Three men in a boat (club)

A chat over crayfish and salad, creative brain cells well lubricated ... and an idea is born. ROBIN BAILEY
explains.

Sporting sponsorship dollars roll in easily for the rock stars. For those beginning their careers it is not so easy.

Auckland businessman/sailor Mike Clark discovered this as manager of New Zealand Olympic yachting teams, first in Korea in 1988 and again in Barcelona in 1992.

Having completed the Korean campaign on a minuscule budget, he then took the Kiwi yachting team to the pre-Olympics in Spain in 1991. He returned disillusioned and a bit depressed. Smoothing the way for his charges had been tough in Korea, but he knew he needed some serious support if things were to get any better for the main event in Barcelona.

Discussing the problem over a crayfish salad lunch and several bottled attitude-adjusters with hotelier mate Dick Jones led to several suggestions from well into left field. Then, as often happens over those sort of lunches, came the one that in hindsight had been staring them in the face.

At that time Jones, veteran of the Mon Desir at Takapuna and the refurbishment of the Alex in Parnell, had established the Wharf Cafe bar/restaurant on Princes Wharf. A fairly basic bar in one of the wharf sheds, the place was a favourite haunt for sailors.

Jones had previously hosted the Freemantle, during this country's first attempt at the America's Cup. The working-class port town bar quickly became the headquarters for New Zealand visitors for the racing, and locals attracted by the on-tap Steinlager.

"Let's create our own yacht club to raise money for youth yachting," suggested Jones.

"Great idea," Clark agreed, "but how will it work?"

Never one to shirk a challenge, Jones spent the next day on the phone calling a hit-list of regular clients, sailing notables and marine business people. The response was enthusiastic and Wharf Yacht Club was in business.

Foundation members paid a $25 subscription plus an optional donation for youth yachting. This yielded more than 260 members. A swift follow-up campaign added a further $120. The average return from members, including the optional donation, was just over $110.

To add a Jonesian touch, all members became commodores, a title that many used to advantage when visiting other yacht clubs around the world. Among the first batch (and still a member) was Dennis Conner.

In the years from 1991 to the demolition and rebuild of Princes Wharf in 1999, the club made grants of more than $170,000 to the Olympic teams of 1992, 96 and 2000. There were also grants for the Optimist worlds, and to individuals to gain overseas experience, including some special early support for boardsailing champion Barbara Kendall.

The club also bought two IRB coaching boats for Yachting New Zealand, receiving generous support from Aquapro and Yamaha. Club funds also provided five Bombora windsurfers for the Murrays Bay Yacht Club. It also made an annual commitment to the Yachting New Zealand Academy from 1995 to 1999.

During the Princes Wharf reconstruction the club went into recession until the Wharf Cafe relocated to the opposite western Maritime Museum side of the wharf.

Jones: "The break meant we were out of business for the America's Cup defence, which was a bit of a worry. Now, with another defence coming up and the need to collect money for youth yachting as great as ever, we are back in business with new enthusiasm and some added support."

The extra support comes from Line 7 chief Ross Munro, who already has a huge commitment to yachting at all levels from the America's Cup down. His idea was to give the operation a little more sophistication in line with its more upmarket surroundings.

The founding pair agreed and the Line 7 Wharf Yacht Club is now in business. The aims are the ones decided over that 1991 lunch: to raise funds for the promotion of yachting as a sport and as a leisure activity and to support competitive yachting at local, national, international and Olympic level.

The next major fundraiser is the revival of the club's $25,000 golf tournament at Huapai on October 18. Holes are sponsored, mostly by marine industry companies, teams are entered, there's a hole-in-one prize and a pitching contest with an IRB as the prize. This is operated by youngsters from the sail-training programme and the winner, if any, is invited to donate the boat back to the kids. This formula is followed for other contest-type aspects of the tournament.

Club details are on The Wharf and anyone can join.