An information evening was held at the CYCA on Tuesday 23 September to set out plans for a more active cruising program, beginning with a proposed Cruise to Hobart in early 2009, and to assess interest in such activity.

The presenters for the evening – David Champtaloup and Denis Doyle – were introduced by Cruising Captain John Keelty.

Attendees included experienced circumnavigators Ted and Nancy Noffs, Chris Goddard of the Wooden Boat Association, Leonard Stow of the RYCT, representatives from the RPAYC, CYCA director Howard Piggott, as well as CYCA members and their guests. Apologies for absence, but keen expressions of interest in the idea of a program of ‘cruises in company’ were received from the cruising divisions of the MHYC and Cronulla RMYC, and CYCA members Maurie Cameron and Carl Sriber.

Commodore Matt Allen was unable to be present but sent a letter to the meeting expressing the support of the CYCA  board for such a venture, emphasizing that the CYCA was formed as the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and that there is a nice symmetry in now revisiting the idea of a cruise to Hobart –‘the vision of our forefathers’. Vice Commodore Garry Linacre also sent his apologies and expression of support.

The initial plan is for a cruise to Hobart to arrive in time for the Wooden Boat Festival on 5th February 2009, and the Van Diemans Land Circumnavigation. The cruise is envisaged as a non-time based voyage to Hobart, with participants free to leave Sydney at will, with no restrictions on route or transit anchorages. Entrants will be encouraged to voyage in company and may proceed at any time under power or sail, and a stopover at Eden for some form of midway celebration is envisaged.

The proposed elegibility requirements for boats and crew were presented: whilst these will be more rigorous than say the more informal Lord Howe Island Barbecue Cruise, the advantages of a cruise under the CYCA umbrella will be many, including assistance and advice with all stages of preparation, and the safety and security of cruising in company and the monitoring of progress through radio reporting and yacht tracking.

The purpose of the evening was to receive feedback on and assess interest in the proposals: a lively discussion followed on some of the elegibility requirements and these were noted for further consideration, and a show of hands suggested that even from those present there is enough interest in the Hobart cruise early next year and for the idea of a program of cruises in company to other destinations going forward for these to be developed further.

Attendees completed expression of interest forms with their contact details and will be kept informed of progress, and those who were unable to attend but would like to register their interest, or would like further information should contact David at davidchamptaloup@mac.com or Denis at  dddoyle@bigpond.net

David and Denis concluded the evening by thanking those present for their attendance, and Andrew Hawkins and Pat Goldstiver of the Cruising Committee for their assistance in developing the proposals.

The evening had begun with a snapshot of 1944 and the initial idea of a cruise to Hobart by the founders of the CYCA, which subsequently became the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: perhaps future generations will look back on this evening as the beginning of another new era for the CYCA!                                          Roger Wragby