10 Jan 2007

Greetings members and happy new year.

Since the AGM last year, there have been a few changes to the executive committee. Although Bill Heritage was elected treasurer at the AGM, he soon after resigned, and that role is now combined with secretary who is yours truly. A couple of months ago, Geoff Morris was appointed to the committee as sailing co-ordinator, and added to that he has recently been accredited as assistant measurer to Geoff Datson, so that if one is unavailable, the other can be contacted.

The club purchased a new trailer this year, and a tent for club use. Much thanks to Bill Heritage for doing the research and arranging the purchase. In fact, much thanks to Bill for just about everything to do with the chase boat! He has put in nearly a year now of being 'the man who can', but it is an onerous task, and he's well overdue for a rest from it. We need to take a more egalitarian approach to how the boat makes its way to the water for club racing. (More in the forum)

Speaking of which, if you are not aware of it, thanks to Arthur Hodge, we have a new web address (www.mryc.org.au) and the new look website has the capacity to run a club forum where questions, comments and suggestions can be discussed. You can start your own thread, or reply to existing threads. Open a conversation on any topic - tuning your boat, discussion of the rules of sailing, suggest links to web pages about RC yachting etc.

The Laser Queensland Titles hosted by the MRYC went of well, making a profit of about $200 for the club. If you weren't there, you missed a terrific weekend, and therefore did not witness the duel of epic proportions between Josh Torpy and his father. I don't think I've ever seen the old buck/young buck battle so closely contested. We knew things were getting a little too close for comfort when Geoff Datson tacked in front of big Torpy (but not, as they say, in his water) whose hand set bit the dust in a frenzy of frustration, but at the end of the day, when it came to first and second pace, Gil had to count back through 14 races to name Greg the winner. Not long now Josh!

Much thanks to Gil Walker for scoring the event, to the amazing Leann Torpy for her brilliant catering and organisation, and to all the volunteers who made the regatta such a great success.

I volunteered to observe in that regatta and liked it so much, I put my hand up for the A Class Nationals at Lake Kawongba last weekend. MRYC was the rostered club to provide volunteers to staff the event. Val and Arthur Hodge manned the start and finish, Geoff Datson was measurer and observer, Geoff Morris and Graeme Bird boat-crewed, and Geoff Byerley and I were observers. The regatta was great fun, and PRO Bill Clancy never tired of congratulating our club on their efforts, going so far as to say at the presentation that Geoff M. and Graeme were the best boat crew he has ever worked with! Unfortunately, they weren't there in person because they were getting in as much practice as possible on the course for the IOM nationals that start tomorrow. Well done boys and girls.

Personally, I've become quite fond of volunteering for these big regattas. You get all the pleasure of being there and involved in the atmosphere without the horror of actually sailing in it! No depressing stints in E fleet, no boat damage, no wet feet and no one yelling out at you, 'don't go in there!' And apart from that, for a skipper with little or no experience in big boats, and not that much experience with these infinitely more difficult to sail little ones, observing at this level of competition is an invaluable way to learn the finer points of the rules and pick up tuning tips from the experts. Indeed, the last letter of ARYA stands for association, and it is the association with all those other skippers from so many different walks of life that I find both amusing and satisfying. But apart from that, you get to go on an extended picnic, spend your days on the bank of a stretch of calm water surrounded by green under a large sky, and be mesmerised by the spectacle of the fleet.

Best of luck to all the MRYC competitors in the IOM nationals. Keep an eye on the ARYA website for updates.

Cheers

Annette Hughes

Secretary Treasurer