It’s great to see our racing fleet steadily growing, with several new boats joining in and bringing fantastic enthusiasm to the club. A big thank you to Andy and the Sailing Committee for their work streamlining the handicap system; the racing now runs more smoothly than ever.
This year we’ll be sharing the calendar with a new three-day regatta at Kawau Island, organised by Ponsonby Yacht Club, will overlap the final day of Bay Week. While this may influence numbers, it’s still too early to know the impact. Our Notices of Race have recently been released, and we’re looking forward to registrations building over the coming weeks.
Youth Sailing
Our relationship with the Bay of Islands Yacht Club, encouraging the older kids to come sail at Opua, is proving very successful. Last Friday, a group of young sailors and their parents enjoyed an evening aboard Vixen and they are all keen to get involved with our Pied Piper Youth Sailing Programme.
The Pied Piper is currently being painted at Waitangi in preparation for launching. Encouraging younger sailors and families has long been a priority for the club, and this initiative is shaping up to be a promising pathway forward.
Trans-Tasman Challenge Race
Momentum continues to grow with 21 entries already confirmed. We’ll soon be setting up a notice board in the club with entry updates and information to keep members and visitors informed and engaged.
The Galley Bistro
The Galley’s new menu is receiving great feedback; the new relaxed snack-style options alongside the top-end selection are going well. A new Race Night menu has also been introduced, providing simple, tasty choices for those enjoying or competing in Wednesday and Friday night racing.
Click here to see the new menu and if you haven’t tried it yet, come down and enjoy a delicious meal!
Club Promotion
Our new PR team has been doing an excellent job spreading the word about club events. We’ve seen some wonderfully busy evenings recently, no doubt thanks to increased visibility on social media.
We now have promotional rack cards ready for distribution across local accommodation providers and businesses. This should help to raise awareness of everything the club offers for both visitors and locals.
Terry Dunn – OCC Commodore
Terry grew up in Wellington, learning to sail in extreme conditions and spending his formative years in the Sea Scouts rowing around on pitch black nights playing Smugglers and sinking the enemy. He has never lost his love of just “playing around in boats”.
He moved to the Bay of Islands in his twenties and purchased the classic gaff cutter Aorere. It was also the start of many years cruising the Bay of Islands, the Northland coast and offshore voyages to the Pacific.
In 1990, he started Great Escape Yacht Charters and Sailing School to provide affordable sailing options in the Bay. Over the years, he operated a fleet of 14 yachts, passing on his enthusiasm and love of sailing to Kiwis and international visitors alike.
Now retired, Terry is currently a relief skipper with the R Tucker Thompson, and we are delighted to have him as the Club’s Commodore this year.