, Claire Gough, Patty Johnson Mark Patmore, Sheena Reeve, Anne Trigg, Geoff Williamson, Robyn Williamson

Coming Events to place in your diary

Quiz Night Saturday 28th May. Quiz starts at 7:00pm sharp, $15 per person (includes all games), tables of 8 to 10 preferred but all welcome, Quizmaster is Phillip Dalwood (Professional Designed Quizzes), drinks available at the bar, and bring a plate of food for your table to enjoy. Table bookings to Karen at the bar or phone 0459 573 293.

ON THE WATER

Pinta heading for the line

Last race held was the Pieroth Wines Trifecta Leg 1 that saw only three boats compete. Unfortunately the weather earlier in the day and the BOM forecast must have deterred many others from fronting up. Luckily the race was held in mild conditions with Tara, Footloose and Pinta finishing in that order. The next two events are:

Sunday 22 May – Boat Sales Series Race 4 B2B 1300 start, and

12 June – Pieroth Wines Trifecta Leg 2 also starting at 1300.

The Tasmanian Bream Classic 2016 On the weekend of 16 – 17 April some 21 teams used the GBBC as their base to run this event. Many enjoyed an egg and bacon roll before heading out on the river at 7:00 am and a barbecue lunch was also supplied. We hope to

see them back again soon.

Bream fishing off Limekiln Point

SLIPPING

Things went quiet for a short while in April but have started to ramp up recently. We are starting to get enquiries about slip and jetty usage from outside the club membership with some joining after realizing the benefits of being a member. A small number are even prepared to pay the non-member rate. Remember - NO INSURANCE COVER MEANS NO SLIPPING.

MOORINGS and GALE FORCE WINDS

With the recent wild weather resulting in wind gusts well above 50 knots no doubt several members were praying for their mooring to hold. To sleep easy it is suggested that you check it regularly. It is also suggested that anything that can come undone be made very secure. One boat ‘s furling headsail came undone last Thursday night and no doubt is in need of major repairs.

Geilston Bay on a quiet day

Scorpio II’s Adventures by Richard Hewson (continued) The following day, Scorpio II was surfing down the waves along the NSW coast, with the wind at her back two reefs in the mainsail and a poled out jib, she rides the waves in typical IOR style and relishes in the sunlight. The occasional squall of 30kts passes over us under a big bank of clouds, and Scorpio accelerates from 7 to 8.5 kts and swings and sways to the rhythm of the waves. The dolphins can see we are having fun, and have been with us almost all the way up the coast since we left Eden and constantly remind us of their sleekness and speed, and zoom down the waves past us, surfing like Kelly Slater 1 inch under the water, then do a sharp cut back at the bottom of the wave, turn around on a dime, and jump out of the water to say "did you guys see that- you humans think your having fun, but we are awesome!" We are now on the northern NSW coast, having sailed past Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and Port Stephens. It is still quite cold with the southerly wind, but the sun is out in glimpses amongst the big rolling clouds the pass over us bringing gusty winds.

Late afternoon in early August Scorpio II passed Gold Coast seaway, and motored up to Gold Coast Yacht Club. The arrival was slightly less anticipated than when we arrived in the Clipper 11/12 race, but I was surprised to still have a small and friendly welcoming committee to help with the lines and offer me a well-deserved beer and hot meal.

Emilie arrived around midnight after flying out from her previous job delivering a 140ft Wally Yacht from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean and we were excited to finally be on our own yacht together to live the dream and cruise Australia. The following afternoon we let go the mooring lines, and quietly slipped out of the seaway, altering course to the north towards Lady Musgrave Island.

Cruising up the East Coast of Australia is a lot of fun, and despite the headwinds that we encountered, it was relatively easy going. The East Coast is scattered with islands and good anchorages and with a bit of planning you can enjoy a different island every night.

We arrived in Airlie beach a couple of weeks later and met my father and sister for some cruising around the Whitsunday islands amongst migrating whales and Hamilton Island Race Week yachts. While the rest of the yachts were racing, Scorpio II and crew were enjoying secluded tropical island anchorages, some great snorkeling and perfect wind for kite surfing.

A week of cruising the Whitsunday’s was definitely not enough time, but we needed to continue moving up the coast if we wanted to get to Darwin before Cyclone Season. Dad and Gina were enjoying the sailing so much that they decided to join us for the sail up to Cairns before Gina headed to Townsville for a Kite boarding regatta. So after a quick stop in Airlie beach for some supplies, spare parts and a top up of Diesel we set sail for Bowen.

The wind was now from the south, and with a crew of four onboard, we enjoyed a fantastic spinnaker run up the coast. The perfect wind was too much for my sister Gina to bear, and before we knew it Gina had rigging up her new Ozone kite which we managed to launch from the boat. The race was now on between a 1983 designed Scorpio II and a 2014 state of the art Ozone Kite and race board. It was no surprise that Gina made it to the Bowen harbor limits before Scorpio, and while she sat in the water clearing her lines and awaiting pickup we debated the presence of Salt Water Crocodiles and how far south they are likely to inhabit.

We arrived at the ever so friendly Bowen Yacht Club and tied up next to a small fleet of racing yachts that were heading north to the Magnetic Island Race week before heading to the Grand View Hotel for a counter meal.

A few days and a few tropical islands later we sailed into Cairns on a beautiful southerly breeze to find the usual stream of charter yachts, dive boats and island ferries streaming their way out of port. Super yacht “Big Fish” was slipping into her dock as we entered the marina, it felt great to be in board shorts and a shaggy t-shirt rather than the super yacht beige pants and pressed polo shirt.

We ate breakfast and re filled with about 500l of fresh water and then went to refuel for the last time until we reached Darwin. I was pleasantly surprised to find we had only used 35L of Diesel since departing Airlie beach.

After clearing the aft deck and lazerette of Gina’s Kite boarding gear and squeezing it all into a hire car Emilie and I bid farewell to Gina and Dad as they headed for Townsville for the regatta. It was nice to have the boat to ourselves again, and after a big shop we set sail for Cape York with all the supplies we needed to make Darwin.

( to be continued)

SUNDAY OPENING

Members are reminded that the there is a Happy Hour every Sunday 4 to 5pm with the club staying open to 6pm. Numbers attending recently have been relatively few and if there is no improvement then the Committee may have to review the continuation of opening on Sundays

REMINDER THAT MEAL NIGHTS ARE HELD ON WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS

ALSO THE CLUB HOUSE IS AVAILBLE TO MEMBERS AT VERY REAONABLE

RATES FOR FUNCTIONS SUCH AS BIRTHDAYS, WEDDINGS ETC. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION SEE KAREN

ML Egeria Update

Members may be interested to know that after six weeks in the

shed ML Egeria was re-launched last Friday having had a complete

refurbishment of its hull. It has now returned to its berth at the

MYCT. GBBC members who have been involved in this project,

funded by the Tasmanian Community Fund, are John

Behrens, Nigel Grey, Peter Griggs and Brendan Boon. Egeria was launched 75 years ago this year and plans are well underway to

celebrate that anniversary. Egeria will also be flagship for next year’s

Wooden Boat Festival

MAJOR CLUB SPONSORS: Brierley Marine, DJ Motors, Boat Sales Tas and Pieroth Wines

OTHER SPONSORS: Rockcote, Mechanical & Marine, Roof Coatings Tas, CED Williams Glass, Lindisfarne Service Centre, Nibbs Electrical, North Sails, Cranes Combined, Boat Biz, McDonald Builders, Custom Curtains & More, Masters Contracting, Quilt and Pillow Factory.