Commodore's Comment A Report from Commodore David Stone

This is my first newsletter contribution as Commodore, only another 20 or so to go. First of all, thank you for your support and the faith you have shown in electing me Commodore. I will endeavour to live up to your expectations. Past Commodore Mike Strong is a hard act to follow but it is my intention to build on the solid foundation he has left me and take the Club to its next level. My thanks to Mike for all the work he has done to bring the Club together. As I said at the AGM, my style will be different and there will be change but I am absolutely committed to the well being of our Club.

The AGM was well attended and went very smoothly. My thanks to President Martin Foster for his expert running of the meeting, his knowledge of meeting procedure and his ability to apply it is a huge asset. We have some new blood on the Committee with Rear Commodore Mike Webster, Club House Captain Tash Strong, Bar Manager Scott Richardson and General Committee member John Ford. Welcome to the Committee and my thanks to each of you for being prepared to get involved. Hopefully it will be fun and rewarding and not a chore. My thanks also to those members of the Committee who did not seek re-election Geoff Evans, Carl Howcroft, Pauline Bandy and Matthew Foster, your contribution is much appreciated. We still have a vacancy for an Assistant Treasurer so if anyone can assist, please contact the Treasurer or any Flag Officer. This is a position for which an Honorarium is paid.

Mike’s outgoing words reflected on the two major initiatives that he had hoped to put in place but which have taken longer to implement than anticipated; the completion of a comprehensive manual documenting the roles and responsibilities for the operation of the Club and the commence-ment of the proposed renovations to the Club premises. I am committed to completing both within my term. I am taking the outline for the fund raising activity to the next Committee meeting and hope to explain it to the membership in the next newsletter (all being well).

We have talked about the renovations for too long and it is essential that we move to action. While we will try and please as many people as possible, we will not please everyone and I’m afraid that is an inevitability. However if we are to make the improvements to our facilities that are so overdue, we need to work together with a common focus and avoid the “white-anting” and denigration that has occurred in the past. Let’s just do it in the spirit with which we “just did” the reconstruction of the eastern slipway last year and all the other things we have “just done” in past years. We are after all a Club and the Club survives by virtue of the cooperative efforts of each of us as members.

At the AGM the proposed increase in member-ship fees was approved, following some spirited debate. We are facing increasing costs in every aspect of our activities and memberships are our single largest source of income. Last financial year we made a small accounting loss. If we are to be able to complete the renovations we need to be able to generate a greater level of income and make at least a small profit in the coming years. Ours is not a rich club in a financial sense but we are rich in history and tradition and, unlike many other yacht clubs, we have a relatively stable membership that hopefully we can grow.

The fee increase includes a substantial early payment rebate to encourage prompt payment of fees. The Treasurer, William Cox, with the able assistance of Graham Pettersen, has reduced the Club’s bad debts list to a single account (which is in the process of being resolved) and the prompt payment rebate is aimed at ensuring we do not again fall back into the position William inherited upon becoming Treasurer. Please be supportive of the changes, they are for the benefit of your Club.

Friday nights continue to be great gatherings and we continue to benefit from Gay’s fine cooking. It is great to see many new faces you do not see at any other occasion. Please continue to support Fridays as they are a huge part of what makes the Club what it is. For those of you who are hauled out, the weather has got to improve soon, before we all grow webbed feet and the moss takes over our boats.

Happy sailing (to those hardy souls who are still out there cruising and racing), happy working (to those frustrated souls who have hauled but for whom the weather is a major impediment) and happy socialising for all of us.

See you down the Club.

David Stone
Commodore

 

Incoming Officers

Commodore	David Stone	445 3298
Vice-Commodore	Sue Johnson	445 2815
Rear-Commodore	Michael Webster
Treasurer	William Cox
Assistant Treasurer
Secretary	Anne Leech
Clubhouse Captain	Natasha Strong	445 2131
Haulage Master	John Mitchell
Sailing Master	Bill Jaques	445 3061
Publicity Officer	Maurice Alderwick	486 5022
Works Manager	Charlie Webley	445 2654
Web Master	Maurice Alderwick	486 5022
Bar Manager	Scott Richardson
General Committee	Desiree Coleman
General Committee	Andrew Johnson
General Committee	John Ford
Safety Officer	Kevin Johnson	445 2815
Honorary Auditor	Warren More	486 3371
Honorary Solicitor		445 6225
Immediate Past Commodore	Mike Strong	445-2131
Catering & Functions Managers	Natasha Strong	445 2131
Chequers Catering (Gay)		486 7165

NZ National Maritime Museum's Speaker Series

Press Release
July, 2008

FROM THE SCOWS OF OMAHA TO THE GREAT WHITE FLEET
THE NZ NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM’S SPEAKER SERIES 2008

The NZ National Maritime Museum’s 2008 Speaker Series is the most varied and colourful to date. From the initial address by James and Carol Ramage ruminating on their book, The Ships of Omaha (1858 – 1921) to author, historian and sailor Anne Rimmer’s analysis of the legendary Viking ships. She shows how modern day Scandinavians are recreating their ancestors’ vessels and their voyages.

James and Carol Ramage will discuss the research and writing of their book. They will encompass the shipbuilding families of Omaha (Meiklejohns, David Darroch and the Mathesons), how they were interconnected and the ships they built, including the story of New Zealand’s first scow, Lake Erie, which was built by the Meiklejohn Brothers.

One hundred years ago The Great White Fleet berthed in Auckland. Visiting American, Professor James Recknor, tells the story of this amazing journey. United States President, Teddy Roosevelt sent the so called Great White Fleet, 16 great battleships with smaller escort vessels, around the world to demonstrate America’s naval strength. He wanted to show his countrymen and the rest of the world that the United States Navy was capable of operating globally, particularly in the Pacific. The voyage took 14 months, visiting 32 ports in 26 countries. The Maritime Museum in conjunction with the RNZ Navy will stage an exhibition to coincide with Professor Recknor’s address.

Popular broadcaster, yachtsman and author (Blokes and Boats) Bill McCarthy is guaranteed to entertain and inform in his talk ‘Classic Gaff Rigged Yachts in New Zealand’.

The following are the dates and venues for the NZ National Maritime Museum’s 2008 Speaker Series. All lectures will be held at the Maritime Museum, cnr Quay & Hobson Sts, Viaduct Harbour. For more information or bookings call 373 0800 or email bookings@nzmaritme.org

12 August - Professor James Recknor – The Great White Fleet – A Centennial Celebration, Maritime Room. Tickets: $15.

16 September – Bill McCarthy – Classic Gaff Rigged Yachts in New Zealand, Maritime Room. Tickets: $10.

14 October - Anne Rimmer – The Return of the Viking Ships, Sanford Theatre. Tickets: $10.

For more information please contact:
Cath Saunders
09 378 4797
021 506 424

Press Release

NZ NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM CELEBRATES THE GREAT WHITE FLEET’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY

One hundred years ago (1908) The Great White Fleet berthed in Auckland. The New Zealand National Maritime Museum is to celebrate this centenary on 12 August, with a special evening featuring an address by Dr. James Recknor who will tell the story of this amazing journey, and the impact the visit had at the time on New Zealanders.

Dr. James Recknor is the Executive Director of the Institute of Modern Conflict, Diplomacy and Reconciliation at Texas Tech University, U.S.A. Dr. Recknor’s publications include a book, ‘Teddy Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet’. Dr. Recknor attended Auckland University from 1979 – 1985.

United States President, Teddy Roosevelt sent the so called Great White Fleet, 16 great battleships with smaller escort vessels, around the world to demonstrate America’s naval strength. He wanted to show his countrymen and the rest of world that the United States Navy was capable of operating globally, particularly in the Pacific, at a time when America’s relations with Japan were becoming uneasy. The voyage took 14 months, visiting 32 ports in 26 countries.

Painted in their peacetime livery of white and gold scrollwork and banners of red, white and blue on their bows, the ships made a magnificent sight. The visit had profound social implications for New Zealanders. Public holidays were declared and thousands of people flocked to see the ships and the American sailors on parade.

The Maritime Museum in conjunction with the RNZ Navy Museum will stage an exhibition to celebrate the Centenary of this remarkable voyage and to coincide with Dr. Recknor’s address.

The Great White Fleet: A Centennial Celebration exhibition will feature in the Sanford Theatre at the NZ National Maritime Museum from 1 - 17 August in conjunction with the lecture. A selection of medallions and ephemera from the Navy collections and items from the personal collection of William Stewart, an American amateur historian and enthusiast on the topic of the Great White Fleet will be on display. An extensive collection of original images, also owned by Stewart will be included in the exhibition.

Dr. Recknor’s address, The Great White Fleet – A Centennial Celebration, will be held on Tuesday, 12 August from 7pm, in the Maritime Room at the Maritime Museum. Admission $15

For further information please or bookings call 373 0800 or email:bookings@nzmaritime.org

For more information please contact
Cath Saunders
09 378 4797
021 506 424

 

Stories from the Past from Chris Leech

Over the coming months I will include some old naval sayings, which will intrigue all and offer an explanation as to their origin. (Reproduced with kind permission of the RNZN Museum)

Aloof:
Distant; remote, either physically or emotionally.
The order given to a helmsman on a ship sailing close to the shore was to ‘keep aloof’, from the original ‘keep your luff’, meaning to sail as close as possible into the wind blowing towards the shore so as not to risk running aground.

As the crow flies:
Shortest travelling distance between two points.
It was a custom to carry crows on board ships. Vessels out of sight of land would release a crow, which would naturally fly towards land, taking the most direct route. Ships would follow the path of the crow, and the lookout platform at the top of the tallest mast became known as the crow’s nest.

At a loose end:
Unoccupied.
The original saying was ‘at loose ends’, and described the task of splicing and repairing broken and frayed ropes on board ship, which sailors did when they had no other duties.

At loggerheads:
In dispute; arguing.
A loggerhead was a round iron ball at the end of long handle that was used to heat pitch for sealing deck planks. Arguing sailors often used loggerheads as weapons.

It is great to see continued support of the SSANZ Barrier Triple Series by the DYC, with Azure, Cetacea and Radio Active all flying the Burgee amongst the 170 strong fleet. The first race was postponed due to bad weather and re-run on the 19th. Although now not part of the series it still attracted about 130 entries, with many boats suffering damage, including Radio Active with a blown spinnaker and a damaged cranium to Andrew Johnson, who was not badly hurt.

CR Leech ED*
Past Commodore

 

Camera Clips Courtesy of Elizabeth Fairgray, Trevor Whelan & Siobhan Hall

 

Notices

Notice: 1

Friday Night Dinner:
Could groups of 6 or more people wishing to dine at the Club on a Friday night please contact Sue Hutcheson of the Social Committee on 09 445 3573 to make a booking. This will ensure Gay, our wonderful caterer, can keep up with demand!

If you would like to reserve a particular table, come along early as table reservations are on a ‘first come first served’ basis.

Thank-you from your Social Committee.