Keep sailing with the Stepping Stone House Regatta

by Peter Campbell on 21 Feb 2008 Yachts will not be able to race on Sydney Harbour over the weekend of March 8-9 because of the Superboat Grand Prix, but owners and crews need not miss sailing that week if they enter the 2008 Stepping Stone House Regatta.

Hosted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, afloat and ashore, between 30 and 40 boats plus crew are needed to continue the support of this most deserving charity.

It's a fun day for sailors, with a snack lunch before the sailing, a competitive race, followed by a friendly get-together to swap stories and then enjoy a casual dinner and prizegiving, with sometimes a fun auction thrown in.

Squadron members are among the major supporters and organisers of the regatta, but they are looking to yacht owners from other clubs to support this year's event, to be sailed on picturesque Sydney Harbour on the afternoon of Thursday, March 6.

The concept of Stepping Stone House is to help homeless young people who want to be helped, to improve their self-esteem and make viable human beings out of those who are at the crossroads.

Stepping Stone House in Dulwich Hill provides a family structure for eight adolescents who are homeless, providing 24/7 care for them by employing a number of specialised and qualified staff and making use of a number of generous volunteers.

The results over the 19 years have resulted in a 90-95% success ratio relative to the situations from whence they came.

Stepping Stone House is funded purely and simply by donation from private individuals and companies, mostly in cash, some in kind. There is no permanent government funding.

The annual Stepping Stone House Regatta is an important part of this funding. RSYS Past Commodore Rex Harrison says that last year the regatta raised about $60,000, all of which went directly to the support of the house, its staff and residents.

'This year we estimate we need in the vicinity of $75,000 to maintain our services and to meet the added cost of government compliance. To achieve that we have a number of packages, including sponsoring a boat for the regatta,' Past Commodore Harrison added.

Organisers expect that many of the 350 participants will be company teams or sponsors of up to 10 or 15 and, together with the many individual sponsors, they will be aboard boats racing against each other under handicap.

A feature of the Stepping Stone House Regatta will be the 'Bledisloe' Match Race between two Farr 40 boats, Ivan Wheen's Sputnik and Martin and Lisa Hill's Estate Master, with 1987 Rugby World Cup winning All Black skipper David Kirk and 1991 Wallaby captain Nick Farr-Jones participating.

Among the regular corporate sponsors who will provide teams and individuals will be ANZ, Clayton Utz, St George, Societè Generale, Kennards Hire, Kennards Self Storage, the Sydney Morning Herald, Mulford Plastics, Syd Fischer and Ian Kiernan.

Individual sailors are most welcome to join a boat and take part in the regatta - a welcome donation of $200.00 is tax deductible.

Yacht owners, individual yachtsmen or corporations, interested in supporting the 2008 Stepping Stone House Regatta, should contact John Freedman on 9227 1258 (bus) or 9489 6302 (home), 9226 6995 (Fax) or Max Connery 9247 4200 (bus) or 9252 7552 (fax).