Combining a sail day and our AGM is always a recipe for a busy day and this was no exception. An early start at the lake with boats being rigged and launched, lunch/meeting room set up, notes checked and last minute items collated before the lunch bell was rung. A crowd of 36 attended with a terrific assortment of casseroles / lasagna / sweets enough to build up stamina to survive the afternoon.
The AGM started on time and proceeded with a general meeting and then all positions being declared vacant at which point Geoff Carroll took the role of receiving officer and as there were no challenges, the committee was declared re elected for another 12 month term.. with the exception of Rob Ripley who has stepped down from the committee to follow his travel bug and redesign Green Bean ... again. All the best Rob and Pat.
Leigh McNolty was the recipient of the "Bell" award for his services as Secretary to the Association by keeping the committee on task at the meetings (no small task) while still recording all mutterings! Many thanks Leigh.
The on water activities really got going after the AGM with a "sail past" for the President to take the salute, boats and crews dressed to impress or in the case of "Talisman" to raid as a Viking vessel with Penny brandishing a hatchet, Begonia had strings of flags flying and the Batchelors were posing as "Swallows and Amazons" while Geoff Carroll was dressed in the most formal attire of the day.
The display of boats was impressive with all club boats out, Geoff Carroll with Blue Belle, Frank Raisin in Paul Rubera's Beth, Jim and Penny with Talisman, my Will o .. , Andrew Campbell with his 6' dinghy, Jimmy Baillie launched his 12' rowing /motor dinghy, and the largest boat of the day was the launching and christening of Andrew Yens 25' Chebacco KHAOS theory.
The conditions were trying with light winds for the sail past but this did improve during the afternoon. Alan Chinn was tasked with the difficult job of evaluating the dressing efforts of boats and crews to establish: Best dressed boat ... declared a draw between Begonia and Talisman. Best dressed crew ... awarded to Peter and Kirsty Batchelor, and Most unique attire ... Jim and Penny.
It was good to see so many at the AGM and also to catch up with those who we haven't seen for a while due to various circumstances. May the next year be as activity filled as the last and attended by as enthusiastic a crowd as we have had in the past.
Penny Braybrook reports that Karen Gunn and Paul Rubera have recently married! Congratulations Karen and Paul from all your WBA friends.
A very big thanks to all the committee members who have helped in the running of the club and also those who have acted as OOD's at our sail days / catering / working bees / etc. ... without you the running of our club would not have been so smooth.
In the past year we have had quite a list of activities, to name a few :
- Tall ships week including our 2 displays , Seaworks and Blunts.
- "One pot" cooking night
- Paynesville weekend last year
- Seaworks evening at Williamstown
- Christmas Party and sailing day
- Rye sailing day
- Begonia festival at Ballarat
- Geelong wooden boat festival
- Rigging Begonia Club Night which began the production of the Rigging Begonia booklet.
- Trivia night
- Nelson weekend with SAWBA and Nelson classic boat club.
- Yarra river trip.
- Sail days at Albert Park.
Our website has continued to develop under the management of Peter Batchelor for which we thank him and I am sure that further development will occur in the coming months to assist members.
We as a club are fortunate to have assets which are for the enjoyment of all members so remember that the club boats are available for borrowing and to assist we have developed an instructional sheet which will be in Begonia on how to rig her and some sailing pointers - a good job undertaken and executed by Frank Raisin and published by Sue Raisin.
Chris Kelly, President.
