MARINE ACADEMY UPDATE
Since the November COVID shut down and the following December bad run of weekend weather the Marine Academy has been flat out delivering courses over the summer months. The limitations on national and international travel have certainly led to great course bookings with most courses booked out three months in advance. Shore based activity has also been high with a Marine Radio Course planned in March and hopefully a Day Skipper Theory Course in the classroom in April and May on Monday evenings. If you have any interest in these courses please get in contact with me in the Office. The unprecedent practical course demand has also led to consideration of a Day Skipper Practical Course during May. Customers are currently wait listed for courses through to the end of April and I will be working on the 2021-22 season of training in the near future.
The exciting announcement that the Youth Sailing Foundation will soon have a fleet of six Elliott 7s will enable the Marine Academy to begin offering the Australian Sailing Keelboat Training program later in 2021. We look forward to this opportunity and to continuing to provide quality training to members and the public. David Royle Marine Academy Principal
To ensure the long term sustainability of the CYCSA we have started a process of strategic planning to determine what activities we need to increase and retain our membership and what buildings or infrastructure is required to support these activities. Parts of this have already been implemented with the sale of the North Haven Boat Ramp to the State Government and establishment of a sinking fund to fund refurbishment and repair ageing marina infrastructure including Marina East, Marina West and Port Vincent. This program of repair and replacement is well established with new and repaired pontoons throughout Marina East. There is still much more work to be delivered as repaired pontoons are replaced and the new ones are maintained. Establishment of the sinking fund is a perpetual source of funds to cover this ongoing work. This will enable the establishment of a building fund for Club facility developments. Over the past three years the Board has engaged with members, staff and contractors and asked “What do you want/ need from the Club?” The responses from these were quite varied and some common themes were established. Better or improved toilet facilities (amenities), shaded carparks, better signage and advertising out the front, office refit/ improvements, entry restructure/welcoming and guidance (for guests), training and meeting facilities, the return of a wet bar area, training and fitness rooms, over-water bar/dining, kitchen facility improvements, cruising amenities such as laundry washing machine and dryer, improved hard standing for boat storage and working on vessels, storage for the Fishing Association and Racing Association sail storage, playground and a swimming pool were all cited amongst the ‘wants/needs’. As a Board we also need to ensure the Club is run in a responsible, viable and sustainable manner so in addition to the ‘wish list’ of facilities, we also need to ‘bring in more boats’, provide support for the associations and create points of difference to other sporting and boating clubs in South Australia. An integral part of this is to attract younger members to the Club to carry the CYCSA into the future. From the extensive feedback from members it is obvious the ageing clubrooms and existing facilities will require more than a lick of paint! We engaged the services of Nelsons Architects to provide a concept of how we could provide the world class facilities desired. Nelsons Architects have worked with other prestigious sporting clubs to develop similar masterplans. The key items from this engagement are: What might the final Club facility look like that would address the wish list; How much will this all cost; What is the best way to stage the work. From the brief the following concepts were generated for the final CYCSA facilities to look something like the computer generated sketches.
Women’s courses
The features of the masterplan include an overwater deck addition to the Admirals Bar and Bistro adding to what is already a great place for a meal and to share fishing stories or plan the next adventure; the Kinnaird room is replaced with a new administration area, Members Amenities and multipurpose spaces for meetings, training, and functions; the new Member Amenities in this area will have toilets, showers and laundry facilities. This would be a two level building with a wonderful space on the first floor for meetings, functions or training. As we need to generate some income from this new facility, marine related organisations such as Boating Industry Australia or Australian Sailing could lease some of this space. Sharing space with these industry bodies provides interesting synergies for the CYCSA.
Youth courses, Out There Sailing
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The entry area would also be upgraded. As a premier boat club in Adelaide we should have an impressive entry that will also guide our guests to their destination whether that is the Admirals Bistro, Function Rooms or Marina East.
