2nd Inter-Club Commodores’ Forum, part II

by Sail World Asia on 2 Jun 2006 The Forum consisted of two days of panel discussions, which brought together Commodores from the Europe, North America, Australasia, South Africa and Asia.

Monday’s second ICF panel discussion looked at ‘Sailing and its Role in the Community.’ The moderator for this session was Vincent Wong and the presenters were Roger Tupper, Dr Alan Lau, Rex Harrison, Gert-Jan Nieuwenhuizen, Carlo Ravano, Marc Frilet and Mark Houghton.


The port of Hong Kong has always been a key factor in the economic development of the Hong Kong SAR. Roger Tupper, Director of Marine, Hong Kong Government, looked briefly at the history of marine activities in Victoria Harbour, and then talked about how this hub port services the SE Asia-Pacific region and acts as an entrepot for the mainland of China. 'Hong Kong Harbour is one of the busiest container ports in the world, as we support the Pearl River Delta region which is one of the world’s busiest manufacturing centres.' Tupper explained that activities in the harbour have changed over the years, and much of the commercial shipping and port operations are taking place in the western regions of the harbour, which has deeper water. Traffic in the central and eastern harbour approaches are now mostly light commercial shipping, passenger cruise ships and recreational water activities such as sailing. This mixture of pleasure and commercial activity in the heart of Hong Kong is essential to the continued vibrancy of the harbour, and with its back drop of high-rise buildings and mountains, Hong Kong Harbour is still regarded of the most dramatic and beautiful harbours in the world.

Dr Alan Lau, Past Commodore of the RHKYC, also talked about Hong Kong Harbour - but this time in respect to Club’s submission to the Harbour-Enhancement Committee in response to their call for public participation in the Envisioning Stage of the Wanchai and Causeway Bay waterfront. Over the last several years the RHKYC has been intimately involved with the public consultation process, working with the District Council, the Harbourfront Enhancement Committee, the Harbour Business Forum and no less than seven public forums and two community-working groups. The Club has attempted to identify exactly what the general public would like to see made of the Hong Kong harbour-front, and convey that information to the relevant authorities. In the process the RHKYC has made itself visible as an interested and responsible body in the local community, prepared to come forward with constructive and viable suggestions for the development of the area, to the benefit of the community at large and not just the Club itself.

Harbour diversity was also the theme of Rex Harrison’s presentation, ‘Sydney: the Harbour City’. The Commodore of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron explained that his Club has actively championed the concept of a working harbour. ' We have supported the Port Authorities and the NSW Department of Planning as we believe that it is the diversity of water activities in the harbour that is vital to its vibrancy. There is no point having a harbour full of nothing but tourist vessels, so we need to balance the recreational and the commercial interests to keep the harbour active and interesting.' Harrison highlighted the different usages of Sydney Harbour which hosts passenger and container terminals, fish markets, an extensive ferry transportation system and a thriving water sports and sailing scene that makes it one of the most interesting harbour in the world. 'Icons such as the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House make this harbour a memorable landmark of Australia, and I believe that yacht clubs can be powerful pressure groups, and need to be proactive in liasing with national and local government bodies to protect and encourage recreational uses of the harbour.'

Sail Amsterdam is another example of a working harbour that has become a community resource. Gert-Jan Nieuwenhuizen is the Sales Director Asian Pacific for Port of Amsterdam SRO. The city of Amsterdam has a long maritime history of over 700 years. It has ceded its place as the first commercial centre of the Netherlands to Rotterdam, but in turn Amsterdam has found a new role with the Sail Amsterdam Festival which began in 1975. This five-day festival sees 2.6 million visitors celebrating in and around the harbour. The aim of the festival is to attract tourism, promote Amsterdam cultural heritage and celebrate sailing and marine vessels. The event in 2005 saw 57 tall ships, 2 replicas, 560 ‘heritage’ sailing yachts, 5 modern and 4 navy ships parade through Amsterdam Harbour. The next event is in 2010 and visitors from all over the world are invited to come and celebrate 'Sail Amsterdam' with the Dutch community.

History is also the keystone of the Yacht Club de Monaco. Francesco Grimaldi founded the principality of Monaco in 1297, and in 1997 the Grimaldi dynasty celebrated its 700th anniversary. The adventurous Prince Albert I founded the Monaco Oceanographic Museum in 1901, and also gave the principality a port, which would be 'able to offer shelter to the numerous yachts on the Côte d'Azur.' In 1953, H.S.H. Prince Rainier III founded the Yacht Club de Monaco. Carlo Ravano has been on the board of the YCM since 1966, and Commodore since 2003. The YCM is an active participant in the Ramoge Commission, an marine environmental initiative between St Raphael (France), Genoa (Italy) and Monaco. The constitution of the YCM requires that it 'best serve the interests of tourism and promote the Principality' and develop itself to an international level. The Club is noted for it classics regattas, and hosts many large (over 120m) sailing and power yachts. The sailing season starts in May with the Primo Cup, and finishes with Classic Week in September. YCM runs an active sail training programme, and the harbour has recently been enlarged by the installation of a 330m floating breakwater.

Marc Frilet is the President of the SNM (Societe Nautique de Marseille). SNM was founded in 1887, and for nearly 120 years its Clubhouse has been a floating wooden barge in the Old Port of Marseille. Historically, as commercial marine operations moved to bigger premises, the Old Port became more focussed on recreational water users, and the SNM barge is now surrounded by the 400-plus yachts of SNM members. With a view to optimising the tourist, environmental and recreational usage of the Marseille waterways, the city council invited existing users to submit proposals for the further development of the area. SNM’s proposals involving regattas and other water-borne activities were enthusiastically endorsed by the council, and now the council and the SNM have entered into a public-private partnership which lays down the obligations and expectations of both parties.

On a less grand scale, but definitely focused on the community, is the Hebe Haven Yacht Club of Hong Kong. HHYC is a small club of 875 members, located in the village of Pak Sha Wan, near Sai Kung. The club is a substantial local employer. Vice Commodore Mark Houghton described how, starting in 2002, HHYC has now run three 24-hr dinghy races, and raised and donated to children’s charities in Hong Kong no less than US$210,000. The races were modelled on an event developed some years ago in Southport, Lancashire (UK). Relay teams sail the boats (Topers, Topaz, Optimists, Stratos) for a full 24 hrs round a 0.7 nm triangular course inside the sheltered area of Hebe Haven. 'Shirley Robertson, the British Olympic double gold medallist participated in last year’s event, which didn’t do our visibility any harm at all. There are three sorts of people who turn up for the event – the serious sailors who want to win, the junior sailors who get as much fun out of being up all night as they do out of the race, and the remainder who come for the festival, carnival atmosphere, with stands, sideshows and stalls all over our