Concord Ryde Sailing Club Sydney welcomes homebuilt boats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boatmik
Hi Ross,
There are not so many Beths around. But a few GIS. Is it OK if I frame your invitation as a standing request for storer boats and others of the ilk to join in racing at Concord Ryde Sailing Club and see how they like it.
BTW, why were they thinking of a restriction of length. Did that come from the local council or something like that.
Best wishes
MIK
MIK
In answer to your first question, absolutely! CRSC, like most clubs is predominantly one design. (For adults, Herons, Spirals, NS14s, Tasers and yes Firebugs + assorted cats. Fortunately, we are open to "anything mono" under 15'11" in our "A Class."
Concord Ryde has a different viewpoint from many clubs about introducing kids and adults to sailing. It is about fun, learning but not about putting kids into a competition stream from the beginning ... let them discover what they want to do.
Our management committee share the view which we share, I think; that YA's (Peak Body - Yachting Association of Australia) vision of exclusively one design elite boats is holding back the sport. The mayor of Ryde attended our prize giving. "I want my kids to experience each sport for a year." It's a common view, and we'll put them in b****y Optis. In the unlikely event that they develop an interest, or necessary level of skill in one year, that would feed into the Yachting Association model.
Get them into a PDR or Firebug, let them experience the tactile joy of timber curving into a hull, as they share building with parent or grandparent and sailing grows from, just another sport, to a way of being. A way of being which does not hide from failure, but teaches using it; a way of being that accepts only your best endeavour and honours that for a lifetime. Sorry for waxing lyrical.
My reply to our Mayor, and any other parent who thinks like that, is "sailing is an identity, a way of life and an education package, with a point at one end."
To your second question, some members wanted the same limit as for cats. Thanks to feedback from AlexN and others, it deflated very quickly.
To anybody reading this, one of the biggest problems for homebuilt dinghies is the absence of competitive fleets. Herons and Sabres, can be homebuilt, but the tolerances are quite demanding, this discourages novice builders. MIK's designs and CRSC's Firebugs don't need tight tolerances, particularly the scows. With numbers, we can build up more of the infrastructure of class racing, handicap numbers etc.
Recall, on this of all days, the poster of Field Marshall Kitchener pointing down at you!
Well sailing needs homeboat builders and CRSC will make you welcome in Sydney.
Ross Venner
Concord Ryde Sailing Club Sydney welcomes homebuilt boats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RossV
MIK
Recall, on this of all days, the poster of Field Marshall Kitchener pointing down at you! Well sailing needs homeboat builders and CRSC will make you welcome in Sydney.
Bugger, got excited catching up on this thread till I heard about the length restriction - we have a 16.5" Ness Boat and usually launch in Canada Bay, I've sailed up to Concord to watch the racing once or twice. Have gotten enthusiastic about racing at times, but apparently you don't sail with Drummoyne if you've got a boat you don't want people to run into, and Parramatta River sailing club is more for bigger yachts.
Robin
Robin - Have you thought of organising a "raid"?
Robin, I can't see CRSC allowing longer boats for racing, but would love you to visit.
We launch off what was once a wide sandy beach, but it is being severely eroded by the passing RiverCat ferries. It makes handling bigger boats tricky on the beach tricky. Low tide, or the top of a very high tide might be best.
I have been told that when she was transport minister Gladys Berejiklian denied that her 22 kt, 1000 hp ferries were the source of damage to the beaches and mangroves of the Parramatta River. That these natural systems had developed since the sea level rise at the end of the last ice age and were suddenly being trashed since the ferries were introduced was less important than the indisputable fact the Parramatta is a marginal seat. Politics - have a stiff drink and...
In Europe a number of sail and oar events are organised for boats like iain Oughtread's Ness Boat. They sound like terrific fun, and among the most popular participants are MIK's Goat Island Skiffs. If you were to organise a Sydney Harbour Raid, it might prove very popular. If you were to come up with such an event, I am sure CRSC would attempt to make you welcome.
Perhaps a separate thread?
