Following on from my last article I am still working through Up The River from October, 1994. In his Moth Class report, Chris Lowe made a little comment which may be of interest to our current Moth skippers where he said  “Until you have been on a Moth in 15-20 knots of wind you haven’t lived!”. He then suggested if anyone was contemplating something exciting like moving up to a Moth then contact the Moth Class Captain for the second hand boat list. So, if you are interested such a change contact our current Moth Class Captain!

In an article in this issue covering “Old CRSC Sailors” saw mention of David Salter whose name you probably recognise as a television producer and journalist. David grew up in Concord and was a member of our Club, first up he was Les Donovan’s crew on Les’s first VJ and sailed VJs and Skates himself and was a CRSC member for some ten years and during that time  sailed in National and State titles. His nickname within the Club was “Beethoven”, I cannot find the reason for this name. David had to give up sailing due to a back operation and then he kindly donated his boat to our Club.

Moving on to the December, 1994 issue of Up The River, our Editor Bob Lindsay wrote an interesting article as the first item in this issue. As it went back to the start of our Club, I think it is worthwhile reproducing here for you to read about the early days. It was headed:-

“I wonder……

With our 50^th year anniversary coming up  … I wonder just what the foundation members of this fair Club were thinking all that time ago. Did they understand what they were creating? I guess they gave little thought that 50 years later we would still be enjoying the fruits of their labour.

To the younger members of this Club it would seem that 50 years is an eternity … when prim and proper people were too rigid in their lifestyles just the same as the elderly regarded the Victorian era (although let’s face it: they were really more straightlaced 100 years ago!)

So what was going on around 50 years ago?

Well, from the obvious ending of the second World War, and all the horrors of those years never to be forgotten, here in the backwoods of little Australia, some amazing things are tucked away in the pages of the Sydney newspapers:

• The SMH of Thursday, May 3, 1945: Some progressive reductions in income tax rates after the war to stimulate re-employment, were suggested by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Menzies. The Leader of the Country Party, Mr. Fadden, said that the rebate system of taxation should be abandoned in favour of the more equitable method of concessions deductions; …. An RAF plane blew up in the air over Petersham killing the pilot and the observer, scattering wreckage, and setting four houses on fire; … Ration coupons … you could part with 32 coupons and eight pounds twelve and six at Curzons just so “NO ONE WILL EVER KNOW’ – that you have a date with the stork when wearing this rayon-like wool ensemble. Double wrap back, shoulder buttoning side tie”;…
• The Daily Mirror of August 22, 1945 reported that: “Lighter beer of less than five percent alcohol was a good idea, but did not go far enough,” said the secretary of the NSW Temperance Alliance… “If we had our way the alcoholic content would be reduced right down until it was not there at all and only water was left.” A Customs official said at present beer in this State had an alcoholic content varying between seven percent to nine percent.”

That was where Bob left it but it is interesting to go back like this and reminisce of the years gone by. It is good for our later members to be reminded of memorabilia such as this.

So much more has since gone on since then as we are now coming up our 80^th year. The only member who has been involved for most of this time is Don Melrose, the son of  George Melrose one of our founders and both were elected as Life Members at the same time in 1975. Don now lives in Tasmania but has visited the Club many times over the years when he has been in Sydney. Don keeps up to date with CRSC through our Up The Rive, a copy of each issue is mailed to him.

In my President’s Report in this issue, I covered our annual Open Day held on Sunday, October 9th and wrote that it was one of the most successful held up to that date. It was held after our race on the day before was abandoned due to heavy winds with more predicted for the next day. However much to everyone’s relief the day was ideal for introducing newcomers to our sport of sailing  “with just enough wind to give a little speed without being too strong so as to frighten off prospective learners”.

Back then the numbers were not as great as they are these days for our Open Days with 5 Herons, 5 Spirals, 1 Cat and 4 NS14s to take out our visitors and 15 registration forms covering 26 people were filled out. Also there were a few who did not complete the forms. Nothing like the numbers we get these days!!!!

My report also said that The Council of Ryde had given approval to change our name to ‘City of Ryde Sailing Club Inc.” and members were asked to give a great deal of thought to this. Included with the UTR was a survey form asking members for their view about a name change. The members would have to be asked to vote for any change at a properly convened meeting to be held to discuss this big change.

As well I advised that the Ryde Council meeting of November, 1994 support had been given to allow the Club to proceed with the next step to our application for extension of our Club House which had to be made to the Waterways Authority. This approval came about after the Club’s executive had a meeting a week before with the Council Committee and some of the residents as there had been an objection lodged with the Council by one of the local residents. The reasons for the extensions were explained and a tour of the existing premises were given to the residents, both of which seemed to have allayed any of their concerns.

This was the start of a long journey to get results for an extension to our building and from time to time I shall include further reports in these articles.

At this time it was decided that to celebrate our 50^th anniversary that a formal dinner would be held on Friday, 10^th November, 1995, then the next day with and official welcome before a sail past off the Club House. A shorter race would be sailed followed by afternoon tea in the Club House.

At the end of my report I included the following paragraph which also applies currently:-“I came across a quote recently which may give us all something to ponder on ….. ‘My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people; those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try and be in the first group, there was much less competition there.” 

Something to keep in mind!!! My father gave me similar advice , which I have tried to follow, and I have passed it on to my family.

Our Commodore, Chris Lowe, in his report advised that we had great co-operation from the operators of the Mortlake Ferry when he contacted the ferry master and told him of our marathon race down to Cockatoo Island. He was quite happy to halt his operation until our fleet passed by after the start of the race. To help matters on that day we condensed the fleet to have only two starts which made things a bit more hectic but an interesting change.

Our Editor again showed his sense of humour by including the following:-

It is good to be able to go back to the past to compare then and now. These days there always seems to be a greater mix of boats in the launch area.

Moving on to the February, 1995 issue of UTR and in my President’s report I advised that the second stage of obtaining approval from the Waterways Authority for the planned extensions had been successful and the next step was to go back to Ryde Council. However, prior to doing this your Management Committee thought it prudent to obtain Club members approval before embarking on the expenditure of funds for the extensions. A special meeting was called for the middle of that February and plans enclosed for members’ consideration even though plans had been on display in the Club House for some time. No other matter to be discussed at the meeting.

The Management Meeting also had further discussions on the proposed name change to City of Ryde Sailing Club Inc and it was agreed that any name change would need to be approved by members at the next AGM.

There was also an article in this issue which included the details of the arrival of the Cat Class in the 78/79 season when they sailed in “A” Division and with this increase the Cat Class was formed after just one season. Its first Class Captain, Cal Hollow, had reported on this back then by writing “The growth in our numbers has been quite remarkable and already we have been accused of breeding cats behind the mangroves on the other side!” By the end of that season an average of 23 Cats were racing – where have they now gone???? The Cat Class itself imposed the 4.5 metre restriction in the length of the Cats sailing with the Club.

This brings me to the April 1995 issue of UTR and my President’s report for that issue where I cleared up some confusion raised by my previous report where some members thought that the Committee felt that a name change should be to “City of Ryde Sailing Club Inc”. It was pointed out that there was no commitment to this suggested name and any change would be on the result of the members’ vote at the forthcoming AGM. I reported that there were only 20 responses to the survey sent out with the previous issue and of these 17 were in favour of a name change. There was a detailed letter sent by Murray Dismorr (now a Life Member) to drop the” City” and just have the name of  Ryde Sailing Club Inc. A further survey form on the name change had been sent out with this April issue of UTR to get some further ideas.

The special meeting called for the discussion and vote of the building extensions was attended by 45 members the vote to proceed with the extension was passed unanimously. At that stage the plans still had to have final approval from some of the authorities.

I will finish off this article with a little more of our then editor, Bob Lindsay’s humour which in placed on the last inside page of this issue:-

“This “B” is not a vitamin.

The “B’ period is what it is called,

The time when you begin to be Bald;

When Bridgework begins to put its bite

Into that which once was life’s delight;

When you have a Bulge where you were flat,

And Bifocals tell you where you’re at.”

It is always good to have a laugh and Bob used to keep us amused!!!

More on the old times next issue.

Good Sailing!!!!

Ron Burwood - Archivist