Issue date
The Timaru Yacht and Powerboat Club members Les and Beryl Baker have achieved a major milestone with their Noelex 25 trailer yacht Skid Mark – clocking up 1000 nights spent on board - amounting to close to three years worth of night’s afloat.
Les Baker tells the story, which starts when he and his wife Beryl bought the Noelex 2 5-Skidmark in 1999, the year before he retired; “Prior to that I had sailed dinghies and Beryl and I raced a Noelex 22 for about 18 years.”
“We have primarily used Skidmark for cruising in association with the trailer yacht section of the Timaru Yacht and Power Boat Club, which has an organised cruise about every 2-3 weeks during the sailing season. Each year we also take part in the Aviemore Classic Trailer Yacht race.”
“Most of this cruising has been on Lakes Aviemore and Benmore which are within two hours drive of Timaru. We usually go away for up to a week on each trip.”
“In addition to the Waitaki lakes, we have cruised on Lakes Manapouri and Te Anau plus in the north of the South Island to Pelorus and Queen Charlotte Sounds. Each year we spend three weeks in February in the Abel Tasman National Park. We have also cruised in the Hauraki Gulf.”
“We find that the opportunities to explore and view scenery from the water very relaxing. The challenges of wind and tide add to the interest.”
“The thing we most enjoy is the companionship with other trailer yachties, especially the evening get-togethers on the beach, often around a camp fire.”
“We have kept a record of our use of the boat and achieved 1000 nights sleeping on board in January while at Lake Benmore. In the time we have had the boat I have towed it over 60,000 kms!”
Timaru Yacht and Power Boat Club’s (TYPBC) Trailer Yacht Section have recognized the achievement with a certificate and Laurence Smith, Rear Commodore of the Club’s Trailer Yacht Section says; “To our knowledge this feat has not been achieved anywhere else in New Zealand.”
“Les and Beryl have both been involved in the local Club for many years via involving their kids in sailing, being involved on the administration side and Les being a qualified Race Officer. He runs many different regatta events nationwide.”
