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Kia Ora to all our members, family and friends,
The Ides of March 15th live in infamy beyond the murder of Julius Caesar at the news of 50 people killed and many more wounded in Christchurch last month. Our membership mourned along with the rest of our nation for both these innocent victims and the scale of this atrocity.
Our Club has more recently lost our longest surviving member Doug Bradey, who passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on Saturday 30th of March. Doug was 93 years, and honouring his contribution, many members attended along with several Past Commodores who spoke at Doug’s service held at the MCC, Monday 8th April. Poroporoaki ki tepouri (farewell with sadness).
Sadness too with autumn’s sudden entrance with cold southerlies and rain this week. Easter is also looking cool and damp with more southerlies and sea temperatures falling, so our Indian summer seems over earlier than last year. Time to start considering what needs to be done for your vessel's winterising, ensuring your batteries are conditioned, fuel tanks (particularly diesel) are left full to reduce condensation plus fuel treatment to ensure no bugs lurking in your tank grow over winter. All maintenance tips learned from the courses that have been provided by members at our club and it's timely for us to plan another series of member courses during the winter period to prepare for summer.
On a more positive note, we welcome and introduce several new employees to MCC:
Front of House: Rowena Burton is a friendly face many of you have already met in the restaurant and bar. Rowena brings with her not only an impressive CV including a degree in Commerce and Administration, her hospitality experience from 2005 until now also includes waitressing, bar, barista through to café manager in eight different bars and cafes so the depth of experience will be a big help with our functions and restaurant service.
Travel Lift Operator: Tony Coard, a NZ Rail trained electrical engineer, launch owner and avid April and this is a moment that has been awaited by many members and your committees for several years. It’s a process that couldn’t be rushed – we needed the infrastructure and a business plan in place for a Club Manager to assume responsibility for and to be measurable against. Your Committee rd Tony O’Connor commences with us on 23Club Manager:
TLO. Both Ted and Tony have just completed the NZMOA Boatyard Training in Waikawa Marina last week and we are introducing some changes to reflect the recommended practices by the NZ Marina Operators Assoc that are adopted by other yard operators around NZ so we hope you see some improvements over the next few weeks as we implement these practices.rdbee keeper joins Ted Coats and Colin Steel as our 3are very pleased to have someone of Tony’s calibre in this role and we look forward to working with Tony in improving our revenues, ensuring we reach budgeted targets, helping with member communications and improving the professionalism of the services we provide our members in both yard and hospitality functions.
Tony introduces himself below and he looks forward to meeting you all at club nights and is looking forward to ensuring building on the progress already made.
From the Club Manager:
Hi, my name is Tony O’Connor and I am excited about working with the Mana Cruising Club. My aim is to help the club achieve a sustainable future where all members, future members, friends and families can benefit from belonging to a community that shares a passion for boating and marine activities.
A little bit about me: I grew up in hospitality, in a family that owned hotels, with uncles, aunties, and cousins all owners in the industry. I have also had many years of volunteer support in sports clubs including positions of coaching, coach mentor, committee, club captain and club president, and I believe this, along with several years’ experience in people management, gives me an understanding of the unique challenges clubs face in the 21st century. My goals coming in to the club are aligned to the Club’s Vision “A welcome landing”, Club Mission “To promote the growth and development of the Club, ensuring its long-term financial viability for the benefit and enjoyment of all present and future members and visitors.” And Club Values, “Friendly, respectful, inclusive, professional.”
Initially, I would like to look at creating continuity within the team across the bar, restaurant, and front of house functions to create a seamless operation, that has the agility, the skills and the culture to deliver memorable service that will keep customers coming back for more.
I feel there are opportunities for increased patronage of club facilities, both by members and within the community catchment for events and promotions. This, I believe, is MCC’s obvious target audience and given the residential growth in the surrounding suburbs is achievable. A professional customer focussed approach, however, will be required to attract new members and increase event bookings.
Attracting current members to take the opportunity to make use of the facilities as well as the marine advantages is another priority. Happy club members who enjoy using the club are the best promoters. Their enthusiasm and recommendation to friends will be invaluable. Feedback from those members, the staff, and others who hire the venue for events is also key to understanding how the club houseorganisation is meeting the needs of users and I will be happy to get all the thoughts, ideas, and suggestions people would like to share.
Final comments:
Exciting times ahead for our club as we head into our 60th Diamond Jubilee celebrations in October this year but there’s still a lot to do ahead for your committee in preparation for our AGM and this event.
Your committee are actively involved in the betterment of our club and our member services, to creating the environment and infrastructure that gives this club the opportunity to see another anniversary in 60 years. However, in the effort to implement change I acknowledge concerns raised by members regarding inadequate notice of changes and I accept my communication has fallen short of adequate for which I apologise to those affected. With a club manager now in place, we have the means to ensure there is a delegation of this communication going forward so change will be a more inclusive process.
I want to finish with two extracts from the business plan that your former Commodore Mike Quayle prepared for this committee, as a road map for the processes we are currently working through:
“To succeed clubs, need to recognise that there has been a shift from the original genesis on clubs as a community of common-minded people to the current situation where clubs have become a venue for the community in general.”
“Through undertaking detailed analysis and feasibility studies some clubs have been able to ensure success through diversification.”
The greater document demonstrated risks facing all recreational clubs surviving into the next decade; the relevance of what we need to be to our future membership is key to our club’s survival and this what your committee has been working towards. Now with the assistance of our new Club Manager Tony, an experienced management professional, we have the resources to be able to engage with members better going forward.
Regards,
Allan Davidson
Commodore
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Please put these dates in your diary, we would love to see your support for these club events!
Mothers Day Brunch – 12 May, 12pm
Bingo Night – 18 May, 7pm
Mid-Winter Party – 29 June, 7pm
Father's Day Brunch – 1 September, 12pm
Blue September Fundraiser – 21 September, 7pm
MCC AGM – 6 October, 4pm
MCC 60th Jubilee – 11, 12, 13 October
Oktoberfest – 26 October, 4pm
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It is with great sadness I wish to inform the members and committee of the Mana Cruising Club of the passing of Graham Colin Wilkinson.
Graham passed away after a long battle with asbestos cancer and heart-related issues. He is survived by his former wife Marlene, 4 sons (Wayne, Kim, Shane, Rodd) and his daughter Kylie. Along with 13 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
Graham was a life member of the cruising club, having joined in 1966 along with his wife Marlene.
Our fondest memories growing up for us all was heading down the sounds on Shalimar and pre-my time Mystic. With both boats, Dad purchased the hull and cabin and completed all fix out, fittings and remaining works himself in the backyard.
An avid seaman, Dad was the pilot on 25+ Cook Strait marathon swims (along with other stretches of water including Foueaux Strait, Tutakaka and Raratonga). He was also the first call the police made when a search and rescue was required. I remember many a night in extreme weather when those calls would come through and with no hesitation, Dad along with some of my brothers would get up and head out into the night on Shalimar. I have never known a man more at home on the sea.
Graham was a builder by trade who worked very hard to provide for his family, if he wasn’t on the job site or at the Mana Cruising Club he was fixing propellers in his workshop at home in Pope Street, Cambourne, where we had magnificent views out to Mana Island and Cook Strait.
Graham and his family made the move to the Gold Coast, Australia in 1988
We will be bringing Dad’s ashes home to be scattered at sea in the place he loved most and where he belongs.
We will never forget you, our love eternal, until we meet again…xxx Kylie
Graham Colin Wilkinson – Rest in Peace
13/09/1934–18/01/2019 (aged 84)
May the seas be smooth before you.
May a gentle breeze forever fill your sails.
May sunshine warm your face,
And kindness warm your soul,
And until we meet again,
May God bless you and keep you safe.
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It's that time of the year again!
We have our Sponsors back on board again: Clark & Co, Seaview Sails & Rigging, and Burnsco Marine. A big thank you for your support. So please support them!
There will be a registration evening on Wednesday 1 st May at 1830 hrs in the Wardroom. The Notice of Race and the Sailing instruction will be available shortly
Please let me know sooner rather than later if you intend to sail in this year’s event and either the Cup or Mark Elmer’s Trophy. I really need to know the number beforehand.
(click to view larger)
Kind regards,
John
john@manacc.co.nz
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A week after the Christchurch massacre, I met a man on the lawn area at Mana Marina. We got chatting: the marina is a friendly place and, as a live-a-board, I always like to make sure newbies feel welcome. Reaching out with this friendly hand also means that if someone is struggling, or needs something, they know this is a place where people care. This is the kind of community I want to live in. This is the New Zealand I want.
This man was a Kiwi but lives overseas and is making plans to move back to New Zealand. We talked about changing careers and living our dreams and of course, boats. I said I have been involved in refugee settlement and he smiled, and then joked, “Can you stop refugees coming here then? Can you build a wall?”
My jaw dropped. I was utterly shocked – I’d met people like this before but had never known what to do. But since the massacre, I had been preparing for this moment in my mind. I had already decided that I would no longer tolerate ANY form of racism, whatsoever, and that I would always challenge it if I came face to face with it. I had hoped that I would do this with love, calmly and without aggression. Racism comes from ignorance, indifference, and making jokes about things you don’t really know anything about (or feel threatened by). It ignores the connection that you have with others and places yourself at the centre.
I asked him how many refugees or Muslims he knows and whether he has any idea of their experiences. He became defensive and scrambled to confirm his own, flawed, dangerous and sad storyline of his place in the world. I told him, calmly, that New Zealand does not tolerate this kind of attitude – not anymore. I walked away as he was still ranting. While I am proud that I stayed calm, my idea about challenging racism behaviour with love did not work and that is something I have to work on. Because I think that is the only way to really change behaviour.
I support a former-refugee family from Syria who live in Titahi Bay. Last week the eldest son was angry, sad and confused: he told me that he was too scared to go to school. They have spent three years finding a new version of home where they feel safe. This has now been destroyed and they have to somehow pick themselves up again. I almost find it even harder to see into their pain now.
I love the boating community, largely. We are full of adventurers who love life, who appreciate friendship and the awesomeness of being at sea and tucked into bays. We can be a community of diverse people who come from different backgrounds. But we can also be narrow, conservative, and self-centred where people disconnect themselves from others because of their narrow views and fear of something they don’t understand. Happiness can also come from acknowledging the pain in the lives of others and then taking positive action to do something about it. It comes from listening to your heart and the hearts of others.
After Christchurch, nothing is the same. Even if you don’t know what to do about it (after the initial sadness) I hope you will listen to that the part of you that wants to do something. Smile at someone who looks different from you; give money to the Red Cross; ask uncomfortable questions and seek answers; or just understand more where racism comes from. And most of all, gently challenge any behaviours that you know in your heart are wrong, even if it will cause discomfort. Your discomfort is nothing compared to the discomfort of those Muslim families in Christchurch and around the globe. There is a connection with jokes about not wanting refugees in this country and building walls to the massacre. It is different degrees of the same ignorance and hatred. How can we all collectively stop these damaging views? Perhaps by small steps – one challenge at a time. What else?
Janie Walker
SY Pebbles
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Congratulations to the winner of our restaurant naming competition, Cathy Scott who will enjoy a $25 voucher at our newly named resturant which is...
The Porthole Bistro
Congrats Cathy!
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A very warm welcome to our many new members:
Regular members:
Graham & Karren Davenport/Masterton/Shalimar/Launch
Philip Cassin & Judy Williams/Paraparaumu/Arata/Launch
Wi Love/Wellington/Reuben Jack/Launch
Mohammed Fazil/Wellington/TBA/Trailer craft
Aidan Belsham/Porirua/TBA/Trailer craft
Rob Goldring/Porirua/Goldy's Girl/Trailer craft
Fraser Stephens/Wellington/Great White Chalmer/Trailer craft
Fred Southerwood/Raumati South/Freddy's Gold/Trailer craft
Wayne Jackson/Porirua/TBA/Trailer craft
Choong Kim/Palmerston North/Nutcracker/Yacht
Country members:
Ron Whitehead/Martinborough/Jay Dee/Trailer craft
Associate members:
Roger & Maria Calkin/Porirua
Abbey Berry/Porirua
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This space is for members to advertise "Buy, Sell and Exchange" boating related items. No more than maximum of sixty words can be accepted. Please don't forget to include a picture and your contact details. Email your advert to editor@manacc.co.nz
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