It’s a heady mix and the note- taking is challenging, to say the least — Phil got into boating in the 1970s, owned his own yacht in the ‘80s, and has co-ordinated the vital contributions of no less than 115 Volunteers during the 139th Sailing Season alone. With an average annual turnover rate of 25% that means onboarding around 30 new Volunteers each year. And the four closely-knit ladies can significantly add to those numbers: Margy and Beryl with voluntary tenure of 12 years each, Margurite with up to 15 years and Jan notching 20 years of personal commitment to RQYS! Three of this quartet are seasoned sailors: only Beryl marks herself as a ‘non-sailor’ but, by her own admission, she ‘always has a camera around her neck’ when out on a start or support boat — and delivers our Squadron striking action images afloat, to complement those from Spikey-Mike’s sharp lens. “My first visit down here [to RQYS],” Beryl recalls, “I was straight into it: out on a start boat, learning ‘Scribing’ and recording Finishes … then I moved on to the Timer role on a start boat -— you don’t have to have any knowledge of sailing to be a Volunteer: you get given the shared knowledge. “I love it down here — there’s no better place to be!” Margurite Wood agrees, and says that it’s about more than just RQYS at Manly: “travelling with your own kids to other regattas, it’s natural to volunteer at other clubs: you get to know their kids’ parents — all round Australia! — and build a network of friends and contacts!” The role of parents and families in actively supporting their children’s interests, and in getting involved with the sailing activities themselves, is a recurring theme in the constant conversational cross-chat. Parents get excited “seeing what their kids are doing” — Margurite cutting in to say “and to think we could do better at keeping them and getting them back to being involved!” It’s a point not lost on the others, too, with Jan Kemp noting that some schools’ teams racing efforts also feature parents who have been ‘accosted’ to join in the on-water activities. Phil Tooth concurs, noting that some parents are engaged only insofar as their kids’ progression through a few years of classes — from Tackers through Optis to Lasers, for example — and that more might be done to encourage retention, especially for those with a real aptitude and enthusiasm for a sailing future. A universal theme in the crowded conversational chatter is a shared ‘warm fuzzy’ feeling at watching the young ones setting out afloat and envisaging an exciting world which awaits. Margy Porter: “One of the highlights on race days is watching the young children in their small boats start in their races … and I do hope to see those young kids in small boats grow to be outstanding sailors, perhaps representing their country in some future Olympic Games.” Endorsed by Beryl Roberts: “A highlight for me has been seeing young sailors starting out in club racing in their Opti dinghies and watching them grow and gain sailing skills, and then seeing them advance into the next class of boat. Such a privilege to be part of that!” Volunteering is not all about vicarious rewards, however, as the ladies’ enthusiastic comments underscore: “Becoming a volunteer on a Race Committee boat has been the best experience ever!” ~ Beryl Roberts. “I find volunteering most rewarding for my physical and mental wellbeing. I’ve forged lifetime friends ...” ~ Margy Porter. “Volunteering has enabled me to still to be involved in a sport I have participated in most of my life. Despite advancing age and injuries I can now be out on the water in a Volunteer capacity, whether it be on the Start boat, umpiring races in a RhIB or on the land as a juror. I’ve also made new friends of all ages and have learnt many new skills, from driving a RhIB to race management and the complexity of the racing rules of sailing. I enjoy the flexibility of volunteering at RQYS, either just to help out at the weekend or be involved in a major regatta.” ~ Jan Kemp Jan goes on to suggest that another way of engaging prospective Volunteers is to begin with shore-based activities — such as basic boat and tackle maintenance (like those tasks undertaken by the men in the Finn’s Boat Shed “Husbands’ Day-Care Centre’!) or in learning Radio Operator skills to be able to support Paul and Nelly Bolton in their tireless, top-notch WAGS events. “Just the smallest efforts of giving can make the greatest positive difference for others,” says Jan. My notebook of shorthand script is a tangled mess now, with arrows drawn from one comment cross-referencing (and/or crossing-over — or belatedly completing) to another, such has been the passionate intensity of what started out as a ‘casual’ Bistro chat about our Volunteers … Connect with our incredible Volunteers
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