Try Crewing Day a big success

The BIA of NSW’s third Try Crewing Day ran successfully over the weekend. With eight clubs participating, registered guests were treated to an enlightening half day program that introduced them to the joys of sailing.

Try Crewing Day was born three years ago as a means of assisting the sailing community and industry, which have identified a 'lack of crew' as a problem.

Domenic Genua, Marketing Manager for the BIA said: "We know that many skippers lack crew. We also know that there is large number of people out there that don’t know how easy it is to participate in sailing. Our job is to bring the two groups together."

The BIA’s Sailing Committee, together with the team at Yachting NSW designed a comprehensive Try Crewing Day program in 2009, and after testing it in its inaugural year, launched the program fully in 2010.

The result has been positive with the majority of venues filling fast. The program involves a participant briefing, a vessel familiarisation with a skipper, followed by a sail. On return, participants get to hear about club membership, sailing classes and crewing opportunities.

This year’s participating clubs were, Port of Yamba Yacht Club, Gosford Sailing Club, Manly Yacht Club, Middle Harbour Yacht Club, Royal Australian Naval Sailing Association (RANSA), Royal Motor Yacht Club (RMYC) Port Hacking, Wollongong Yacht Club and the Botany Bay Yacht Club. To compliment the effort of the club, their members and staff, three BIA members gave their support to the day by providing vessels, skippers and instructors. They were Pacific Sailing School, East Sail and Sydney by Sail.

The BIA says that Try Crewing Day is now a permanent part of their annual calendar and it will run again in September 2012.

Photo: Participants get a briefing at Middle Harbour Yacht Club