Posted on behalf of Steve Crewes … the fellow in the checkered shirt sitting down.
AAAAAAAAAAAAh thank you Dick, Your got two beautiful girls.
The Beautiful pond at Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. We did the Ballarat Conference. We had a good time with this great bunch of blokes.
If you look closely you will see a white bouy down to the right of the pond. (The photo shows just half of the pond). This marks the spot where the Steam Shovel is sunk. Probably worth heaps as memorabilitia alone. They told us it was just below the surface and that they just put a marker bouy on it. I inquired how far down it was and they answered about 5 foot underwater. To the right of the group you will see Hair-oil and my R50s.These proved handy in these conditions.
These guys have a couple of really nice girls that sail with them and can they sail. Nev the club’s Commodore said he would like to run a Constructor regatta there. A constructors regatta is for those people who have made there own boat. In this day and age this (in some places) could prove to be a problem but Ithink in Ballarat they have plenty of people who could build their own and hence Nev’s regatta is a great Idea.
For more pictures of the Ballarat Conference go to www.radiosailing.ourhobby.com seagull’s web page.
steve
Any crocs in that billabong Steve?
(You can say yes, and some of my mates up here just might believe you!)
Nah, Muzza You were suppose to keep that a secret. I only told you because you were bi-lingralligee. And I don’t want you to mention those killer Koalas either. Or the stinging butterflys
hi folks
crikey crocs not here mate but we had a lot of fun anyway the lessons we learnt where fun and the sailing was great what more could you want from a weekend like this ? a Special thanks to steve and erolThe pond is quite deep as it is an old quarry, 30 to 60 feet has been mentioned. The steam shovel part just under the surface is the bucket boom extend up. There is also a shed, and I have just been told by a skindiver, an old truck as well.
We certainly enjoyed the vist by the Drummoyne Ancient Mariners.
Steve did not mention the wind across the pond, it is a challenge but great fun. I do not think he has seen a mast top wind flag doing 360’s before.
Was that two ears you waskly wabbit in the photo?
Steve
Night Owl is no bunny, its just the way he dressed that day.
Nev, how did you get on with the three wise men from Melbourne on Sunday?
How could you call a Night Owl a waskly wabbit, waskly wabbits don’t wear sunglasses.
Did you guys see that there is a brand new R50 for sale on the ARYA web site www.radiosailing.org.au under ‘boats for sale’ . Good buy for someone. Ready for a novice.
I’ve had mine for about 2 1/2 years and have sailed it in all weathers. The only thing you really have to learn (apart from the art of sailing) is the mast slot function in the deck. That may take the best part of 5 minutes to work out but is it a little beauty in practice. There are not many classes in R/C sailing, where the boat will go really good on your first try. And while the add says , that it is a little slower than a new Marblehead, it goes really good in Ballarat Conditions.
Another thing with starting new clubs (like Ballarat ) is that all the new arrivals(novices) are at different levels and will stay like that for ages. By having a club boat like a R50 a new club can have all the new people on the same learning curve. Now from there , one can go anywhere , even to a new Brad Gibson’s Boogie Marblehead. The grounding in the classes is a wonderfull thing, when your finished with your R50 you sell it on to your new club members and so the cycle continues. One of my “beefs” about the M class is there is not many ‘in’ ways to get into the sport very cheaply. Some of the M boats vary in style , like Swing and Conventional. To get a novice who understands both is a rarity and well, I think the R 50 can fill that roll. For more on the R50 go to www.radiosailing.ourhobby.com
Steve
yes steve i have seen the R50 on the site it would be a good yacht for a novice as i have seen them sail and know how well they do there job
Well gent what you think sould the guys from melbourne come up and sail a lake with some interesting qualities ???
yep have seen it steve and can say that to anyone that wants a cheap yacht that the R50 sails well.
Well gents i think the guys in melbourne sould come up and sail a lake that has some interesting qualities what you think ???
Well Seagull my opinion would be a bit one-eyed on that subject. Lots of different things go to make a good venue , including good company and freindly people. Clean and weed free water, like yours is.
I personally thing that your pond has to be one of the best I have sailed on. Over the two days we were there it was excelent. Well worth the long trip from Sydney. I know Hair - oil is raring to go again, he told me to-day.
I think it warrants a Ballarat Conference every year.
I reckon that you people have got an excess in talent in your club. Of the blokes that I met , they were all enthusiatic about sailing. That they didn’t whinge about anything and they got on well together, seeing it was a diverse range of backgrounds, that they come from.
Steve
our group all get along very well wich is great and as you said clean clear water no weeds wich of corse for mables with long keels in a must the deep water helps keep the weed down
by the way steve we have anouther matese falcon in the club least it will be when it is built a new member is building it
A couple more pics of the boats and pond at Ballarat. We welcome anyone who wishes to try it out. Steve, still can’t get the A swing rig working well pointing into wind, when you coming back coach??
:king:
:bag:
ok folks you got me here is a couple more of our pond and of coarse the boats
you got me gents i got a couple of pictures from our pond including some gents that make it look like they know what there doing hehe maybe they do who am i to say?
:goldfish:
So what has happened so far? Has the melbournians shown any interest in what your trying to accomplish at Ballarat? Will you go and do a constructors & builders championship on some weekend?
Important to keep the ball rolling. Have you put the “conference” in the local paper with your photos.
steve
All has been done that could be done, and things are progressing as expected
Steve
Further to your question on things we can / have done: -
We can get our event advertised on communtity TV, they are looking for community based activities to put to air.
Get local paper to feature our pond, plus advertise in it.
Local radio community service to publicise local activities.
Get TV get commercial stations to show in news or current affair type things - possible but need to have reasonable regatte for this one according to my mate in the trade.
Signs in places of prominence, ie model shops, milk bars, or such unmentiobale places that ancient mariners may visit.
Local newsletters for feature or ads
We are getting much interest from onlookers at the pond also with good results.
The biggest problem is have a supply of boats for interested parties to purchase complete or base to build one from.
Its not too hard to get a club underway, keeping it going may be the bigger challenge as continual effort to keep high profile is required. More members, more delegation of duties.