The start of a Batemans Bay regatta in April 2018. Photo: Batemans Bay Sailing Club.
After half a century of strong winds, the Batemans Bay Sailing Club isn’t showing any signs of quitting.
The club will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a grand regatta, birthday dinner and sailing this weekend (25-27 October).
But just how has it managed to last for so long?
“I think it’s because there’s a core of really committed sailors who are very keen to keep it going and love sailing on Batemans Bay and Coila,” the club’s vice commodore Lachlan Brown said.
“Both of these are spectacular venues and are amongst the best of their kind in the state for sailing.”
Mr Brown said while he had been around the club for almost 30 years, all of the original committee members had passed away, so there were not many details about the early days.
The club was established in 1974 by a small group of enthusiasts wanting to take advantage of the perfect sailing conditions in the area.
Mr Brown said the original clubhouse at Caseys Beach was washed away in a storm, then the new building was built at Hanging Rock off Corrigans Beach, where it remained today.
He recounted a story of the early days, when the clubhouse didn’t have a roof. When it started to rain during a general meeting, the members had to hold the meeting in one of their cars. Due to being such a small group, they were all able to fit inside the vehicle.
In the late 1990s, the club had 19 yachts competing in Batemans Bay. Nowadays, it regularly sees six boats in the Batemans Bay and Coila races and it has about 70 members of all ages.
“For that number of members, it’s a very active club,” Mr Brown said.
“Sailing is a very physically demanding sport at an elite level, but for recreational sailing, it doesn’t have to be that way.”
Al Rosier is pictured sailing the boat ‘Rhubarb’ in 1997. Photo: Batemans Bay Sailing Club.
He said the club had links with the Sailability program to support sailing for people of all abilities, while it was attempting to set up links with Moruya High School to try to establish youth sailing in the area.
He also said it ran a regatta every Anzac Day weekend which had become a fixture on the regional NSW sailing program and had a strong social program with regular dinners and events.
Mr Brown was asked what he got out of the club.
“Aside from the social side, sailing is just the sort of activity where you can be competitive and race hard, but at the same time just go out and have a pleasant day on the water,” he said.
“We are always seeking new members.”
The 50th anniversary weekend, from Friday to Sunday (25-27 October), features a variety of racing and leisure events designed for both seasoned sailors and visitors.
Friday starts the celebrations with a twilight sail on the Clyde River from 5 pm, followed by a relaxing ‘raft-up’ flotilla under the stars at the new local jetty. All are welcome.
Saturday has a full day of activities, including open water races and a barbecue on the foreshore.
Racing sailors can participate in two sprint races, while cruising sailors can enjoy a fun sail around the bay with extra guests on board, capturing photos for a competition.
The day culminates in a 50th birthday dinner at the clubhouse, where members and previous club members can share and record their stories. A slideshow of photos from across the years will be displayed and guests are encouraged to submit their own photos ahead of the event for a chance to win prizes in various categories.
Sailors take a break during an event for the Batemans Bay Sailing Club. Photo: Batemans Bay Sailing Club Facebook.
Lastly, Sunday features off-the-beach sailing at Coila Lake, preceded by brunch.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate 50 years of sailing excellence,” the club’s commodore Simon Dunlop said.
“This milestone is a testament to the dedication and passion of our members, past and present.
“We look forward to welcoming everyone to join us for a weekend of camaraderie, competition, and celebration. We welcome anyone who has sailed or socialised within the club, as well as anyone who enjoys celebrating the vitality of our community and loves a little history.”
For more information on the events and to submit photos for the competition, click here.
To learn more about the club, click here.
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