Mike's Watch A Report from Commodore Mike Strong

The last few days have not been great boating weather... however I know that it will not last for long and we will soon be back on the water! Yes I am looking forward to spring already.

It is hard to believe that this is my last article for the newsletter, it has been such a regular thing in our lives over the last five years; do not fear I have plenty of things planned in order fill in my time.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Flag Officers David Stone and Sue Johnson and the President Martin Foster for their time, effort, and patience in assisting me in the role of being your Commodore. Each person has a unique way of achieving the required results while all having the best interest of the Club at heart. We have had some very interesting situations that have arisen throughout the last few years and have all worked together in overcoming these.

I wish David Stone and Sue Johnson all the best of luck at the AGM and look forward to you both being successful with your nominations. I am glad the Club will be in fine hands moving forward.

Looking back over the last six years, there have been quite a few changes in my personal life, six years ago I had a beautiful wife, no kids, and one yacht – now I am pleased to say I still have a beautiful wife, but now have two kids and shares in three yachts! I wonder what the next six years will bring?

The 15th July is a good time to come down to the Club and catch up with some members you have not seen for a while, it is also the night of the AGM which is an important date in the running of the Club; it is where you have the chance to vote who you would like to be on the General Committee to ensure the smooth operation of the Club. I would like to see a full Club room on this evening to show that the members support the current direction of the Club and to support the new Flag Officers and General Committee – write the date in your calendar now and I look forward to seeing you there.

Notice of AGM

Remember Friday nights are also a very good time to have some fine food and share stories with fellow Club members.

I would like to thank the General Committee members for their efforts and support over the last few years and I look forward to seeing them with the continual smooth running of the Club.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity of being your Commodore.

Mike

 

The Vice Report A Report from David Stone

It is a wet and windy Tuesday night and winter has arrived with a vengeance so it's a good time to write what will be my last Vice Report. By the time the next magazine comes out the AGM will not be far away and with the normal way of things there will be some re-jigging of the Flag Officers and the General Committee. The management of the Club will partially pass to a new set of hands and some things will be done differently to the way they have been done before and there will inevitably be some changes. But for the Club to grow and be successful there needs to be some change and change is something we should not be afraid of.

Hopefully the current Vice and Rear will be elected to the positions of Commodore and Vice and we will have found a candidate for Rear Commodore. What is really apparent is just how difficult it has proven to be to get people to become involved with the running of the Club. I know how time poor we all are these days and most of who are working have less available time than we used to, but the Club is a purely volunteer organisation and without the involvement of members prepared to undertake some element of the running of the Club the Club will eventually cease to exist. Those of you who have considered getting more involved but have not yet done so, there are always opportunities to get involved, you don't have to wait until next years AGM.

I got involved because I feel an obligation to put something back into the community I live in. I have lived in Devonport for over 20 years now and been a member of the Club for most of that time (again over 20 years). While it is a great honour to be a Flag Officer, it is far from glamorous and involves considerable hard work to ensure the Club continues to run smoothly. As you know I was a Flag Officer from 2001 to 2003 (and then had a period off) but I was persuaded last year to come back. Mike, Sue and I have worked well together and working together and supporting each other are key ingredients to the smooth running of the Club. This will continue over the next two years of my proposed term and the following two of Sue's.

My aim is to be inclusive, to listen to what members have to say. Above all I want the Club to continue to succeed and be the inviting and fun place it is. We have an excellent caterer, wonderful bar staff and consistent numbers of people are using the Club, particularly on Friday nights. On other nights when the Club is open the support is not so great so the Flags will be looking to try and change this. In addition I am committed to moving forward with the renovations. I hope to be able to give members an update at the AGM on the fund raising proposals and in any event will provide an update very soon. I am committed to preserving the heritage and traditions of our proud Club and to ensuring that it continues to be the sort of place where wonderful eccentrics feel comfortable and new people are keen to come and join as members.

Come to the AGM, there are a number of important issues that need to be debated and this is the opportunity for the exercise of grass roots democracy. If you don't like what we are doing you get the chance to throw us out and do it your way.

David Stone
Vice Commodore

A View from the Rear A Report Sue Johnson

The last couple of months have been very family orientated with celebrating Andrew’s 21st and my birthday being only a day apart then it was my parents emerald wedding anniversary - 55 years with the same person, should Kevin be so lucky. It is these occasions that one really does realise the importance of family and friends. As we were going through the old photos there are so many stories and memories; it only seem like yesterday that I delivered a 5lb 10oz baby boy on a Monday morning at 7.23am. Where, oh where, does the time go?

Kevin and I were walking the other day heading down Church Street and looking at the harbour in that twilight zone, it was just a delight and somehow the conversation started about the different generations within the club and how much time has passed since I joined. We realise that at least one generation had now all passed on, the likes of Lincoln Woods, Joe Gaunt, and then some of the next group have also passed on Eileen Kemp, Owen and Bev Doble plus many more. However, when you see the likes of Colin Tubbs, Don Anistiss they are still so active and keen, it can be quite hard to keep up with them at times. One should try walking with them, the pace is on. Bob and Ann Wattam, Reg and Deirdre Dean and Mike Webster still actively sailing in both summer and winter. There is so much history within the club, so many stories to be told, and just so many secrets to be shared. It seems a shame that the younger generation may never know them.

Ian Ward celebrated his 70th birthday at the Club on Sunday 22nd June. What a time was had by all. It was just wonderful to see so many old faces from the past, the likes of Alan Kemp, Neil and Jan Hudson. Ian and Marje thank you for sharing this day with us it will always be memorable for the laughter, stories, and the catching up with the old friends.

The AGM is just around the corner and I would like to comment on what a pleasure it has been working with Mike and David. We are very different with different backgrounds and outlooks on life. Mike is more softy spoken and he takes the time to think about things before making comments. Then there is David and myself, we are similar in some ways - one could say that we are slightly more louder than some people. Our passion for the Club may be more visible for others to see. I have learnt some wonderful lessons from Mike and I am trying very hard each time to put them in place but then changes can take time for some people. I have no doubt in my mind that David and I will work very well together and with the next Rear. The Club will still be in very good hands with David at the helm. Like David I am committed to preserving the heritage and traditions of the Club but at the same time just moving forward in some areas. Martin Foster, in the role of President has been a great support to the Flags and Committee. Martin, your guidance where necessary and your knowledge of the history of the Club has been invaluable to all of us. The hard tireless work of the Social Committee, where would the Club without you? This small group of women plus Graham supports all areas of the Club. Their duties have covered from providing food for working bees to food and beverages on the beach, children’s activities and even down to providing the flowers for Friday night dining. A very heart felt thank you for your support, time, and energy.

My final note is that hopefully we will see you all at the AGM. I can guarantee some very interesting debate.

Cheers
Sue J

 

The President A Report from Martin Foster

It seems that only a few days ago on a perfect late summer’s morning that I stood on the summit of Mt. Victoria marvelling at the splendid view. Before me spread the vista of the Hauraki Gulf and the closer islands and far away to the east the Coromandels and the Moehau Range added a dramatic backdrop. Kawau, Little Barrier and indeed Mt. Hobson on Great Barrier Island too were all clearly visible. My visitor standing along side me, a Sydney side yachtie admitted “I thought we had it pretty good but this is simply magnificent!” And I guess that pretty well sums it up!

Explaining the significance of the newly painted red mushrooms I told my visitor that underneath them was Devonport’s water storage reservoir built in the volcano’s crater at the end of the nineteenth century. I went on to say that originally water was pumped from Lake Pupuke in Takapuna up to the reservoir. I continued on by saying that not many people know today that the pipe organ in Holy Trinity Church was originally turbine powered by the water pressure from the Mt. Victoria reservoir for over thirty years until the church was electrified in the mid twenties. The turbine is still in situ under the church.

Of course there are other cities in the world perhaps with more beautiful harbours but probably all things considered there is no other large city with such a friendly marine wonderland so close on hand for a large working boating population to enjoy. And using the term “friendly” I mean for climate, workable and safe all year round anchorages free from many problems encountered elsewhere, i.e. sudden storms, political and bureaucratic considerations and above all else, free to be able to dive overboard without fear of nasty predators.

Many years ago, I made my first sojourn cruising one Christmas holiday in my Idle Along Psyche 3. A fifteen year old Lee Strickland, was my crew for this adventure and we set out from Cheltenham Beach one morning in a freshening easterly and overcast sky. We had packed our sleeping bags, tent, clothes and provisions in plastic bags which was just as well as it was pretty rough out there for a twelve footer. In fact it was so fresh that we had reefed the main before setting off for what was to be a cruise round Waiheke Island. Alas the conditions were too tough for us once we closed Motuihe Island so we sought shelter in Islington Bay for the night.

We set up camp under a fig tree on the shores of Motutapu Island about opposite Yankee Wharf and when the tide was in we hauled Psyche right up to the high water mark and tied the painter up to an overhanging branch of the fig tree. We found a small but regular drip of fresh water coming from a fissure in the cliff close by and from this we were able to collect enough drinking water. We cooked on my primus and although the meals were very basic they were adequate. We slept quite well in my pup tent that night but in the morning we discovered that the easterly had freshened so decided to stay put. In those days the store at Islington Bay was still operating and none of the batches had been torn down so that there were quite a few people around although only a couple of launches and the odd keeler were anchored in the bay.

During the night we were disturbed by a violent thunderstorm and heavy rain but this had all gone by dawn. Now that the weather had settled once more we re-stowed all our gear aboard Psyche and set off for Waiheke Island. Unfortunately this time there was very little wind and we got becalmed off Emu Point and encountered quite a large easterly swell and got swept seaward by the strong ebb. We tried to paddle back to Emu Point and to the safety of Islington Bay but could make no progress against the tide. Eventually we gave up and dropped our anchor and waited for a breeze. Finally a northerly breeze set in and we returned to our former camp site. That night Lee and I climbed to the summit of Rangitoto and stood in awe overlooking the city around about midnight. It was a unique experience.

The following day was New Years Eve so once more we packed up our belongings and this time ran back to Cheltenham and home before a moderate sou’easter. So ended our Christmas cruise.

But I did reach Waiheke later in the new year at Easter in Psyche with another young friend and had the company of Terry Walton’s Zeddie Dionisis for this cruise . We sailed to a very deserted Owhanake and spent a fairly miserable three nights there mostly huddled up in my pup tent amid torrential rain. But we did make a circumnavigation of the Noises before returning to our base. After this experience I made a resolve to continue my cruising and started to save up for an 18 foot mullety.

Well all that was in the late 50’s and now with fifty years of yacht ownership behind me including a fair bit off offshore sailing I have to agree the Hauraki Gulf is still a wonderful place for a cruising boatie. And despite the large number of craft about at holiday times there are still plenty of lovely quiet anchorages to be found out of the holiday season and during weekdays.

I started to write this article just after Janet and I have been enjoying an exceptionally warm, quiet, calm, post Easter cruise in Ladybird in 2007. We had a number of commitments over that Easter but finally we got away when everyone else was coming home. Unfortunately our cruise was cut short abruptly through the sudden death of our daughter-in-law and I never finished this article.

Now over a year later I am completing this contribution for this year’s winter edition of the newsletter. The season’s sailing activities have concluded of course with a prize giving dinner which by all accounts was well attended and enjoyable with John Duder as guest speaker. Regrettably Janet and I had an out of town commitment that weekend. I well remember my first prize giving back in 1957. It was a really formal evening, every one was dressed for the occasion. All the men wore suits or blazers and ties and the ladies were well made up for the grand event of the year. The loyal toast was drunk to commence proceedings and the Devonport Mayor at that time Clem Woodall, made a grand speech and like a number of other speakers on that occasion could not refrain from commenting about the club’s new ceiling.

It is interesting to record that even in those days there was opposition in some quarters to renovating the clubhouse. Some keel boat owners objected on the basis that they would no longer be able hang their cotton mainsails out to dry in the clubhouse!

I was saddened to learn recently of the death of Joe Gaunt who was the club’s longest serving member having joined prior to the outbreak of World War 11. Joe was made a life member in 1990 for his long contribution to the club. During the war Joe was in England serving as a naval officer and was in command of landing craft during the Normandy invasion and was seriously wounded. Returning home after the war he bought and sailed a 28ft ketch before building his 30ft Bill Couldrey designed launch in the early sixties which he named Chloe. I remember visiting Joe’s shed where he was building Chloe at the time. A staunch supporter of the club, Joe ran our haulage system for a number of years. Joe died in Queensland in April. He was eighty eight.

At this month’s annual meeting Mike Strong our very energetic and capable commodore is stepping down having served the traditional two years in office. As the club’s president I feel I must record the club’s grateful thanks for his wonderful contribution. These days our club is quite a complex institution to run and currently the club is really ticking over very well in all departments. It hasn’t been easy for Mike as family man with two pre school age boys together with leading a busy professional life. But he has given it all; well done!

Martin Foster
President

Sailing Master A Report from Bill Jaques

Sailing is only a hazy memory now but your Sailing Committee never rests! We have a sailing programme for next season up and running! So here it is below. Mark up you calendars NOW!

The innovation this year arises with Waitangi Day falling on a Friday. This gives a three day weekend and an opportunity, in the best part of the sailing season, to do something different and break away a little from a racing weekend. More importantly it is conceived as an opportunity for those who wouldn’t normally race to join us on the water.

We plan to hold a non-competitive fun rally to encourage as many boats as possible to participate. We want to include launches, non racing boats and families as these form an important part of our membership. The format has not been finalised but it is intended to be involve sailing in company and enjoying social activities at the anchorage and ashore.

Beyond that the programme sought to:

• Fit between Labour Day and Easter and, except for Easter, stay within Daylight Saving.
• Give over Waitangi Day weekend to the fun rally as above.
• Meet a few other fixed dates and requirements for certain tides
• Where possible achieve a 3-weekly pattern of :
  • Cruising race
  • Other race (e.g. shorthanded race)
  • Nothing

and certainly avoid cruising races on successive weekends.

To achieve these objectives and maintain 10 cruising series races we have increased the number of “double header” race weekends from 2 to 3 and re-instated the Mahurangi Round the Islands race as a cruising race. We acknowledge that missing one weekend may cause a competitor to miss two races – so the series will be scored on the best 7 races thus allowing 3 discards.

Sailing Calendar 2008 – 2009 

B J

 

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)

S.O.S.

Contrary to popular notion, the letters S.O.S. do not stand for “Save Our Ship” or “Save Our Souls”. They were selected to indicate a distress because, in Morse code, these letters and their combination create an unmistakable sound pattern.

A1:

First class
From the eighteenth century Lloyds insurers graded the quality of a ship’s hull by letter, and the condition of its equipment by number.

Above board:

Honest; legal
Cargo was stowed properly on board (on the decks) so that customs officials could easily check for contraband.

All at sea:

Bewildered
Describes a ship out of sight of land and having lost its bearings.

All sewn up:

Completed; concluded
The bodies of sailors who died or were killed at sea were sewn into bits of sail canvas. Stitching would begin at the feet and end at the head, with the last stitch passing through the sailor’s nose. The bodies went overboard, with cannonballs attached to the canvas ensuring that they sank.

 CR Leech ED*
Past Commodore

 

Camera Clips

WARDY’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
On Sunday 22nd June a large group of people gathered at the Club to celebrate Ian Ward’s 70th birthday. On Sunday morning Ian was happily working away in the engine room of Whimaway, blissfully unaware of what was in store for him. He duly went home for lunch and was inveigled by Marje to get dressed up on the pretext that a series of family portraits were to be taken and the Club was the perfect venue given the weather. He duly arrived at the Club to be greeted by a party; his party. That he was completely unaware is a tribute to Marje’s organising genius.

The gathering brought together a large number of familiar faces who sadly are not often seen in the Club these days as well as friends of Ian’s from other elements of his life. It was a wonderful gathering and shows the regard within which Ian is held. This theme was central to the speeches from Rear Commodore Sue Johnson and Past Commodore and Life Member Alan Kemp which reflected on Ian’s tireless service to the Club, his principled contributions and his loyalty over the years since he first joined in 1960.

It was a great afternoon enjoyed by all present.

Ian Ward in fine form	Ian with wife Marj

 

You've Got Mail

SIMON GUNDRY
10 Tudor Street,
Devonport,
North Shore City
23 June 2008

Sue Johnson
c/- Kevin Johnson Boat builders
Wynyard St
DEVONPORT

Dear Sue
For those of you who are wondering where Bas Gundry has been for the last year or so, I would like to write a few words to outline the adventures he has undertaken since last seen.

As most of you will know Bas left NZ in February 07 with John Martin on Odysseus for a sail across the Pacific to Easter Island, Galapagos Islands, through the Panama Canal into the Caribbean, visiting Miami, Nassau, Bermuda, and across the Atlantic to the Azores Islands spending a weekend exploring. Then into Gibraltar before passing onto the Mediterranean to catch up with his father Simon who was also in Valencia to view the 2007 America’s Cup.

After the America’s Cup, Odysseus visited various ports in France and the coast of Italy before Bas left the boat and joined the 130ft Superyacht “Janice of Wyoming” skippered by North Shore identity Chris Wilson, the son of the late Brin Wilson. Also on board was Rod Nicholls, also from the Shore and Cole Sheehan a long time friend of Bas’ who sailed on Lion NZ and Steinlager II with Peter Blake. Cole also sailed on NZ Endeavour with Grant Dalton, Merit Cup and Tyco; participating in five round the world races.

Bas undertook a journey from the South of Italy to the South of France on trains with his long board and his sea bag. From the South of France, Janice of Wyoming transversed the Suez Canal on Bas’ 22nd birthday along with heavily armed security people. From the Suez Canal they sailed to Seychelles and then onto Mauritius; from there to Perth to return home in late November 2007.

Bas spent the summer in New Zealand, playing around on his Pied Piper “Snifter”. Also spending three weeks away with his brother Ben on his father’s boat “Pastiche” - also on that trip were his other brothers.

In February 08 Bas applied for a job on the American owned 90ft maxi racer “Rambler” which he got, and flew out early in February via Buenos Aries to join the yacht in Rio de Janeiro.

After spending a week in Rio preparing the boat they sailed to Antigua in the Caribbean for Antigua Race Week. The delivery sail was a huge learning curve for Bas, spending the first few days punching into 30 knot winds and then ending the delivery with a couple of hugely exciting 400 mile plus 24 hour runs, rigged with a small main and a small gennaker for the run through the warm Caribbean waters and into Antigua.
In Antigua Bas sailed in the Antigua Race Week on Rambler skippered by Erie Williams (the world renowned Ocean racer who had sailed on Flyer in the 1981-82 Whitbread Round the World Race against Bas’ father Simon who was on Ceramco NZ).

After Antigua Race week, Bas helped deliver “Rambler” to Newport, Rhode Island where they undertook several weeks of local racing including Block Island Week and the New York Regatta. Bas is presently preparing the boat for the Newport - Bermuda Race, then working towards the delivery to Cork in Ireland where they will be doing Cork Race Week. Then into the Mediterranean for summer sailing in various regattas throughout the area.

“Snifter” has been used by his older brother Ben and various other members of the DYC during Bas’ absence. Bas’ email if anyone would like to communicate is basgundry@gmail.com

Kind regards
Simon Gundry