Read more - Royal Yacht Club of Victoria

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Sailing Academy News Paul Bartley The past season has seen some interesting and even surprising developments for the Academy. After a couple of attempts to educate the schools in the Western Region on the advantages of sailing in the school curriculum, we have been able to attract new schools to the Academy on a casual basis and we have also started a Vocational Education and Training course with a local school. Further we have begun programs with some disadvantaged children in the region as well as running some highly successful school holiday programs. The adult training program continues. We have now run two in-service training programs for school teachers to demonstrate that sailing can play an important part in the school curriculum and that they can participate in any training that we give to students. We have had some interest in providing casual programs but also from Bayside Secondary College to provide a Vocational Education and Training (VET) program. This program is currently underway and at this stage appears to be quite successful. At another level we have been providing programs for a number of disadvantaged young people ranging from disturbed to mentally handicapped children. Mary O’Brien, Club Member, has been working with these people for a number of years through the Travancore School and has been instrumental in securing funding for these programs as well as participating directly in the training. We are currently assisting in the pursuit of funding for another group of young people at risk in the supported belief that sailing, as an adventure activity, can assist other larger programs in normalizing the lives of these people. At the other end of the spectrum we have, in what has become an annual event, run a program for students from St. Joseph’s College in Sydney. These students come to Melbourne for a tennis camp during the Australian Open and throw in some sailing for some variety. Once again the students had a great time on the water and in appreciation they presented the Academy with a book on coaching which will find its way to the club library as soon as our instructors have finished with it. We have ventured into the realm of school holiday programs with a program last September and one over the long summer holiday. The September program had the specific goal of moving Club Juniors from Extreme dinghies to Cadets. We had a number of other participants who just wanted to keep up with their sailing during the vacation. This program was most successful and encouraged us to run one in January. This time it was used to provide intensive training to whoever wanted to attend. Once again we had great success but in both cases the success was in large part due to adult volunteers who were very generous with their time. David Johnson, David Wallace and Peter Roberts stand out in their contribution. Anybody who has the time and would like to assist with school holiday programs would be welcome. Our adult training program continues but we have lost the use of a vessel in survey for our Competent Crew courses. If anybody can assist we would be happy to enter discussions to see if an arrangement can agreed upon. We would also like to see more new, inexperienced members take on the Club Crew Course. This course is conducted in the Elliott 5.9s and concentrates on deck work generally but specifically emphasizes spinnaker work. Your crew could be fast tracked to race readiness for a modest cost. There are a number of people on our list who have done the Introductory Course and are looking to gain a little experience, hopefully before doing the Club Crew Course. If you can help out please let me know. The Sunday Juniors have continued to produce a number of fine young sailors and this season finishes with a number ready to move on to Cadets. We have also been experimenting with the rigs on the Extremes and believe we have come up with a solution to the problem of getting the sail to tack in light winds. The cost of conversion is higher than we would like but I believe that eventually all of our boats will be converted. We are indebted to the Scalia Family for their generous assistance in this regard.
I cannot conclude without reporting on our rather tentative attempts to get team racing up and running. An unofficial initial trial was arranged between Williamstown High School students and Xavier College Students. We transported the Williamstown students and Extreme Dinghies to St. Kilda for the racing where the Williamstown students proved to be quite formidable. Discussions with Xavier are continuing. Paul Bartley can be contacted on 0411 314 687 or by email royalsacademy@hotmail.com. Members interested in sponsoring an Elliott should contact Kerri Murrell at the office or email manager@ rycv.asn.au. 7 year old Louis Schofield tries to convince Dean Johnston that sailing is a strenuous activity during the January holiday program. Above and right, Elliotts on the training ground. Newsletter of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria • June 2007 19
Page 1 and 2: June 2007 Flag Officers Reports Liv
Page 3 and 4: COMMODORE’S REPORT Michael Smith,
Page 5 and 6: Membership Committee Deanne Colledg
Page 7 and 8: hundred metres. Without much breeze
Page 9 and 10: Top: Laurelle just outside Sydney H
Page 11 and 12: Doyle Sailmakers Whether you plan t
Page 13 and 14: Single Handed to Port Fairy and ret
Page 15 and 16: ‘Warrin Bunjil’ moored in Port
Page 17: Photo: Ewen Bell Newsletter of the
Page 21 and 22: The Black Bottle - A Personal Refle
Page 23 and 24: Tall Ships Victoria Peter Harris Ta
Page 25 and 26: Thanks to John Duffin for his last
Page 27 and 28: Lively Lady returns. David Seaman O
Page 29 and 30: Newsletter of the Royal Yacht Club
Page 31 and 32: And when that’s all in, you may h

Read more - Royal Yacht Club of Victoria

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?