Monday 1 - Wednesday 31 December, 2014 (diary)

The Darwin Trailer Boat Club is very attractive to families with children, for they have a great swimming pool and excellent playground, right next to the beach on the club's premises. So parents can have a quiet drink with friends while the young ones can do their own thing.
The club's Christmas party too is very popular with more than 40 children turning up for the Sunday morning (Dec.7) to receive their Christmas present from Santa.
I had organised a team of bridge players to act as volunteers, running and supervising the various activities, which was good fun.

Many years ago, when the Trailer Boat Club was started, members would go out in groups of dinghies to fish. This was the safe way, for if one boat got into trouble there were always other ones around to help them.
But in these modern times with electronic gadgets like mobile phones and GPS devices, as well as a Coast Guard radio channel to watch over you, it is quite safe to go out on your own and boats no longer travel in groups.

This has also brought significant change to the Trailer Boat Club, where its core activity events (boating and fishing) have dwindled to just 3 or 4 events during an entire calender year.
(This is in stark contrast to the Darwin Sailing Club right next door - where I have been very active in the past - which has sailing events every weekend during the dry season.)

My attention was drawn to this when perusing the proposed program for 2015. I immediately started agitating against this at DTBC Committee meetings I am now attending.
We should not be just a "Pub with a View" but revert to become again a "Club with a Purpose".

Fortunately our President has been arguing in favour of this for some time, but was always voted down by other Committee members. This time around, with both Shaun and I on board, we may be able to do something.

Firstly we aim to get one boating related activity on the program every month next year.

Secondly I have been granted permission to formulate a Training and Awareness Program for Juniors for 2015. I have taken to the task with gusto, with strong support and assistance from fellow Committee member and bridge player Shaun.
The future of any sport related club lies in nurturing its youngest generation and we will do our level best to achieve just that ! We have worked out an attractive concept and are in the process of fleshing it out with a 4-terms program for 2015.