2015 Stawell Yacht Club AGM and Awards
The Stawell Yacht Club held its AGM and Awards evening at Salingers Restaurant, Great Western on Saturday 1st August.
Outgoing club Commodore Tony Hillier reported on a very busy and successful season for the club before handing over the tiller to Moyston-based yachtsman Roger Spratt, and was then presented with a gift package of a club shirt and sailing watch from his fellow members in recognition of his dedicated service to the club over the past two years.
Treasurer Mark Knights and OC racing George Grellet reported on the financial and racing results respectively.
Several major events were successfully undertaken during the season, consisting of an Impulse dinghy master class in October, a regional regatta in November, the combined Discover Sailing Day and club 60th Anniversary in December and the Impulse class State Titles in March which attracted a record entry of 46 boats.
Tony acknowledged the dedication of club members and the assistance of outside volunteers in running such an intensive series of events, as well as the various sponsors who supported the club over the year.
He also highlighted the progress in junior and novice sailor training, now headed by Ross Bennett, and revealed plans to host a “Tackers” training program to be run by Yachting Victoria in January 2016.
As well as competing on the water each week over summer, club members took part in several working bees during the winter months to maintain and improve the clubhouse precinct. Projects included the repair of club boats, weatherproofing the barbeque shelter, placement of a permanent fire pit and improvements to boat storage.
AWARDS
Defending club champion Johno Knight again dominated on the water to win the Pennant series in a well-deserved back to back effort. Although he had the title in the bag with several rounds to go, the battle for second place was a much closer affair, ending in a tie between Jan Ibs von Seht and George Grellet which was only resolved in a sail-off on the last day of the season where Ibs von Seht prevailed.
Pennant series (club championship): 1st Johno Knight 2nd Jan Ibs von Seht 3rd George Grellet.
L. & R. Bennett Yardstick Trophy: Johno Knight
Titanic Award: This trophy was again hotly contested, and with a handy tally of capsizes, the Commodore was unlucky to be edged out by a couple of spectacular performances.
An honourable mention was earned by a couple of recently joined members when they managed to plant the mast of their 125 class dinghy vertically in the mud, requiring quite a bit of external assistance to free them. They accepted their pIight in good spirit, and it would be unfair to cause embarrassment by naming them, so let’s just call them Graham and Jacqui Carr.
For his wipeout at speed in the November Regatta, captured on film at the moment his boom fractured, the award went to Jan Ibs von Seht, who was presented with a framed photo of the incident. It wasn’t all bad news though, because Jan used the breakdown as an excuse to purchase a new boat.
Outgoing club Commodore Tony Hillier reported on a very busy and successful season for the club before handing over the tiller to Moyston-based yachtsman Roger Spratt, and was then presented with a gift package of a club shirt and sailing watch from his fellow members in recognition of his dedicated service to the club over the past two years.
Treasurer Mark Knights and OC racing George Grellet reported on the financial and racing results respectively.
Several major events were successfully undertaken during the season, consisting of an Impulse dinghy master class in October, a regional regatta in November, the combined Discover Sailing Day and club 60th Anniversary in December and the Impulse class State Titles in March which attracted a record entry of 46 boats.
Tony acknowledged the dedication of club members and the assistance of outside volunteers in running such an intensive series of events, as well as the various sponsors who supported the club over the year.
He also highlighted the progress in junior and novice sailor training, now headed by Ross Bennett, and revealed plans to host a “Tackers” training program to be run by Yachting Victoria in January 2016.
As well as competing on the water each week over summer, club members took part in several working bees during the winter months to maintain and improve the clubhouse precinct. Projects included the repair of club boats, weatherproofing the barbeque shelter, placement of a permanent fire pit and improvements to boat storage.
AWARDS
Defending club champion Johno Knight again dominated on the water to win the Pennant series in a well-deserved back to back effort. Although he had the title in the bag with several rounds to go, the battle for second place was a much closer affair, ending in a tie between Jan Ibs von Seht and George Grellet which was only resolved in a sail-off on the last day of the season where Ibs von Seht prevailed.
Pennant series (club championship): 1st Johno Knight 2nd Jan Ibs von Seht 3rd George Grellet.
L. & R. Bennett Yardstick Trophy: Johno Knight
Titanic Award: This trophy was again hotly contested, and with a handy tally of capsizes, the Commodore was unlucky to be edged out by a couple of spectacular performances.
An honourable mention was earned by a couple of recently joined members when they managed to plant the mast of their 125 class dinghy vertically in the mud, requiring quite a bit of external assistance to free them. They accepted their pIight in good spirit, and it would be unfair to cause embarrassment by naming them, so let’s just call them Graham and Jacqui Carr.
For his wipeout at speed in the November Regatta, captured on film at the moment his boom fractured, the award went to Jan Ibs von Seht, who was presented with a framed photo of the incident. It wasn’t all bad news though, because Jan used the breakdown as an excuse to purchase a new boat.
