It takes between 60 and 70 dedicated special voluntary workers to keep a multi-functional organisation like Howth Yacht Club running smoothly with a friendly atmosphere around the place writes W M Nixon.
That number is in addition to the elected officers and committee with its sub-committees, plus the professional staff. The figure was reached when incoming Commodore Joe McPeake set in train a project to ensure that the key posts are filled, and to let the many voluntary workers who are the lifeblood of the club know that their efforts are appreciated.
As part of this, last night (Thursday) the Commodore hosted a very informal Volunteers’ Evening when the different sub-committees and task forces were able to set up their stalls – or more accurately, their tables - and see what they could do in the way of recruiting new blood from amongst the people gently milling past, people keen to help and get more deeply involved with a club that means a lot to them, but are not quite sure how to start going about it.
In some ways it was reminiscent of a very low key Freshers’ Week event at college. But we hasten to emphasise the “low key”. The ideal volunteer is not flamboyant. On the contrary, they’re quiet folk with hidden capabilities which can be revealed over time, people who, when they commit to something, really mean it - they can be relied on to make a useful input when contacted, they will get on with the job without fuss, and often it’s found that they’ve also been quietly getting on with some other personal project which will be of real benefit to the club and their fellow members.
In fact, the atmosphere last night was so pleasant it was suggested they should hold a Volunteers’ Night every week……But already the standards have been set very high. HYC’s main Committee Boat Star Point is not exactly the most elegant vessel afloat. However, longtime Committee Boat crewman John Doran and a small task force found this specialist sports fishing platform competitively for sale in Wales a couple of years ago, and identified her as a vessel which would, with manageable modifications, be ideal as a Committee Boat.
Such has indeed proven to be the case. But Star Point is a soncey big beast. She’s at the limit for what can be lifted in one of Howth YC’s own cranes. So when a major refit was planned at mid-winter between the two halves of the long-running HYC Brass Monkey series (it’s celebrating its 30th birthday), Star Point had to go to the boatyard at Malahide, and the professional refit quotes were scary.
Nothing daunted, former HYC Commodore and leading race officer Derek Bothwell already had a voluntary work party being recruited, and as much as possible of the work – a very impressive part of it, actually – was done entirely by voluntary effort during the coldest week of the year, “when the boat seemed to get bigger by the minute”.
Although one of the good points about Star Point when she was bought was the fact that she was already Copper-Coated beneath the waterline, even that very effective longterm anti-fouling will accumulate grunge over many years, and cleaning it off was brutal work. But when the spick and span re-born Star Point was brought back to Howth a week ago, John Doran was able to report that with the new clean bottom and a good blow-out for the engines, he could get her up to 17.5 knots where previously the best speed was a measly 12 knots.
A pleasant low-key atmosphere. Would-be voluntary workers and experienced old hands mingling together at last night’s Voluntary Gathering in Howth YC. Photo: W M Nixon
