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Home / Newsletters / Newsletter February 2020
Home / Newsletters / Newsletter February 2020

Newsletter February 2020

GHYC Commodore's Logbook February 2020

Welcome to February

The Gulf Harbour Marina, at the gangway of the Gulf Harbour Yacht Club, is looking 'less full' or emptier as the warmer weather entices us into our wonderful boating playground.

We're clearly up and running now with the Twilight Racing underway, our Cruising Series in full swing, and having also recently enjoyed a fantastic Auckland Anniversary Weekend Regatta in Mahurangi.

We are scheduled to support the Manly Sailing Club and Russell Coutts Sailing Foundation in the Saddle Island event on Waitangi Day. As I write, we have eight GHYC boats signed up to support this Community focused event thank you for your commitment, thus far.

Your Executive is also sheeted in and is busy working hard on initiatives to support and act on our Strategic Plan specifically Strategic Goal #1 [Achieve a stable and committed membership of 400 plus]. Some great evidence based analysis is occurring in this space it will be great to turn the thinking into action; but we will need your support to action these initiatives. Stand by more to follow, soon.

Change is good, however, it must be the right 'change' to become great.

Check this out Family Cruiser / Racer action

See you on the water and in the Club; and I wish you all 'fair winds and following seas'.

Best regards,

John Butcher

Commodore, GHYC

Sailing News

Welcome back to the second half of the Sailing Calendar for 2020. Trust you had some time to go cruising over this great spell of fine weather. Sometimes the 'iron spinnaker' had to come into play, especially before the afternoon sea breezes settled in.
Well done to the 4 x GHYC boats Glory Days, Memphis, Viva, and Patea who sailed in the Bay of Islands SAILING WEEK. Congratulations to Glory Days 1st and Memphis 3rd in the D Division Island Racing (Non-spin)
On Saturday 22 February 38 boats will start in the 2020 SSANZ 2 x handed Round North Island Race. We wish Garry Coleman and Nigel Sibun: OdysseyV and Phil Clark and Max Hawkes: Sniper from Gulf Harbour all the very best and look forward to hearing their stories of this challenging race. Follow their progress at: https://www.ssanz.co.nz/

Fairway Bay Gulf Series and Marsden Cove Marina Route 66 Race

Race 2 of the series is on Sunday 16 Feb. starting at 10:00 hrs. This race is a very good opportunity for crews to get some practice in for Race 3 of the series, the Marsden Cove Marina Route 66 Race on Fri 6th March. GHYC boats have their own start off the entrance to Gulf Harbour Marina at 09:00 hrs. Last year we had a big fleet of 17 boats and we are looking to have over 20 this year. Full details including Notice of Race and entry form are online: http://richmondyc.org.nz/route66/
Please get your entry in now to help the admin of this event.

Summer Series:

Our 5 x summer series are underway again in 2020, providing choices for members to participate in:

Gulf Harbour Marina Twilight next race Wed 5 Feb
Taylor &Co Lawyers Twilight next race Wed 12 Feb
Burnsco Marine Cruising next race Sat 8 Feb
Fairway Bay Gulf Series next race Sun 16 Feb
Barfoot and Thompson 2x handed next race Sun 23 Feb

Sailing Instructions and entry forms for these series, including day entries, are under the Racing or Cruising tabs on our website.

Mike Lanigan
Sailing Committee

Drug dealer & friends

News from the Social Scene

Grand Christmas Latin American Carnival : From the poncho wearing dago to the smartly suited drug dealer and some fantastically flamboyant ladies, everyone looked great. There was plenty of positive feedback about the buffet and music with just about everyone enjoying some enthusiastic dancing. Another great social occasion, only made possible by the hard work of Jen & the Social Committee, Mark the DJ, Sharon & the kitchen team, Ian behind the bar and Gill as Club Manager.

Friday 14 Feb St Valentine's Day Treat a loved one and share a Seafood or Chicken Platter. Couples and individuals welcome. Couples $30 or $40 including dessert, half platters half price. Bookings to the office by 10 February please.

Friday 28 Feb pre-cruising weekend 'mix & mingle' for all members.

An informal chance to meet new or different sailors, cruisers, launch owners & social members. Some members with boats might even find an opportunity to invite non boat-owners out on the water to go fishing, join in a race or just have a day out and a pic-nic.

NOTE: Cruising weekend planned destinations are always posted on the GHYC Facebook page and outside the Clubhouse the night before, and all members are welcome to join in the beach BBQ whatever of boat you have.

Saturday 29 Feb, 0830 to 1030 PEST FREE HIBISCUS COAST BOATING. Working with GH Marina, in support of Forest & Bird/DOC who want to increase boat ramp user awareness of the part they can play, there will be a sausage sizzle, tea/coffee at the Club. More details to follow and a chance to volunteer your services.

29 Feb to 8 March Seaweek with the theme 'Connecting with our Seas'. Last year we had a very successful joint activity with Wentworth College Marine Studies students and we plan to run another joint event this year. Details to follow once finalised.

Club Working Bee Later in February we will be having one of our ever popular 'working bees'. A chance to help keep the Clubhouse and gardens in good order AND socialise whilst enjoying coffee & biscuits with other volunteers. Look out for more information coming soon.

Welcome to our recent new members who are all enthusiastic to spend time enjoying the wonders of the Hauraki Gulf and its many islands.

Narini (Rini) Mann

I'm a latecomer to sailing having my first sail to Islington Bay at 45.

Since then I've spent many weekends on the Hauraki Gulf, a few trips to Great Barrier (and one of the best sails one year returning in 30+ knots) and I crew on CYA Frances. I've also crewed in the Whitsundays, Bay of Islands and Bali to Singapore via Borneo.

I'm much more a cruiser than a racer, I love the interface with nature that sailing offers and the sharing of encounters.

I look forward to meeting like minded people and further opportunities to being on the water.

My name is Hennie Prinsloo. (Hen knee)

Together with my wife and daughter we immigrated from South Arica in November last year. I have already been out in my first twilight race and have offered to help on the start boat. I've done my day skipper and vhf operator's licenses and now I am trying to gain some practical experience so that when we do get our boat, I'm not a complete ignoramus. I have also joined the coastguard as a volunteer and a member.

Vivian Valbuena and David Buxbaum are excited to be new residents in Gulf Harbour having moved from Sydney during 2019. They resided in Australia for a total of 13 years - half in Melbourne and half in Sydney. Prior to Australia, they lived in New York City for 25 years. They both return to NYC yearly to visit friends and family back in the USA. Viv and Dave are interested in fishing around Hauraki Gulf and are both enthusiastic beginner golf players.



Last updated 09:19 on 20 February 2024

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