Notices from DYC, our friends, and sponsors

Latest AYBA newsletter — July 2023 (connects to AYBA website to read full version)

Includes updates on AYBA’s ongoing battles to keep Auckland a ‘City of Sails’ covering:

• THE LANDING, OKAHU BAY

• BAYSWATER MARINE PRECINCT

• LITTLE SHOAL BAY HARDSTAND IS SCHEDULED TO CLOSE END OF JUNE

• AMENDMENTS TO THE RMA - BE AWARE

• HAURAKI GULF FORUM

Working Bee — Saturday May 6 from 8am at the club

1 May 2023

You are all encouraged to come along and lend a hand, arm, or leg to help keep the club ship-shape on May 6 for our annual end-of-season pre-haulage working bee.

The jobs include:

- Slipways (w/barrows, shovels, spades)
- Grass edges and front of clubhouse (line trimmer)
- Front gardens and by front steps (quick tidy, they are not bad)
- Haulage Equipment (Paul Walter organise)
- Maintain drainage area front of clubhouse
- Dinghy Lockers Lock lube and some hardware replacement
- Wheelchair lift Check operation and clean under and around
- Workshop clean, tidy, organise
- Dinghy ramp waterblast, needs to be done at low tide
- Clean windows outside
- Yard/Slip water taps Clean out recesses and check for leaks
- Roof clear out gutters. someone needs to go up
- West slip concrete path stabilise, our major item for this WB? advice appreciated

As you see, something for everyone and all incredibly important!

Boat owners who are hauling this year and intend using a power lead to connect their boat to yard power should have a current testing tag on the lead.
If your lead needs tagging bring it along to the working bee and we can test and tag it for you. Ken has done the training, Mike Strong has the gear so all kosher!
$5 koha for the club will be added to your haulage account.

From YNZ: 2023 BLAKE Inspire for Sailors

4 April 2023

Yachting New Zealand and BLAKE have teamed up again and are inviting applicants for the 2023 BLAKE Inspire for Sailors programme - a five-day leadership development adventure designed for emerging Kiwi sailors.

This is an excellent opportunity for young sailors (Years 11-13) to combine their passion for sailing and environmental sustainability - and follow in the footsteps of Sir Peter Blake himself. This year's course will take place in and around Auckland from May 8-12.
We are looking for sailors with a sense of adventure and a curious mind, and those who are ready to learn and develop skills to lead positive change.
 
The course includes two-and-a-half days on the water, combining sailing with ocean and coastal science on board Steinlager 2. We will visit Tiritiri Matangi, one of New Zealand’s oldest island sanctuaries, and other special places within Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.

Back on shore, there will be opportunities to meet and learn from members of Emirates Team New Zealand, High Performance Sport NZ, and leading environmental scientists and engineers.

Details:
Applicants must be in Years 11-13 during 2023.
Applicants must belong to a Yachting New Zealand-affiliated sailing club.
The programme will take place in Auckland from May 8-12, 2023.
The cost is $990 per delegate. There are a limited number of scholarships available.
Applicants will need to organise their own travel to join the programme.
Up to 20 sailors will be selected for this programme.
Accommodation, meals and all activities are included in the price.
Applications close Monday, April 10, 2023.
 
For more information on BLAKE Inspire for Sailors click here.

To apply for the 2023 programme, click here.

Yachting New Zealand is investing in this programme and encourages club engagement as it aligns with our strategic priorities of developing future leaders, having a positive effect on our environment, and supporting building stronger clubs.

We encourage you to please share this opportunity with your members and support interested sailors to become involved.

For the club supporting a sailor to participate in BLAKE Inspire for Sailors should help with youth engagement in your own YNZ Clean Club programme or club youth development programme.  From the 2022 programme, there are many positive stories of sailors returning to clubs to engage in or lead the club’s environmental initiatives.  

Participants in this programme are also eligible for other BLAKE programmes in the future, such as BLAKE expeditions. 2022 Blake Inspire for Sailors graduate Lara Teodorescu from Bucklands Beach Yacht Club was selected to join BLAKE on their 2023 Campbell Island expedition.

From the Waikato Yacht Squadron

1 Feb 2023

The Waikato Yacht Squadron Gulf Classic Endurance Regatta is on the weekend of the 10- 12th March sailed out of the Maraetai Beach Boating Club. This regatta is for keel boats and trailer yachts.

This year all profits from the regatta will be donated to the Mercury Bay Boating Club to assist them in repairing flood damage to their club house sustained during Cyclone Hale.

In addition to regatta proceeds, WYS are running a fund-raising auction of goods and services donated by sponsors. Donors are promising goods and services suitable for both keelers and trailer sailers.

DYC members are encouraged to join not only for the sailing, but also to help one of our fellow clubs restore their club facilities. 

The notice of race is attached and further details, including the entry form and course charts, are on the WYS website here. 

20 December 2022

Kia ora koutou 

With the festive season upon us, we’re getting fully geared up to stop the spread of non-native Caulerpa this summer.

Ambassador programmes firing up

The Mana Whenua-led Caulerpa ambassador programmes for Aotea Great Barrier Island and Ahuahu Great Mercury Island are now fully staffed, with training programmes either complete or well underway. The ambassadors will be well equipped to greet summer visitors with friendly and clear advice about fishing and anchoring restrictions, and of course our key message of “See weed, chuck it straight back” for boaties, divers, fishers and others using our waters this summer. They'll be at regattas, boat shows and other topical places - they are building their activity schedule every day!

Ambassadors will be kitted out with branded t-shirts, vests, jackets and hats so they’re instantly recognisable to visitors as they patrol the slipways, docks, jetties and wharves. They will be equipped with leaflets and posters to help them spread the key messages around sticking to the restrictions, chucking seaweed straight back and letting us know if suspected non-native Caulerpa is spotted.

In Auckland, the council's biosecurity champions will rotate between the most-used departure points from early January to mid-March. They'll be popping up at regattas and boat shows, and they're organising information sessions at marinas and boat clubs.

Caulerpa education and awareness campaign well underway

The summer information campaign is getting into full swing – aiming to stop the spread of Caulerpa and encourage compliance with the current restrictions of fishing/anchoring in Aotea and Ahuahu. 

Targeted digital advertising gets underway from 19 December through to Waitangi Day all across Northland, Auckland, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. There’ll be advertising and information on MetService, Coastguard VHF, radio stations and community newspapers throughout this time. The controlled areas will also be notified in the charts on the boating app Navionics. International yachts will be targeted with information by Border Clearance personnel at Opua and Marsden.

You’ll notice Caulerpa information signs starting to pop up at marinas, boat clubs and ramps in Auckland, Waiheke Island, Coromandel, Whitianga and Aotea. We've worked closely with our Mana Whenua Ambassadors and other project partners to make sure we cover the key locations. Pictured below is one of several signs located on Aotea. 

We’re also set to target social media and other e-channels - and we’re providing a pack of digital resources, images and messages to councils, mana whenua, and other groups interested in promoting the message to stop the spread of Caulerpa. Contact us at Caulerpa@mpi.govt.nz if you haven’t received the digital media pack and would like one.

Reminder of controlled areas

Aotea: 

Only hand line or rod and line fishing from the beach or wharf/jetty are permitted in Okupu Blind Bay, Whangaparapara Harbour and Tryphena Harbour. Anchoring is not permitted in any of the Controlled Areas except under a permit issued only in exceptional circumstances – for example, an emergency or for residents relying on a vessel for access. 

Ahuahu: 

No fishing is allowed in the Controlled Area from Maunganui Point to Ahikopua Point. Anchoring is permitted in this area but boaties are asked to check their anchor and chain for any seaweed and put it back in the same waters before moving on.

What about new Caulerpa detections? 

Biosecurity New Zealand and our response partners including mana whenua, are actively working on plans for the event non-native Caulerpa is detected outside the current known areas. We will keep you in the loop on these plans and decisions.  We are also working with our partners to develop a Caulerpa research programme to help understand the ecology and impacts and potential future treatment options. 

Anyone who believes they have spotted exotic Caulerpa should take a photo, note the location and phone the Pest and Disease Hotline on 0800 80 99 66. The images below show exotic Caulerpa on the beach and underwater.

Other Hauraki Gulf islands getting prepared 

Communities including those in Waiheke Island and Kawau are gearing up to protect their waters from the possible arrival of Caulerpa. Waiheke Marine Project is preparing and working with Biosecurity New Zealand, Auckland Council and other partners to be equipped to detect and report any new suspected populations of Caulerpa. They are also tapping into the education and awareness campaign materials to make sure residents and visitors alike know how to stop the spread.

Biosecurity New Zealand team members will help on the ground over summer 

Three of our friendly Biosecurity Officers will be based on Aotea from December 27 to January 9. They will be helping with on-water monitoring of the controlled areas and engaging with the communities on-island to help spread awareness of Caulerpa and best marine biosecurity practices. They're pictured below (from left): Sidney Wales, Victoria Buckley and Dan Anderson.

Biosecurity Officers will also be on Aotea over the Auckland Anniversary and Waitangi weekends. If you see them out and about on the island, please don’t hesitate to go up and have a chat about anything Caulerpa or biosecurity related. 

Meri Kirihimete 

We wish all our readers Meri Kirihimete/Merry Christmas/Season’s Greetings. We wish you a peaceful and restful festive season, and we look forward to reuniting with you in the new year to carry on our important partnership work.

A meeting to discuss:

Do Auckland Hardstands and Boatyards need protecting?

Date: Monday, October 10th 2022

Time: 6.30pm

Location: Ponsonby Cruising Club

RSVP: ayba.secretary@gmail.com

___________________________________________________________________

Are Auckland Hardstands, Boatyards and Marinas under threat?

In recent months two significant Hardstand operators in the Auckland region have shut. Pier21 has been sold to be converted into Apartments while the hardstand at the Landing has been shut pending its redevelopment as a mixed recreational area. The 2022 Kapatiki Local Parks Management Plan proposes shutting the Little Shoal Boatyard, while land at the Gold Hole Boatyard seems to be earmarked for development as a landing point for any future public walkway over the Harbour Bridge. Land at Hobsonville marina was recently proposed to be utilised as apartments while carparking at Westhaven has been converted to commercial buildings and more carparking reserved exclusively for commercial use. In all these cases local government agencies appear have either initiated, approved, or acceded to these changes.

Once these boatyards and facilities disappear, it will be extremely difficult to regain them. Pressure on existing Yards appears to be increasing, with waiting lists at some Haulouts stretching out for months.

Are these closures, sales and “redevelopments” of Auckland’s yards and marina facilities simply a coincidence, or is there are more complex social and legislative drivers that threaten Yards across the Auckland region? What will be the consequence of the current reduction in hardstand availability? What can be done politically to ensure Auckland boat owners retain the ability to maintain and clean their boats at environmentally responsible intervals at affordable rates?

Please come and share your views and experiences with other Auckland Hardstand Operators and Users at a special meeting coordinated by the Auckland Yachting and Boating Association.

PLEASE RSVP to Secretary AYBA

DYC becomes the first club to attain Clean Club status with 3 stars

July 13, 2022

Read the full story on YNZ website.

DYC member, Sally Garrett and crew, won the NZ Keelboat Women’s National Championship!

April 6, 2022

Sally Garrett and her crew have spent the best part of two years working on their boat speed and it paid off over the weekend when they won the Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Women's Keelboat National Championship for a second time.

Garrett won three of the five races to finish two points ahead of Leslie Egnot, who won the other two races, with Megan Thomson third and defending champion and seven-time winner Karleen Dixon fourth. No racing was possible on the second day due to light winds.

Read more (links to Yachting New Zealand website report on April 4)

Daniel Leech and Lanny Walker taking T-Rex Round the North Island

Feb 22, 2022

Former DYC Club Member Daniel Leech has teamed up with Lanny Walker on T Rex, and are currently working on their build up for the 2023 Round the North Island Race. The qualifying requirements see them doing the SSANZ Northern Triangle, as well as the Balokovic Cup (2 Handed). Refer to the SSANZ website link -https://www.ssanz.co.nz/northern-triangle-profiles/#tab-id-23

• SKIPPER. Lanny Walker

• ABOUT Lanny. I can’t remember a time where i was not on the water. As a qualified sail maker (now turned plumber) I have had the opportunity to sail most flavours of boats in coastal nz and blue water. the bulk of my SSANZ racing was done on multihulls followed by the pied piper. My normal role on a boat is bowman and i have done bow on the M Class classic 18 footers for over 15 years and am still going 🙂

• CO-SKIPPER. Daniel Leech

• ABOUT Daniel. Since being round boats since 9 months old i have always had an interest for boats and being on the water. I caught the sailing bug while sailing Optimists at primary school. This then lead into my introduction into keelboat racing at the age of 10. Once I left school i bought my first boat a Piedy (Pinotage) which led into my introduction into 2 Handed racing which i still enjoy today onboard my Elliott 7.9 and from there the rest is history. And over the years have competed in various harbour, coastal, offshore & short handed regattas and National Championships in Auckland and around the country. Some successes include the coastal classic, SSANZ Triple series onboard T-Rex and Duders Cup onboard my 7.9 Radio Active and the Wellington 24 Hour Race onboard a local boat were we broke the race record 2 years back to back. One of my most memorable sailing experiences would have to be the 2013 3 Kings Offshore Race which i will be tackling again next year after the SSANZ Northern Triangle. Looking forward to the challenge in the build up to RNI 2023.

Clubhouse and Bar Re-opens on Saturday Dec 4

An important message from the Commodore, Hugh Pollock

November 24, 2021

New Zealand will move into a system of ’traffic light’ restrictions to manage Covid-19 from December 3rd at the RED setting, which will mean that the clubhouse and bar can be open to fully-vaccinated patrons, but not to un-vaccinated patrons.

Accordingly, the Flags and General Committee are very pleased to announce that your clubhouse and bar will be re-opening on Saturday 4th December to fully-vaccinated members. Patrons must be seated and socially distanced as far as possible. Kirsty’s team will take your orders from your table.

The bar is open, however the kitchen is not, so Friday meals will not be resuming until 2022. But you may bring you own platter!

To those who are not yet fully vaccinated, we regret the regulations do not allow us to allow you to enter in the RED or ORANGE setting. Please talk to us about our vaccination experiences, gather all your resolve, and get the jab as soon as you can — we’re looking forward to seeing the full membership through the doors in due course!

The opening protocol from Saturday Dec 4 will be:

• Wear a mask

• Use the back door only

• Bring your Vaccine Pass. We will be scanning it

• No pass = no entry

• Seated only — table service provided

• BYO food

• Be patient — we’re all new to this!

And finally: SUPPORT YOUR CLUB. We need volunteers to man the door. We’re hoping to put together a roster for the future. Full training will be given.

To volunteer, please contact Murray Forbes: forbesmeister@gmail.com

Hugh Pollock, Commodore

Published 24 Nov 2021

Racing Resumes on Dec 4 & 5 2021

From the Sailing Master

November 22, 2021

Racing Resumes on Dec 4 and 5

Click here to go to the Sailing programme page for details