Recently in Anyone Interested? Category

Misty Blue - Catalina 42 Mk2

Around the marina, you find boats being used, boats not being used, neglected boats and well cared for boats. The worst ones are well cared for friends' boats which are for sale.

You'll be missed, Ian and Sharon.

Here's an idea for a weekend with a difference! For a number of years now a 24 hour race has been held on Lake Macquarie over the October Long Weekend.

Sunrise on Lake Macquarie

The Heaven Can Wait 24 hour race was conceived and promoted by Lake Macquarie resident, keen sailor and cancer survivor Shaun Lewicki as a major annual sailing event on the lake, to promote sailing, the Lake Macquarie/Newcastle/Hunter region - and to raise funds for cancer research.

Is anyone interested in going down for the race? It might be interesting for some of us to join forces, perhaps crewing together.

You can read more about the race on the Heaven Can Wait web site.

You have to admire the generosity of spirit and commitment that Kevin Dunn is showing by taking on the restoration of Alfreds II for the benefit of Nimowa Island in the Louisiades. It was good to see the support he received at the May meeting. I have started an Alfie Website to track progress on the project and to encourage us all to contribute.

One of the joys of belonging to the RPAYC cruising group is the ability to network with others who have similar needs. For example, occasionally many of us look for some assistance to help deliver a boat to a destination, while the opportunity to occasionally sail on someone elses boat is welcomed by many.

Ross Scoble and Peter Style have recently started an offshore crew list where members can register their interest in crewing. And if you're looking for someone to help you crew your boat on a leg of your cruise, let Peter or Ross know. This is of course not an official club service, but simply a way to make it easier for one member to find another with a common interest or need.

I just received this email from Maurice Byrnes. While there won't be an official cruise North next year, Maurice is thinking about next winter. His email is reproduced here with permission - feel free to leave a comment or contact him directly if you're interested in going North next year!

Hello Everyone,

I have been thinking about an extended cruise to the Barrier Reef.  As I can’t see me having the sort of time (in one big lump) that I would like to do this trip comfortably, I am now thinking along the lines of breaking the trip up into 4 or 5 bits, so that time is available to veg for a few days in Island Head Creek, or Port Clinton, or Tin Can Bay or wherever!

The idea being to sail for (say) 2 weeks and get the boat to Urangan or Bundaberg, then book it into the marina for 4 weeks or so and then fly home for that time.  Them fly back and continue for another couple of week and repeat the exercise at Gladstone or Rosslyn Bay or Mackay.  The centre piece of the trip would be to have 3 or 4 weeks in the Whitsundays during the September / October preferred season.  Then repeat the exercise, or maybe modify it, on the way back.  This would nicely break up winter 2007.

I have checked flight details and there are heaps of opportunities to the likes of Mackay, Gladstone, Bundaberg, Rockhampton etc.

The only cost that I have from a marina at this stage is Mackay & for a 12 mtr mono the cost is $700 for 4 weeks.  Therefore what we save by not paying marina fees here will offset those fees along the way.

Just some thoughts!  Is anyone interested or have suggestions?

Maurice Byrnes