Hebe Jebes Jan/Feb 2014 | Page 8

Reports Mark Ashton Commodore Alan Reid General Manager Happy New Year 2014! I hope that you all enjoyed the Club’s events this festive season and have had a very merry Christmas. Best wishes for the Year of The Horse and see you out on the water! Firstly, a belated Happy New Year to everyone from the Hebe Haven staff. Clear skies and cool north breezes—a great time to be out on the water. Those who managed to get to this year’s Around the Island Race were rewarded with fantastic sailing conditions. A number of Hebe boats took part, with our sailing instructors, Alfred and Doug, grabbing the Pandora Class course record. Past Commodore Mark Haughton and son Dion managed second in the sports boats and Hebe Haven was well represented in the HKPN classes. 踏入 2014年,謹祝各位新年快樂!希望您度過了一個難忘愉 快的聖誕節,亦享受遊艇會為您舉辦的一連串節日活動。 The 24-hour Charity Dinghy Race has come and gone for another year. I would like to say a huge thank you to the 140 members who volunteered their time to assist at the event. The planning started in March with the first meeting of the 24-hour Race Committee chaired by Nigel Slattery, and the monthly meetings soon became weekly meetings. My thanks also go to all the 24-hour Race Committee members and the club staff. Moving from the race scene, a number of members have expressed interest in cruiser events, incorporating fun sailing with a focus on the social side. Sail Committee member and COA representative Rob Winter is our ‘cruiser events’ person, so please talk to Rob about what you would like to see and, most importantly, sign up and hoist the sails. I am very pleased to report that the Club has been granted a 9-month ‘hold over’ period to get our house in order for a full lease extension anticipated at the end of August 2014. In this period, we will construct a new electricity substation and replace our boat racking system. We are developing plans for the future marine offices and workshop facility, new Sailing Centre and events marquee. We hope to present details of these projects at a members’ forum to be held in February. I am very pleased to announce the establishment of a new subcommittee to focus on the Club’s sustainability effort. As caretakers for the environment, and in particular the marine environment, we have a role to play in both doing the right thing and in promoting good practice by example. General Committee member and HKUST Prof. Andy Miller has taken up the challenge of moving the Club forward in this area, so please contact Andy with any ideas, suggestions and offers to help with this effort. For those looking for a special challenge to kick off the new year, find out about the Four Peaks Race—a ‘bite-sized’ version of the UK’s famous Three Peaks Race. The event is organised by the ABC and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. 6 Hebe jebes • Jan/Feb 2014 藍天碧海,北風凜凜,最適宜揚帆出海﹔今年環島賽幸得天 公造美,航行條件甚為理想,我們派出多艘Hebe賽艇參賽, 在教練 — Alfred和Doug — 領導下 ,我們勇創Pandora 級別大 會紀錄﹗前會長Mark Haughton及其兒