by Alan
26 January 2012 in House
ABYC’s legendary Music and General trivia evenings continue apace on Saturday 4 February 2012.
Gather your team of 6 or more fellow trivial experts and report for duty at 18h30.
Racking your brains will cost you R35.00 each.
The Chartroom Restaurant will be open and prizes can be won.
Contact Lee Godwin to book: 079 0402 456
by Alan
1 January 2012 in House
It is with great sadness to advise that a long standing member of ABYC, a good sailor and a very good friend of many, passed away at sea in the early hours of this morning. At the time Ashley was crewing on the yacht Cameron which was returning to PE after aborting a relocation trip to Cape Town.
Ashley’s partner Suzie has requested that his friends and those that knew him get together tomorrow (2 January 2012) at 13h00 at ABYC to bid him farewell and pay their last respect.
He came in peace, Now Rest in Peace, Ashley.
Read More: PE Man Dies After Going Overboard
by Alan
21 December 2011 in Chartroom Restaurant
The Chartroom Restaurant will trade as follows after Christmas 2011:
The ABYC New Year Bash on 31 December is being hosted by the Veranda Vikings – contact Phil Stunden or Ian Bancroft for more information.
Entrance will cost R30.00 per head to cover music provided by Triple M and you are encouraged to bring your own Picnic or Braai provisions.
There is a booking list in the bar or you may pay on the day.
by Alan
22 November 2011 in House
You may have noticed our esteemed bar stuff wearing some snazzy new T-Shirts.
Of course, if you are anything like me you wouldn’t have enquired after snagging yourself a shirt or two – a man has to concentrate on the delights of a certain golden brew you know!
Ordering a shirt or two is easy enough, though:
by Alan
1 September 2011 in House
Pour yourself a long cool drink and read on about how a love of rum, camaraderie, life and our city culminated in a fun book.
One of the Algoa Bay Yacht Club ‘Teak Deck’ and Rum Club stalwarts, Warwick ‘Dog’ Owen, has just published a book of 22 short stories, FITS. FITS is edited by fellow old Muirite, Neville Ross and with witty cartoons by another old Muir boy, Derrick Nesbit. And, if three Old Muir boys in the same room and publication were not enough, Warwick added layout expert (and old Muirite) Derek Potgieter to the mix as well.
Fun In The Sun is an apt title for the emergence of Spring 2011 and for an author with such an eternally sunny disposition.
FITS invites you to go back to a better time – one when the only admonishment from your parents was to be back home before the sun went down, a time when you were free to explore and discover on your own time and own turf, a time when the pressures of technology only surfaced when your torch failed you whilst you were fishing, at night, on the river, alone.
Neville Ross captures the essence of FITS in his well written foreword:
This book is a witty and down-to-earth account of incidents and adventures that celebrate the life of the author. It takes the reader back into the 50?s, an era devoid of drugs, hijackers, terrorists, suicide bombers and the like. The ozone layer and global warming were phrases waiting to be used and understood.The story continues into what could be called the latter years describing, in satirical detail, names, places, events and people. The reader would probably have to be knowledgeable of the jargon and slang that prevailed some 50 plus years ago, but as one reads, the simple innocence and gentleness of those times is revealed.
The vivid description of cinema or bioscope attendance in the 50ties with dense smoke and standing rendition of God Save the King, at the end, is classic and a wonderful glimpse of life in those times.
Picture a group of friends striving to find identity in their adolescence years and maturing to be successful retirees in a world vastly different, the only catalyst being the ‘slow’ march of time affording the ability to adjust, adapt and accept.
Being part of many of these humorous happenings makes me able to appreciate these events with fond memories.
The relentless and driven character of the author is also noted depicting someone whose swansongs are ‘just do it’ and ‘give something back’ and who practices those dogmas in his everyday life, striving to be a valuable individual in society.
Neville Ross
I asked Warwick what his life influences were; “My parents, the nuns, really strong and faithful good mates, some great bosses that believed in me, learning about the demon grog, life on the street and learning to be streetwise on the factory floor. Especially my wife Lyn and our daughter Megan for the encouragement and keeping me and my volatile personality in check.”
Warwick is well known as the guy who is the driving force behind the establishment of the Due North Rum Club which meets and celebrates the now defunct naval tradition of the Rum Tot. Whilst having fun this tight group of comrades also manage to give back to the sport of sailing and mankind in general.
It was Warwick’s questing mind that led him to begin corresponding with Charles Tobias of Pussers Rum which was to prove the tipping point to publication of FITS when Charles wrote as follows; “What a hell’uva writer you are! You can really write – and how much I enjoyed your narratives! I hope to meet you down there one day – and soon – and to spend a night sinking a few tots and gamming about all of those old drinking holes and the time you spent in them. And your father must have been a great dad! I can tell from the way you write about him. I’ve saved what you’ve written, so when we meet I’ll have a copy in my pocket.”
Of course the abiding wish of the Rum Club is that the original rum as drunk by British Navvies, Pussers, will be freely available in South Africa soon. The only thing is that I still struggle with is getting my head around the name, Pussers, and the pronunciation in a South African context.
When asked why people should rush out and add FITS to their book collection Warwick said; “The book is all about my mates and I growing up, attending great schools - Materadmirabilis Convent and Muir College, Uitenhage – in the 50?s with lots of satirical short stories of our life experiences in Uitenhage along with our forays to Port Elizabeth pubs. What Fun we had in the Sun!”
The FITS first edition is available exclusively from Fogarty’s Bookshop @ R160.00 including VAT.
by Alan
29 August 2011 in House
Excellent prize giving photo’s of everyone available on CD @R20 each.
Available in bar or contact Lee Godwin 079 0402 456.
by Alan
28 August 2011 in House
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by Alan
14 August 2011 in House
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by Alan
10 August 2011 in House
The beginning of the 2010/11 season saw most of the keelers returning back to the water and back to their rebuilt moorings, after nearly a year out of the water. This return also brought a renewed life into the Club and to sailing in the Bay. Over the same period the brothers Jon and Nick have put the Chartroom back on track, with good attendance most week-ends and weekly evenings enjoying a fair sitting. During the latter part of the season the insurance company Ambiton aligned themselves with the Club and in a show of commitment increased the 100 Club monthly stakes which now enjoy good attendance at the monthly draw. They have also indicated that they would like to be involved with the 2011/12 Algoa Bay Week by bring associated companies to sponsor.
SAILING
With the exception of the East London race, all races as per the sailing calendar were completed. The two long distance races The Great Circle and the St. Francis where held in perfect sailing conditions and importantly with a good turn-out of boats. The Rebels Series (J27-s, Pacer & L26) enjoyed good racing on Saturday afternoons on predominantly windward leeward courses.
Algoa Bay Week enjoyed a good entry of boats, with a small group of 505-s from Guateng joining in. Of the 5 days available 1 day was lost to inclement weather; otherwise the regatta sailed in a variety of wind conditions. At the end of each days sailing the Club enjoyed a variety of entertainment from “Belly Dancers” to an array of musicians.
Dinghy sailing sadly is not where it should be in terms of numbers, frequency of sailing and variety of Classes. During the late part of the summer a very successful Optimist week was held as part of the SA Selection, 30 youngsters and their parents from all over SA converged on the ABYC. For many of these sailors sailing on the sea coupled with entry via a working harbour was a first and rather daunting experience – nothing like a bit of peer pressure to overcome. The Clubs very own Jesse Martin plus a group of 6 other youngsters are currently sailing in the Optimist Worlds being held in London. Sarah Arnold who is at university in the Cape is still staying out front in her regattas with a 1st in the Sonnet Nationals; 1st WP Sonnet Provincials, and a 2nd in the J22 World Qualify which unfortunately only accept one team per country.
Radio Control sailing or RC as it is called have been sailing most week-ends off the wall at the Club. Their numbers are growing and have in excess of 20 plus sailors. During the past season the PE group enjoyed a fun week-end down at Wilderness challenging their Western Cape counterparts (the Wilderness community have only just recovered from the invasion, it is said that all fish and bird life vacated the river where the sailing took place, and thankfully the recent good rains have flushed the area).
Wednesday Night sailing enjoyed a somewhat mixed affair with not many races but at least boats casting off moorings. The number of boats varied from Wednesday to Wednesday and according to weather conditions. Once again our gratitude to Phil Gutsche for always making the good ship Warrior available for the surplus guests.
Assistance is requested for people to assist and/or be part of the sailing committee with special emphasis on junior/dinghy sailing, committee boat and race officer duties, and managing the qwagga-s, or in any other way. Please contact John 082 854 3961.
SOUTH AFRICAN SAILING
To a few, membership to SAS is a waste of time and money. This may be the case if you are an ABYC member that does not own a boat and is not really interested in a “sailing ranking”. For the many boat owners and regular sailors, without SAS, sailing in South Africa would not have the enviable safety record which she holds. Sailing enjoys very little interference from the maritime regulator and watch-dog SAMSA. So successful is the safety programme of SAS that SAMSA are requesting SAS and SAS approved Safety Officers at the various Yacht Clubs to also carry-out power-boat safety inspections. The point is that in order to keep this kind of relationship requires funding. SAS are also currently changing their data base system and making it more accessible and user friendly to members, the system mirrors that of the cycling fraternity. What the new data system will encourage is for yacht owners and their crews to sail in more regattas both in local waters and that of other clubs, boats will now be able to measure their performance against other boats at other clubs. SAS continue to strengthen their presence at junior and development sailing so much so they have a full time Training Officer, whose task is to assist clubs with the implementation of various programmes. To be able to do all this requires people with unique skills and dedication and funding (SAS fees). SASEC under which ABYC falls will in future be know as SASSER (SAS Southern and Eastern Region).
MARINA
The Marina thankfully is now restored and secure. The Marina team managed to salvage several fingers and spines which sunk during the 2009 bashing, and returned them back into service saving thousands of rands. Finger spacing-s have almost been finalised. Similarly the “replacement” programme has begun which is proving somewhat of an exercise as the existing structure needs continual maintenance.
The revised final draft “User Agreement” should be expected for release anytime soon. However, it must be remembered that the original user agreement is still in place and no separation or break-away from PEDSAC has been finalised.
Whilst its good news with the lifting of water restrictions, the Club appeals to boat owners when washing boats to please continue using fresh water with discipline and assist with keeping down over-head costs.
Another general appeal to boat owners is to please keep the gate onto the Marina closed (except when the RC-s and other activities are taking place), and to stay vigilant at all times especially after-hours, we have had outboard engines, fuel tanks, loose boat fittings and tenders going to new locations, as this newsletter goes out, 2 yachts where broken into plus several boats at the PEDSAC Marina.
HOUSE
Through out the past season the House committee arranged successful functions in the Club. From quiz/test your knowledge to full on “rock n- roll” evenings. Like previous seasons prize giving this year was equally great. Still fresh in many minds was the Bogtrotters with their Irish Folk music for the Jesse Martin fund raiser.
Many members don-t realise that the House Committee is not only there to organise functions, but they play a pivotal role in keeping checks on both the bar/deck and Chartroom in terms of service levels and general customer satisfaction and identify ways for improving.
As mentioned earlier, the Chartroom has in a very short period gone from strength to strength. Nick and Jon as young as they are have produced winning formulae and stuck with it. The community of PE are hearing about the Chartroom and are also noticing the general turn-around of the ABYC, people are returning. Menu prices are on the mark and the quality of the meals is of consistently high standard which will even impress Gordon. A busy Chartroom equals a busy bar/deck equals a busy club which equals potential new members and crew.
SGM/AGM 2011/12
At the recent 52 AGM of the Yacht Club the minutes where presented and adopted along with the financials. The President informed the meeting the stance of the Club regarding the rental and the status of the on-going negotiations between the Club and Port Authorities, and comparisons to other Yacht Clubs.
The new executive committee was accepted by all present. A vote of thanks and appreciation to out going Commodore Ian Littlejohn was given.
A Special General Meeting was held prior to the start of AGM where the following 3 proposal were presented and adopted by all present:
Both Radio Controlled and Kite Board Sailing are recognized by SAS, both the sports have been showing growth. ABYC will be the 1st Yacht Club in SA to recognise Kite Board Sailing as an integral aspect to club sailing. In PE alone there are over 100 Kite Boards. Within a year the number of RC sailors at the Club has grow to in excess of 20 (they also fast learners to basic concepts i.e. size counts and “move it or lose it”).
In a bold attempt to encourage membership the Club has taken a radical approach and restructured the membership categories and the subscriptions as follows:
The implementation of the new structure and levy is immediate. Re-imbursement to members who already paid in full at the old rate will be paid out of a time frame (donations are always welcome). As mentioned at the presentation that there is a financial shortfall in the Clubs levy income, members are urged to make all attempts to bring in new members and not to rely on the “Recruitment Team”.
LIPTON CUP 2011 (21 – 27 August 2011 Mossel Bay)
Two entries from Algoa Bay: 1) ABYC Challenger, 2) Orion - a private entry sailing under Red House Yacht Club. Both teams are regularly out on the water together practising a variety of moves whilst at the same time helping each other fine tune there tactics. SUNDAY 7/8/11 @ 0900 LIPTON BREAKFAST (please book @ bar NOW R40.00) followed by AUCTION. Contact the ABYC Team Manager Eugene Lombard regarding “Supporters” and goods for auctions and donations.
ALGOA BAY YACHT CLUB – EXCO MEMBERS 2011/2012.
John Tudehope
Vice Commodore – Sailing
by Alan
9 August 2011 in House
The ABYC web site uses a number of publishing platforms and plugins to ensure that members and the general public are kept informed. Underpinning the site is the WordPress Publishing platform. On top of that is the Buddypress Social Networking plugin with various other plugins and widgets giving substance and communicating with members.
Membership to the site is CLOSED to members only. Non-members may not register to use the social networking component.
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