History

• Seaview Marina

• Wellington

• New Zealand

Lowry Bay Yacht Club

About Lowry Bay >> History

1935 An informal club is formed known as the “River Rats”. It is based on the former site of the public rubbish tip at the Hutt River mouth, in a shed now occupied by Kem Cox. The Club is later named the Hutt Valley Motor Boat Club.

1965 The Club is renamed Hutt Valley Cruising Club.

1969-70 The stockpiling of fill from the demolition of the Petone Woollen Mills begins to form a reclamation at Lowry Bay. A boat harbour is also planned. The Club now has 64 members.

1972 The Lowry Bay reclamation is completed and the Club architect prepares working drawings for a new clubhouse to be sited there.

1975 Public objections stop all work on the proposed Lowry Bay Boat Harbour and reclamation. An Environmental Impact Report is called for by the Minister of Marine and this recommends a smaller harbour than originally proposed.

1979-80 The new clubhouse is constructed at the Lowry Bay reclamation, and a grand opening is held on 6 September 1980. The Club maintains 20 moorings at Lowry Bay for use by members.

1982 The Club�s name is changed from Hutt Valley Cruising Club to Lowry Bay Yacht Club at the Annual General Meeting on 7 July 1982.

1983 Eight Club yachts cross Cook Strait to enjoy a Christmas and New Year cruise of the Marlborough Sounds.

1984-85 LBYC celebrates its 50th anniversary. A Club rule book and calendar and a standardised set of race courses are produced for the first time. Bronwyn Walker is elected Life Member of LBYC.

1986 The Club applies for a Liquor Licence.

1986-87 The Wellington Harbour Board makes a positive commitment to build a marina and associated marine industry facilities on the east side of the harbour, probably at Seaview corner.

1987-88 A start box is added to the south end of Clubhouse. A 550 boat harbour is proposed for Seaview Marina, to be open for business in 1990. Hal Wagstaff is elected Life Member of LBYC in 1988.

1988-89 The Club decides to move to the proposed Seaview Marina at the conclusion of the 1991-92 Season.

1992 In May the Clubhouse is moved to a �temporary� site at the new Seaview Marina. From June - August additions to the building are planned and built, mostly by members. Races are started and finished from a caravan, then later from a converted container, on Point Howard wharf.

1993 The Club creates two part time paid positions: a Club Administrator (Suzanne Willis) to both market the Club and reduce the workload of the Executive Committee, and a Bar Manager (Bert Reeves).

1994-95 HMNZS Monowai is granted Honorary membership for rescuing the crew of Club yacht �Silver Shadow� after she capsizes during a storm on Queen�s Birthday weekend, June 1994. The Seaview Marina management confirms the current site of the clubrooms as permanent. This enables landscaping of the grounds and more definite plans for the clubhouse to be considered. LBYC hosts the Noelex 22 North Island Championships and the Awlcraft Young 11 and Young 88 Regatta. The Club accepts its first corporate members; Southpac Investment Management Limited and Port of Wellington.

1996-97 In February 1997 LBYC hosts the World 1 Metre Radio Controlled Yacht Contest and the Flying Dutchman Inter-Dominions.

1998 The inaugural Wellington Regatta is held with the premier trophy being the Shaw Savil Cup 1880. The regatta sees some eighty yachts from optimists through to keelers from as far afield as Mana competing in the two-day event. In subsequent years the event is sponsored by Montana Wines and renamed the Lindauer Sail Wellington Regatta. LBYC and RPNYC hold a successful Inter-Club Regatta featuring some excellent racing on both sides of the harbour. LBYC hosts the Noelex 25 Nationals, and the Mana Cruising Club�s Mana-Wellington Race is also held. Cynthia Stoks is appointed to the newly created role of Cruising Captain and implements an ongoing programme of fun educational evenings aimed at all boaties. A number of cruising moorings are placed in sheltered locations around the harbour for the use by both LBYC and RPNYC members.

1999-2000 The Club kitchen is upgraded to comply with the Hutt City Council�s food hygiene standards being applied to sports and chartered clubs. The upgrade is partly funded by a $5500.00 grant from the New Zealand Community Trust.

2000-2001 The Club employs a Sailing Administrator, Dawn Palmgren, to manage the Start Box. The three founding clubs (RPNYC, LBYC and EBY&MBC) take back management of Port Nicholson Association Radio (VHF Channel 62). The new directors comprise two from each club and their intention is to make Channel 62 a free service to all members, with the three clubs providing financial support for the Channel from subscriptions and sponsorship.

2002 A new container is purchased and refurbished to replace the existing start box on Point Howard wharf. This season sees a major shift in the racing fleet with the effective demise of the trailer yacht fleet and the old Division One fleet. In their place is a combined fleet of Divisions 1 and 3 called Yellow Division, and a non-spinnaker Division called Blue Division.

2004 The Aquarius 22 North Island Championships and the New Zealand Trailer Yacht Association North Island Championships are held in conjunction with the Lindauer Sail Wellington Regatta. Lowry Bay wins the Antarctic Challenge Trophy for the third time in the eighteen year history of the contest. A grant of $9,700 from the New Zealand Community Trust enables the Club to replace the roof on the western part of the Clubhouse. The deck off the Seaview Room is enlarged with labour provided by members and funds raised from the sale of "bricks" to members with the balance donated by Tony Philips and his company Nedax Systems. The non-spinnaker Division is renamed Commodore's Division, starting under a purple shutter.

2005 The Antarctic Trophy is retained by LBYC. A new heat pump system is donated to the Club by Fujitsu General (Kim Naylor).

2006 New Launch/Powerboat owners membership category commenced. Clubrooms interior repainted and new curtains installed. New widescreen monitor installed. Pavers placed in lawn and exterior seating outside the Seaview Room constructed by Ian Craig. Optimist dinghies purchased.

Present Day

Lowry Bay Yacht Club has in excess of 200 members. The Club is the proud owner of a magnificent, modern clubhouse positioned at the water�s edge in Seaview Marina.

The Club offers a year round sailing and social programme for members, and is well known in the Wellington region as a friendly club with a great atmosphere and wonderful camaraderie.