Issue date
In our regular focus on the regions, the four Yachting New Zealand regional support officers look at what has been happening in their areas.
Sailing and boating clubs are dynamic environments. Members and committees come and go on a regular basis and many of these people come into clubs with new ideas, plans and programmes.
Retaining all of this IP is crucial to the longevity and succession planning for any club.
Many people within clubs typically email a multitude of documents between respective groups of members and these documents are kept on one person’s personal PC or laptop.
All of these people within their respective groups or committees will have an original or edited version of a document on their PCs.
Once a person leaves the club, or steps down from a committee, all of these documents often go with them and the information is lost from the club and never passed onto anybody else.
When someone new joins the club or a committee and wishes to create or pursue a new idea, document or programme, there is often no legacy information to use and they have to 'recreate the wheel' despite this having been done in the past.
A simple and effective way to keep all this information centralised and accessible is to use a cloud-based file storage solution such as Google Drive enabling your club to store any and every file.
You can access files anytime, anywhere from your desktop and mobile devices and control how files are shared. Google Drive is part of a package of free applications called Google Workspace.
Any not-for-profit organisation in New Zealand can access Google Workspace Nonprofits for free (you will need to provide evidence of your incorporated society details).
Google workspace includes access to Google Drive for storing files, along with 12 other Google applications such as customised club email addresses, calendars, notes, sheets, meetings and slides.
All you need to do to sign up for Google Workspace Nonprofits is to use a company called Tech Soup New Zealand with details here.
If you are not a member of TechSoup New Zealand, you'll need to register with them and get validated before you can apply for Google for Nonprofits.
Don’t wait any longer and risk losing valuable information. Get signed up today and start building your shared drives across your club.
Optimist national championships
Photo: Yachting New Zealand
Organisers of next month Optimist nationals have asked potential competitors to enter so they can plan accordingly.
The Maraetai Sailing Club are hosting the event on April 2-5 and anticipate this operating under alert level 1 conditions, meaning there will be no restrictions. The regatta typically attracts more than 200 sailors but entries have so far been light as many keep an eye on Covid-19 restrictions.
The club have come up with a theme for the event - national pride - and have organised plenty of activities around that across the regatta.
- See here for more information on the 2021 Optimist national championships and here for the Maraetai Sailing Club.
Kōkōkaha comes to the 'Naki
With the introduction of the YNZ Kōkōkaha - Powered by the Wind schools programme around the country, clubs are starting to deliver the sailing experience which can be part of the programme.
Yachting New Zealand regional support officer Wayne Holdt ran the first of the New Plymouth Yacht Club programmes on a less-than-suitable day with 14 eager, young students from the rural Ratapiko school.
With over 20 knots and waves onto the beach, Holdt decided to tow some Optis over to the sheltered part of the harbour and with two in each boat the kids had a ball. What was great was the resource kit containing pulley systems, ropes, boat materials, sail cloth and other items to keep the kids engaged back in the clubrooms after a long, hot shower.
Hansa national championships postponed
The Hansa class nationals due to be held in Taupo this weekend have now been postponed until April 9-11, 2021.
Hopefully there won't be any Covid-19 restrictions which will allow this regatta to go ahead.
The Taupo Yacht Club's centreboard regatta that was scheduled to run this weekend will still continue.
Rescheduled nationals at Napier Sailing Club
Another big blow to Napier was the cancellation/postponement of three class nationals last weekend. The Napier Sailing Club were due to host the Hartley 16, Flying Fifteen and Noelex 25s. The Flying Fifteens have rescheduled their national championships to be held in Napier on June 5-7.
Top of the South Competition
Some of the best radio control sailing skippers from all over New Zealand will compete in the Top of the South Regatta for the international one metre class in Nelson this weekend.
Radio controlled yachting is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, encompassing many designs of yachts, and this class of radio controlled yacht is sailed in nearly every city in New Zealand as well as all over the world.
Since opening the new venue last October at Best Island, Radio Yacht Squadron Nelson has implemented plans to grow the club and host larger regattas. It's one of best all-year sailing venues in New Zealand and the club is a carbon zero club.
The South Island International One Meter Championship will also be held at Best Island in September of this year.
The Nelson club have more than 30 members of varying ages and backgrounds. For some, it is a way to pursue a once-loved pastime of sailing without the expense and, of course, participants can keep dry.
The club sail at least twice a week and they welcome other classes of yachts, including the Dragon Force 65s.
See here for more information, or contact Basil (Ph 021 084 2809), Denis (027 530 1444) or Ken (027 299 5505).
