BSC Memories
I was looking at a recent Whale's Tales [good start Stephen, Ed] regarding how many people BSC has touched, and it reminded me of how it has touched my family.
A couple of years ago it was bought to my attention through some documents found, that my father was a founding member of BSC as the first treasurer of the club. The other committee members included Bob Oatley and Bill Buckle. Dad is now 90 and his memory is fading a little. He sailed a 12 foot skiff with the club and it cemented his love of sailing. He then moved on to be a founding member of Middle Harbour Yacht Club where he met some lifelong friends, including Gordon Reynolds who later became Captain of Australia’s Admiral’s cup team.
Fast forward and my love of sailing started at Balmoral where a friend of mine had a Moth. We set out one Sunday afternoon for a sail and ended up having the ride of our lives with a southerly buster and had to be rescued. I loved it and it started my love of sailing. I joined Manly Yacht club and sailed in a Manly Junior. My father didn’t introduce me to sailing however he did support me. After growing out of the Junior I suggested to my father that we sail together, so we bought our first MG14 (No. 35) then a few years later MG27. We then moved to Stingray catamaran. I then moved onto other boats & yachts and eventually due to kids and my own business retired from sailing for a while.
I joined BSC after my son started to sail on the MGs. I have sailed a Tasar, 505 and now an Aero with the club. When my son Brodie was old enough I introduced him to sailing by taking him down to Balmoral. He crewed on a couple of different boats until he got a full time crew with Kerry Beatie on an MG14. After a season I bought him his own MG 'Awesome' which he sailed very successfully. He met a young girl who crewed on an MG, Cat Sturrock. Brodie sort of kept their relationship low key and to himself. It was only when my wife and I went away and came back and found that she had moved in to our house. They stayed for 5 years.
Together they moved from the MG class and bought a 49er. A very difficult boat to sail. She was the only female skipper of a 49er at the time. They sold the 49er and about two years ago bought a 44 foot yacht. Last year they sailed from Australia, to Lord Howe Island, across to Tonga, Fiji, New Caledonia and back to Australia for 9 months. I was lucky enough to join them in Fiji for 10 days and was amazed at how competent they were at navigating and finding their way through many uncharted waters.
BSC bought them together and I am sure they will enjoy a long and happy life together.
I am hoping to introduce my grandson to sailing through Balmoral Sailing Club when he gets old enough. He is 7 at the moment so another year or two. That would then be 4 generations through the wonderful BSC.
Stephen Johnco
