A Continuation of the History of the Te Anau Boating Club (INC.)
At the 1989 Annual General Meeting a presentation was made to Mr Ernie Haliiday who was retiring from the Committee after 30 years of service to the Club as a founding member, President, Life member and Committee member. Mr A.B. MacPherson retired as President and Mr RS. Hall was elected President in his place.
At a Special General Meeting held on 30 May 1990 the annual balance date of the Club was changed from 31 August to 30 June. This to facilitate the holding of annual meetings and the fixing of subscriptions for the ensuing season prior to Labour Weekend.
During 1989/90 years, discussions were held with the Department of Conservation regarding missing markers on lake hazards. Following advice from Maritime Transport that DOC is responsible for marking lake hazards DOC agreed to check the marking of hazards and remark where necessary. The trailer parking area was extended to the East, incorporating the existing road, which was shifted eastwards and a new boundary fenced with posts and rails. In addition, a new light was installed beside the harbour entrance to light up the cut at night.
At the 1990 Annual General Meeting Mr Mervyn Wilson retired from the Committee after 20 years of service. Since retiring to Te Anau Mr Wilson had arranged a good deal of the Club’s property maintenance. It was noted at the AGM that the membership of the Club had increased to 315.
Early in 1990/91, the footing of the cut was dug out and pre strengthened slabs were installed and the area was backfilled. The harbour berths were also renumbered using reflectorised curb numbers.
During the year a VHF Marine radio was purchased for emergency use by members and installed at the Harbour Wardens holiday camp. A new light was also installed beside the boat ramps and a wooden sign carved with the Club’s name was erected on the kiosk. In addition, 12 mattresses were donated to DOC for use in the Worsley Hut.
At the start of the 1991/2 season, a working party of members completely renovated the Worsley Hut. The widening of the launching ramp was commenced but was not completed due to the lake level rising. Several Club members were nominated as Honorary Launch Wardens and the nominations were approved by the Secretary for Transport
During the 1992/93 year, additional floodlights were erected around the harbour in place of the existing fluorescent lights to combat thefts from boats.
The previous year the five-yearly review of the Club’s lease fell due and advice was received from the Te Anau Community Board that the existing rental of $100 pa would be increased to $2000 pa. Following submissions from the Club this year the proposed rental was reduced to $1250 pa.
A successful 501h Anniversary dinner was held at the Te Anau Travelodge on Easter Saturday preceded by a fishing contest during the day. Mr Mervyn Wilson left Te Anau to live in Australia and prior to his departure was made a Life member in recognition of his service to the club. Mr Fred Inder was appointed Harbour Master to replace Mr Ross Saunders. Contact was maintained with both the Fiordland Fishermens Association and the Fiordland Radio Users Association regarding the possible use by members of the new VHF repeater stations. Alterations to the Club rules re Life and Associate members were adopted at the l 993 AGM.
At the AGM Mr Brian Hall advised that after 4 years as President, he was not seeking re-election. Mr Rodney Sutton was elected President to fill the vacancy.
In the 1994 Annual Report, it was noted that the Club membership had increased to 382.
New lease documents were completed and signed during the year with the Southland District Council for harbour facilities, waterway and defined parking area together with an extra area to the North for future development. Further harbour lighting was installed in addition to the new lights last year in an effort to provide better security for berth holders. It was agreed to change the gate locks on an annual basis in future and to ask members to return existing keys for recutting. Life memberships were bestowed on Mr A.B. MacPherson and l\1r.R.J.Wa1dron at the 1994 AGM.
During the 1994/95 year, all the mooring poles in the main harbour were straightened/replaced and redriven and five new wide berths were created in the main harbour for larger craft belonging to Club members. The unauthorised use of the Club•s facilities by non-members started to become evident. Membership increased to 412 members by the end of the year. Mr Ernie Halliday, a Life member of the Club, died shortly after last year’s annual meeting. Mr Rod Waldron retired from the committee at the 1995 AGM. He became Secretary in 1965 and held this office for 24 years and then continued as a committee member for a further 6 years.
In 1995/96, the existing Club rules drawn up in 1943 and amended many times since were replaced in their entirety by new rules, consisting of clauses 1 to 22 inclusive, at a special meeting held on 21 August 1996. The draft new rules were drafted by committee member Mr Ron Egan of Preston Russell. The Southland District Council approved a request for additional land to the North East, to extend the parking area, at an additional rental of $50 pp and also approved the installation of an additional gate for egress. Discussions were held with various organisations regarding the need for a designated area for jet skis.
During 1996/97, major repairs were carried out to the concrete apron around the main harbour walls. The new parking system, incorporating the loop road, additional exit gate, exit reading, fencing and signage completed at an overall cost of $11.500. The replacement of the main harbour jetty with a suitable floating-type jetty was considered by the committee throughout the year. Agreed that the continued retention of a VHF base radio by the Club be considered by the incoming committee given the coverage now available through both the Southland and Fiordland VHF Users Associations.
Resolved at the 1997 AGM that the payment of an honorarium to the President of the Club at such amount as set by the committee be approved in principle and that the rules of the Club be amended accordingly. Membership had declined to 399 by the end of the season.
The 1997/98 committee decided that the Club retain its VHF base radio and join the Southland Maritime VHF Users Association in order that channels 63 and 16 could be monitored by the Harbour Warden. A Presidents’s honorarium of $1500 pa was approved by the committee.
The Southland Underwater Club removed three trailer loads of debris from the main harbour. DOC subsequently engaged two divers to inspect the harbour for noxious weeds. None were found.
The committee resolved to accept a recommendation from the sub-committee to proceed with the construction and installation of an Ez-Dock self-floating dock at a cost of $43,202 GST inclusive. The system will move up or down a fixed pile configuration and will be accessed by a 12-metre-long walkway. The Club was widely complimented on arranging harbour facilities for the NZ Trailer Yacht Championships held in January 1998.
It was resolved at the 1998 AGM that the Club rules be amended to empower the committee to set subscriptions for the next financial year at their last meeting of the current financial year with effect in the 1999 financial year. This would enable subscription notices to be sent out earlier and the key change to take place on 1 July each year. Club membership was noted to be 403.
After two years of study and planning the Ez-Dock floating wharf system was chosen, installed and finally completed in April 1999. The final cost of the new jetty and walkway amounted to $39,806. However, the actual cash cost to the Club was $24,446 as a grant of $15,360 was received from the Community Trust of Southland.
As a result of exceedingly low lake levels, the ends of the three ramps in the inner harbour were exposed. The turbulence created by boats being driven onto trailers had drawn gravel from under the concrete ramps and the unsupported concrete had cracked under load.
Security checks during the year showed that there was a serious problem with the unauthorised use of the harbour facilities by non-members. Members were advised that the security checks would continue. A mobility park was established adjacent to the walkway alongside the inner harbour ramps. The main harbour entrance was deepened to accommodate larger vessels during low lake levels. A new letterhead was adopted by the committee. It was noted that membership was now 398 members and that berth holder numbers had been declining steadily since 1993 to the current year’s low of 84. This was a reflection of members preferring the convenience of a trailerable boat
During the year Mr Peter McKay, who had been a member of the committee since 1983, died.
Mr Rodney Sutton retired as President at the 1999 AGM, after being President for six years Mr Brian Hall the Immediate Past President, retired from the committee after being a member of the committee since 1986. Mr Wayne Lee was elected President.
During the 1999/2000 year, a Rae line dinghy was purchased for the use of the harbour warden at a cost of $930. A security service was used for membership checks at Labour weekend but no follow up was required. Family membership was clarified by the committee i.e. Every member shall have the right to grant to his or her spouse or his or her children the right to use the Club facilities provided that such spouse or children must do so with the members’ boat. Repairs were carried out to the concrete apron of all three ramps. Service from the fuel pump at the kiosk was discontinued.
The death, during the year, of Mr Bert Insull, a committee member and long-time member of the Club, was noted at the 2000 AGM. Also noted was the death during the year of Mr Alistair McKay another long-time member of the Club. Life membership was conferred on Mr Brian Hall who had been a member of the committee for 16 years, including 4 years as President and 6 years as Immediate Past President.
In the 2000/01 year, membership cards were introduced to be used in conjunction with windscreen stickers and TBC numbers on both boats and trailers. A retaining wall was constructed on the bank North of the ramp. It was agreed that the Southland VHF Users Association could erect two signs advising of their service available, one at the boat ramp and one at the floating jetty.
‘The committee discussed the matter of boat syndicate membership and agreed that membership of the Club is on a personal basis and not on a boat basis. All members of a boat syndicate must be members of the Club in order to use the Club’s facilities. Approximately 14 non members were stopped from entering the harbour on the Saturday of Labour weekend.
Members were advised at the 2001 AGM that the Club membership was now 432 with 96 berth holders. 56 new applications for membership had been processed during the year.
During the 2001/02 year, membership increased to 460 with 104 berth holders. Membership checks at Labour weekend uncovered a few problems. The Club ceased operating a base radio as it was now a member of the Southland VHF Users Association. The old jetty was moved to the inner harbour and upgraded for the use of members wishing to work on their boats. A cover was purchased for the dinghy. An extension was added to the floating jetty to allow boats to be moored across the end of the jetty. Mr Ron Egan resigned from the committee during the year.
B. S. Hall 26 July 2003
