Ngaroto sailing Club

Owen Johnston bought a Hartley 16, making 3 in the Ngaroto fleet. The others belong to Thomas and Gordon Wallis. Peter van der Stap is looking for one to replace his Joker 6.7 which he sold recently to a buyer from Auckland. The Joker fleet at Ngaroto Sailing Club is now down to one, ResiVor. I have the only Noelex 22 and Alex Kraayenhof, the lone Paper Tiger (catamaran). The rest are dinghies: Laser, Starling, P-class and Optimist. Some dinghies are club owned, for use by new members until they decide to buy their own boat. I think there is a nominal charge for hiring a club boat for the day.

I noticed that at the start of the regatta yesterday for dinghies, the numbers are down compared to previous years when Ross Wrenn ran the regular sailing class for juniors on Sundays in the summer months. Murray Wall obtained funding for a fleet of six 420's for older juniors (teenagers). The club is now down to less than 10 regular sailors. Last year, the lake was closed for half the year due to green algae growth and the sailing activities stopped.

Ross Wrenn conducting sailing lessons at the club on Sundays.

Ross Wrenn

Various types of trailer yachts were seen at the club: Jokers, Kestrels, Noelex, Hartleys, Caribou 20's, Monarch 17's, Elliots and a great variety of dinghies: Optimists, Starlings, P-class, Lasers, Phase Two, 420's, Sunburst and Paper Tigers.

Starling sailed by Melissa Wall.

A fleet of six 420's organized by our commodore, Murray Wall and funded by Yachting NZ. These are available for use by most of the clubs in the Waikato region. Now I see why NZ, a small country can win the America's cup. We have made the efforts to train young sailors from age 10 or even younger!

Alex Kraayenhof on his catamaran, a Paper Tiger, a very fast sailing vessel.

Paper Tiger

Gordon Wallis owned the largest boat ever to sail Lake Ngaroto,

Elliot 7.4

an Elliot 7.4 which required a crew of 3 strong men. The centre board (wing-keel) was lowered by using a hydraulic mechanism.spinnaker up for the downwind leg.

My boat is the only Noelex 22 sailing Lake Ngaroto.

Nanook

I have been a regular sailor there for more than 10 years; known especially for playing a bamboo flute while sailing on calm days.

Among other things, my hobby is playing a bamboo flute and sailing a yacht. Hence my internet profile is this on my blogs, FaceBook and other places on the world wide web. I leave quite large foot prints on the internet. Search engines just love me!

Nanook action shots

In the summer months I usually take part in trailer yachts regattas, on Sundays at the Ngaroto Sailing Club.

Grass carp at Ngaroto

Today, I caught a Koi carp swimming on the front lawn of the Ngaroto Sailing Club, without using a fishing rod (just my bare hands and a laundry basket).

I can see many more big ones swimming in the lake just in front of the club house.

six hour endurance race

Kenny crew for me during the 6-hour regatta yesterday. The wind was excellent especially near the end. There were quite a few spills and drama at the buoys. We were placed fifth in the trailer yacht class.

happy sailors

I recruited two more sailors today. It was a glorious day for sailing with a gentle breeze at about 5 knots. Ron owned a Noelex 25 for many years. He has volunteered to be our sailing coach for the day.














David Jin and Ron

good score but no birdies

Yesterday was a good day for me at the golf course. I carded 7 pars and scored a total of 91. At this rate I am thinking of submitting some cards to get a handicap for joining the veterans circuit next year. After 25 years I finally managed to play under my handicap of 23 awarded to me by MGC in 1979. Just look at that water hazard behind me. I will need to drive like Tiger Woods to get across this water to the green on the far side!

...and just look at the size of this water hazard around the little green!

Ngaroto yacht club open day

An admirer of my Noelex?!

 


There is plenty of space inside a Joker 820. The head (toilet) even has a door. What luxury, compared to my Noelex 22.

stormy weather

Although the weather today was terrible for golf, it was excellent for sailing. Orrin and I put on life jackets and continued in the 20 knots wind. Just look at that sky!

new crew

Yesterday Dean was my crew for race 3 of the Paterangi series. Frances and her two children joined us for part of race 4! Many of my golf partners have been on my boat as guests during the summer months.

regatta

My crew today were Shawn and Rebecca. We were placed 4th in both race 1 and 2 of the Paterangi series. Shawn knows now exactly when to release the blue rope  (halliard) and pull on the red one (jib sheet)?! For free sailing lessons please come to Ngaroto yacht club, Bank Road, Te Awamutu at 10 a.m. most Sundays in summer.

no wind

I was on the water with Christine and Sherina last Sunday but there was hardly any wind. We sailed drifted for about an hour, had a picnic lunch, then went home. Hopefully next Sunday there will be more wind and better sailing.

Working bee, Ngaroto boat club

I have been a member of this sailing club for some years. Every year, we organized a working bee, usually a week before the opening of the summer sailing season. Seen here is Gordon, using a water blaster on the back walls.

 Ross Wrenn is commodore of the club, this year. He got the top job!

 I usually use my weed eater to trim the bushes around the club house.

 Here is Chappy cleaning the windows, after the painting job.

 Ross on the roof cleaning the walls, before painting.

Gordon is putting that water blaster to good use, cleaning the barbecue set with help from Owen and Ross.

Alex, Gordon and Peter laying the concrete floor in the boat shed for the rescue boat.

 Peter van der Stap's cement truck was put to very good use.

Alex laying non slip mats on the wooden jetty.

big fish

Other visitors prefer to go fishing. Here, Shou Shan from Kuantan got a big fish!