2014 Combined High Schools Regatta

After all of the preparation and setup it’s amazing how quickly the 2014 Combined High Schools sailing regatta at Belmont went.  Once again the weather didn’t co-operate with strong southerlies and rain each day. The competitors however liked the good breeze, although many at the end had had enough.

 We support this event because we believe in what it stands for to us, not to lift our profile let alone our income, but to hopefully spread the word so more young sailors can enjoy what so many others have before them. Having competed in it myself then taking my own children to compete it is hard to stay away. The CHS for quite sometime has given many the opportunity to sail something different to what they normally sail. Some who normally sail a Flying Eleven for example, will trial sailing a Tasar or Northbridge Senior. This year one female Heron sailor, tried out an Olympic Finn, completing every race bar one a big effort given the conditions.

It takes more than a week to set up the van and ready myself for the week at the event as well as pack the box of prizes.  The support we provide at the event by having the van setup takes a lot of work but can be very rewarding when you are able to see someone get back out on the water.   Our range of products sees me selling all sorts of little things from a few metres of rope or shockcord to a shackle or tiller extension.   They don’t amount to much but they do help towards covering the cost of being out of the office and paying for the accommodation to be at the event.

The CHS is an event we enjoy being involved in and hope to assist in lifting the profile of such a great event. Along with principal sponsor Slam, DeckHardware has been able to support the CHS at Belmont for quite some years. Rod Carter who runs the event as well as being the Principal Race Officer also shares the same enthusiasm, as do the many volunteers from Belmont 16′ Skiff Club and the parents who man the mark/rescue boats daily. This is one of the few events where I get to stay ashore and just watch the up and coming sailors Australia is producing.