|
|
 This Club grew out of the enjoyment many families experienced in sailing small boats on the safe waters of the Barwon estuary. Races began in the most informal way of casual challenges issued between friends, for the sole purpose of entertaining the children (so the fathers said!). Of course the children needed to be taught the rules of sailing as well as the skills, which led to the need for more formal procedures (to discourage disputes over who was cheating) and this led to the formation, in 1965, of the BHSA. Club activity is still for the whole family, races being held over the Summer school holidays and at Easter. The ages of skippers range, in our current membership, from eleven to seventy, boats range from gentle Fairy Penguins to prowling Hobie Cats, and women demonstrate that sailing requires more brains than brawn. Our aims are to provide activities which will develop the skills and confidence of those who are learning to sail while at the same time providing interesting racing for those who already have pewter mugs cluttering their mantelpieces. On the tortuous courses of the estuary sailing conditions vary from a quiet glide across sunlit gentle ripples to muscle wrecking howling gales.
Club activities are organised by a Committee elected from members, and their responsibilities include planning the racing programme, arranging racing officials, supervising safety, publishing a newsletter and encouraging social activities. The club does not possess a club house and cannot offer storage for boats and equipment other than moorings, but we do run a good rescue boat and have all the accoutrements required for the efficient and safe execution of enjoyable racing. The cost of membership is $40.00 for a single person and $60.00 for a family, plus a $10 joining fee. Entry fees for each race (non-members) is $5.00 for ordinary events and $10.00 for major events such as the Barwon Safari. Enquiries for membership should be made to Hamish Lonsdale (03) 5254 2101 (Geelong), or to club officials who might be found messing about on the river.
|
B H S A 
BARWON HEADS SAILING ASSOCIATION
Anybody who has a boat (or can borrow one) is welcome to enter our races for the payment of the entry fee (which is waived for members). The races are run in three classes (Catamarans, Lasers and Others) and small trophies are awarded to encourage winners to greater successes. Races are timed and results computed and posted after each race. Members are awarded handicaps to provide a measure of their relative skills, and in each race for each class a Handicap Trophy is awarded to winners on handicap. More substantial trophies are awarded in nominated races ( such as the Barwon Safari and the Australia Day Aggregate) for those sailing under scratch handicap rules. 