Avalon Sailing Club's Try Sailing Day is Saturday 15th November. It's an opportunity for members of the public to visit the club, explore the facilities and try sailing on a yacht or dinghy.
Helena van de Linde, Commodore of Avalon Sailing Club, said:
''Sailing is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and at all levels.
At Avalon Sailing Club our purpose is to foster the love of sailing on Pittwater and we have members aged from 6 to 87 sailing in dinghies or in yachts.
So if you have ever considered trying sailing on that beautiful body of water bordering our peninsula then come to Avalon Sailing club on 15 November between 10am and 12pm.
You will be able to speak to members and experts about ways to get into sailing and sailing opportunities at Avalon for all ages and we will have volunteers assist to get you on a sailing vessel.
You can register you interest here: https://www.revolutionise.com.au/avalonsailingclub/events/321427
About
Avalon Sailing Club is a a family oriented sailing club, sited at Clareville, on Pittwater, in the Garigal Country of the traditional custodians. We are known for our friendly and relaxed atmosphere with our purpose to foster the love of sailing on the waters of Pittwater. We are particularly proud of all those children who first learned to sail at Avalon and continue to enjoy our sport, along with those who have gone on to represent Australia at the Olympics, Americas Cup, Admirals Cup, Sail GP and other world class events like the Sydney to Hobart and Fastnet races.
Jimmy Spithill talks about bringing his boat "over to the mainland" to sail his first ever race. It was in a Manly Junior at Avalon Sailing Club (at the 13:30 minutes mark in the video): SailGP Unchartered Episode 1 ..... he won it, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Centreboard division includes training and racing. Our classes are Manly Junior, Open Skiff, Flying 11, Spiral, Laser, Waszp and Puffin Pacer. Avalon Sailing Club is a Discover Sailing Centre starting with Children around the age of 7 or 8. Find out more about our Learn to Sail program here.
Our Yacht Racing Program is designed around three inshore and two offshore series allowing members to race between one Sunday to every Sunday a month during the season. Find out more about Yacht Racing here.
Those who favour a less competitive approach to sailing enjoy the pleasures of cruising to beautiful locations and making use of the many Club moorings in the local area. We also have Adult learn to sail classes and activities for those new to the sport.
We are located on a beach, facing the body of water known locally as "the Pond" which is the preferred sailing location on Pittwater for learners in the morning and racers in the afternoons. Our commanding views up and down Pittwater are truly memorable for members and visitors alike.
Our Unique "Vibe" is a combination of our location, our relaxed & enthusiastic membership and our volunteer culture that makes everyone feel at home. The Club has a strong social aspect with monthly BBQ's on the deck, cruises, picnics, dinners and the like.
Our Kids learn more than just boat handling and sailing skills. They learn about the weather, the environment, they learn resilience and leadership, how to help and teach others. Many make friendships for life with those they met here first.
Interested in joining or just want to see if sailing is for you ?
Come and see us on a Sunday, meet some of our members, and we can explore how to get you started. Whether you have no experience at all, and would like a taste of sailing, or a seasoned pro who’s ready to join in racing, we have many options.
Kids from 6 to about 12 years old sail in the mornings from 8:30 am through to lunch. Adults sail Centreboards (Lasers, Spirals, Aeroes etc) and Yachts in the afternoons from about 12:30pm to 4:30pm. The season runs from early September through to Easter, and the kids break for school holidays.
For those looking for a taste of sailing before joining; that could be joining the crew in a yacht race, taking a club Spiral for a trial or jumping on one of the support boats. We can provide you with an Australian Sailing “Sailpass” for free. This is the sport’s equivalent of a temporary membership that includes personal accident insurance for the day.
If it’s kids sailing you're interested in then see us in the mornings, if it's adult - then join us when the bar is opened after sailing from about 4pm.
Avalon Sailing Club information is located on our website. Anything and everything there is to know about the club can be found right here on these pages.
Avalon Sailing Club Website: .com.au/avalonsailingclub/home
Permanent & Casual Moorings Available
Contact us: info@avalonsailingclub.com.au
Volunteering
Members volunteer at least twice a season, and many chose to almost every weekend, as the engagement is a very fulfilling one that brings them closer to their children and our local community.
Members' enthusiasm and participation creates a great experience for all, especially the children, and maintains the family & community spirit that is the essence and foundation of our club.
Whether you have plenty of sailing experience or none at all, there are roles that will suit your ability. People are needed to run the canteen, help on the deck and on the water.
Description of roles and detail on volunteering is on the Sunday Sailing Program web page.
SIGN UP ROSTER:
To volunteer for a role, and to see who is signed up (including support crew) Click Here
History of Avalon Sailing Club
(condensed version)
Formed in 1941, Avalon Sailing Club can trace its roots to Mr. J. G. Vaughan, an engineer with the Wakefield Oil Co., who purchased a block just to the south west of the Clareville Park in 1932, on which he built a holiday home and boatshed. His teenage sons, Les, Harold and Ken were keen sailors with the Middle Harbour Skiff Club and equally keen to sail on Pittwater. However he was concerned that the boys could not be supervised on the waters off Clareville Beach especially as the dinghies of those days were non-righting and had to be towed or paddled home. His concerns were alleviated with the Vaucluse Junior or V.J., which had first appeared upon the scene in 1931. Designed by a young naval draughtsman, Charles Sparrow, with a lot of enthusiasm and support from Sil Rohu, a Sydney businessman and keen sailor, the V.J. could be built at home from the comprehensive set of plans that cost 10 shillings. The most important aspect of the boat was that apart from a small canvas well she was completely decked in, unsinkable and could be righted by the crew without external help.
The Vaughan family built their first boat "Defiance" in the boatshed and bought the next one, "Flash", second hand, in 1933. The two older boys, Les and Harold, set up their own race course in the area to the north of Taylors Point and to supplement their pocket money would stage mock pirate landings and sword fights at Clareville on a Sunday, to the delight of the local residents.
The "donations" were then collected and placed in the treasure chests, which were the canvas wells of the V.J.s. The Vaughans nearest neighbours were the O'Connor family, who owned the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel at Kings Cross and also owned a motor cruiser the M.V. "Raleigh". The two O'Connor daughters joined in the pirate jousting not only as damsels in distress but assistant collectors of the booty.
The local families combined to share a jig frame for the V.J. construction and by 1935 there were six boats sailing off Clareville Beach all made with cedar planking and with either home made or professionally cut cotton sails. By 1937 Mr. Vaughan decided that his boys were either making too much money as entrepreneurs or on the road to ruin so he made a set of marks and laid out a course, starting off Clareville and using the area between Taylors Point, Paradise Beach and Long Nose Point. A system of coloured flags was used representing minutes to start in a handicap start system so in theory all boats should finish together. Entry fee was two shillings and the prize money was divided proportionally among the first three boats. (Maybe some of Australia’s best known sailors lost their amateur status in those early years.)
Les approached his father to help with the purchase of a car and received the profound advice that a car was a poor investment, son, and he should look to the future and buy a house. An adjacent house with views north to Lion Island and a reserve to the beach was for sale and Les approached the owner, a teacher at Chatswood school, and offered a deposit of one Pound which was accepted. This house and the next door boat shed were where the family laid the foundations of Avalon Sailing Club.
In 1938 J.G. Vaughan officially formed Avalon Sailing Club and donated a handsome silver cup for the annual V.J. Championship. The first winner in 1939/40 was Harold Vaughan sailing Defiant and again in 1940/41.
The list of boats and owners for that season is as follows:
Defiant H. Vaughan, Flash L. Vaughan, Gloria Miss L. O’Connor, Wings Miss B. O’Connor (Champion 1942/43), Spray Miss J.P. Hippard, Avalon G. Harrington, Panther H. Webber, Le Hero J. Rodd, Water Witch, Skippey, Q.E.D.
The O’Connors had run into a few problems with the licensing police at Kings Cross in 1942 and to help out financially J.G. Vaughan purchased the Raleigh, which became the official start boat, and the O’Connor house and boat shed.
A Defence order requiring all boats to be removed from Pittwater within 24 hours is recorded on the Championship Trophy as “1943/44 Activities suspended due war service”.
The V.J.s were stored in various boat sheds and back yards and Les Vaughan, in the Naval Reserve at this stage managed to move the Raleigh to Middle Harbour where she remained until the end of the war.
The High Command must have relented towards the end of 1944 as the Club re-opened on the 14th October that year and at the meeting held in the Vaughan’s boat shed the new office bearers unanimously decided the club should be named the Avalon Sailing Club.
J.G. Vaughan was elected President (just as well, as it was his original idea, his boat shed and he also provided the car battery for the lighting in the shed) and Les Vaughan was made Club Captain. Above: Harold Vaughan and his sinking Jubilee class off the Torpedo Wharf
Annual fees were set at 2/6 for boat owners and 2/- for social members and crews. A handicap start from between the centre of Clareville Beach and a launch to the south was to be used and a roster drawn up for laying of a mark at Long Nose Point by a V.J. and a similar retrieval roster. (Fuel was still rationed.) The first race was held on the 15th October and there were 16 V.J.s competing.
January 1946 nearly saw the demise of Avalon Sailing Club. The Club publicity committee moved that the name be changed to the Broken Bay Sailing Club. Luckily this was postponed until the next season and thankfully went away. One good aspect of the committee was that the race results were now appearing in Tuesday’s Manly Daily.
Two new trophies were donated in 1946 which are both still held by the Club. Mr. H.G. Bellingham donated the Bellingham Shield for the handicap champion and Gregory Foster the Clareville Cup for inter-club competition. The latter caused some ill feeling as the Vaucluse Club was in charge of the Vee Jay affiliated clubs and Avalon was in the rogue group which allowed slightly larger spars and sailing one up due to the lack of forward hands. Consequently Vaucluse, Connell’s Point and the River Club refused the invitation unless all clubs became affiliated with the V.J. Association. The first Clareville Cup race was therefore sailed regardless of other clubs and affiliation, and of course won by Avalon.
Either the Club membership was growing or Mr. Vaughan’s 12 volt battery that provided the lighting for the boat shed meetings had died, so the September 1946 A.G.M. was transferred to Wickham’s Store at the corner of Old Barrenjoey Rd. and Avalon Parade. Around this stage plans had been drawn up for the construction of a clubhouse and they were submitted to Warringah Council. (Twelve years later the clubhouse was opened after years of frustration, but more of that later.)
Discussions were also held with the Elwood Sailing Club in Victoria regarding an additional Class to the V.J. The two Class boats investigated were the Seahorse and the International Star with Harold Vaughan (returned from Army service) to obtain the information. The extra Class eventually was the Vaucluse Senior (V.S.) but five A.S.C. Members were to become Australian Star class champions and one Olympic gold.
By 1947 there was a great influx of family members into the Club. One of the Gravenor brothers, Reg, a local builder who owned the house beside Clareville Beach park and was involved in constructing a number of the waterfront homes along the beach as well as Careel Bay, introduced many of the new residents to A.S.C. Some notables among the the new members in 1946/47 were the Toft brothers, and the Forbes brothers.
Avalon has always provided a training ground for some of Australia’s greatest sailors and these early days were no exception. The club was frustrated for ten years in its attempt to build a clubhouse and as the members grew in size and age they were on the lookout for an international class boat to further their ambitions. The favoured boat in those days was the International Star, a tweaky brute of a boat with a huge mainsail, designed back in 1911 especially for one design racing, but unfortunately it had to be kept on the hardstand. Eventually in the sixties some of our members moved on to the R.P.A.Y.C. to sail Stars with a very impressive record.
1947: There were now 29 V.J.s registered with the club and most of the races were still handicap starts. Avalon was still the renegade V.J. Club allowing one up racing and bigger rigs. Note the 1947 photo of Bill Toft sailing Comet (right), with the Taylors Point torpedo station in the background and NO lifejacket. Every Easter from 1947 the club held a carnival at Clareville Beach with raffles, chocolate wheel prizes, cake stalls, mock pirate attacks and the Avalon belles, displaying the latest fashions to the assembled crowd. The purpose was to obtain money for the intended land lease from Warringah Council to erect a clubhouse.
Left: The Avalon belles at Clareville in 1948 - Bob Hanson, Peter Docket and Bill Toft
The Battle for the Clubhouse
As well as the carnivals at Clareville, theatre parties were organised by the then secretary Don Hudson (Ken’s cousin) to raise money for the land lease. Warringah Council was again formally approached in November 1948 and a new set of plans presented as the Council appeared to have lost the previous application. There were various vacant waterfront blocks between Clareville Beach and Taylors Point and Reg Gravenor was authorised to approach the owners, some of whom had children sailing, with an offer. In today’s terms these offers may seem ridiculous. For example 700 pounds for a block just south of the park, to 1250 pounds for Herbie Lee’s mother’s land, to an offer (undisclosed) for the Seaton and Duffs residence at Taylors Point for a ready made clubhouse.
There must have been some opposition from the previously friendly neighbours as the club president, Reg Gravenor, was requested to make a personal approach to the residents to ascertain their objections and find a common basis of agreement so the clubhouse could be built. Evidently it was fine coming to the park to watch the races on a Saturday and Sunday, but a sailing club near your own backyard would be full of one eyed desperados, wearing three cornered hats and parrots on their shoulders, clutching bottles of rum and singing “Yo ho ho” to all hours. It was decided to again approach Councillor Berry at the council to ascertain the Shires policy on obtaining club land, as well as the Lands Department. Getting closer, only eight years to go before the clubhouse opened!!
A New Class for the Club
The Vaucluse Senior (V.S.), a slightly longer V.J., was introduced into the club at the end of 1949, to cater for the older members who had outgrown the V.J. Bill Toft was the first V.S. Captain and David Forbes was the V.J. Captain. 1950 saw good co-operation with the other clubs on Pittwater. Palm Beach Sailing Club, B.Y.R.A. and Pittwater Sailing Club had inter club racing and talk of affiliation with Avalon. There were also the challenges against the Harbour and Northbridge clubs, most of them now sailing the V.S. and the V.J.
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Clareville beach, circa 1955, courtesy State Library of NSW - also held in National Library of Australia Archives
The annual presentation balls were now held at the Dungowan near Martin Place in the city with up to three hundred attending. Tough liquor laws then. Liquor if desired may only be pre-ordered at the Dungowan, no liquor to be brought into the hall, then, in brackets (no bottles on the table).
The local families continued to join the club. The Bate family (H.C., George, Ted and Norm), Gordon Ingate, later Australian 5.5 metre champion and to represent Australia in the Tempest class at the Olympic games, and David Forbes nominated June Jensen, later to become David’s wife. Mr. J.G. Vaughan was made the club’s first honorary life member in 1950 for services rendered and for having the foresight to start the club.
Club Dissension
The continuing battle with council and the Lands Department must have been creating stress on the committee members. At the 1954 A.G.M. Mr. R Davidson was elected President over Doug Gravenor and at the next general meeting Mr. Gravenor accused the President of ballot rigging, branch stacking and seeking the presidency by irregular means. The treasurer, Ken Hudson (later to become Commodore of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club) mediated an eventual compromise.
Doug Gravenor had been leading the battle for club land and had personal contact with Rob Askin, the member for Collaroy and later the Premier of N.S.W. It was through Rob Askin’s personal intervention that permissive occupancy of the present site was granted by the Lands Department in August 1955. A subsequent application for a permissive occupancy was also successful:
APPLICATION FOR LEASE FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE.
THE undermentioned application has been received for Special Lease of the lands and for the purpose hereunder stated. It is the intention to grant the lease should no sufficient objection be found to exist after inquiry by the Local Land Board and consideration by the Minister. Any objection will receive due consideration if lodged in writing with the District Surveyor for the Land Board District in which the
land is situated.
F. H. HAWKINS, Minister for Lands.
Parish Narrabeen, county Cumberland; Special Lease No. 54-259, Land District Metropolitan, for erection of buildings (club house). Land applied for—about 8 1/4 perches below high-water mark of Pittwater, fronting R. 7,333 for Public Recreation, north of Clareville Wharf. Applicant—Avalon Sailing Club. Objections may be lodged at Land Board Office, Sydney. (L.B. 54-1,878) (5204) APPLICATION FOR LEASE FOR SPECIAL PURPOSE. (1955, December 16). Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales (Sydney, NSW : 1901 - 2001), p. 3738. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220363078
The problem with the council’s acceptance of club architect, John Brogan’s plans, now reached an impasse. Council insisted that the club house incorporate brick public toilets in the construction which would be built and maintained by the Club. Luckily, two local doctors were on committee and wrote a comprehensive report about the dangers, both hygienic and moral, that young children could be exposed to, by the Council’s policy. The public toilets requirement suddenly went away.
During this tense period in the Club’s history Phil Rudder and his family joined. Phil owned a trucking company and immediately volunteered to start moving the stockpile of materials that had been collected for the clubhouse to a more central location, one of which was the Rubensohn’s property at Clareville.
The Clareville Beach Protection League which had objected to the erection of a clubhouse anywhere south of the park had promised substantial donations to the club if the building was erected elsewhere. 100 pounds was donated to the building fund in 1956 after a fair amount of lobbying. John Brogan and Bill Toft drew up a roster to construct the club at least up to the first floor level and on the 26th December 1955 the first of many club barbecues was held on site attended by 200 members, soft drinks donated by “Ecks”, the Forbes family company. No gas B.B.Q’s in those days and the first floor survived.
Enthusiasm created great results and by March 1956 the roof trusses were in position, but owing to the late hour finishing they were only tied into position with rope. A westerly gale, blowing dogs off chains, roared through that night and unfortunately blew down the tethered trusses as well. A tough mob in those days, by the end of March the under roof wire mesh was in position and the fibro roof attached to the new trusses that replaced the old twisted ones.
Avalon Sailing Club 1963
The appearance of the club construction created a big influx of new members including the Ryves family, who were later to play a major role in the Club and Bill Northam a future Australian and Olympic champion 5.5 metre sailor. Bill offered a sail on his yacht Saskia as a prize for the winners of some of the V.J. races. The boatshed floor, upper floor and exterior cladding were rapidly added by the members so that the first committee meeting was held in the club house, albeit without electricity, toilet facilities or even widows in place, on Sunday 13th January 1957.
The provision of services down to the building were a problem at this stage, exacerbated by a Council ruling that no functions could be held at the clubhouse until the water and toilet facilities were in place. However the members were kept busy painting the inside frames and exterior cladding with sump oil. Well, why not, if the President owns a trucking company. In addition there were now lock up racks for 70 dinghies including the V.J., the V.S. and the new addition, the Moth.
The first A.G.M. was proudly held at the club house on the 15th September, 1957 with all facilities, including the kitchen, functional.
More about Avalon Sailing Club and its History in:
- The Clareville/Long Beach Reserve: Some History Notes + Current Day Photos - August 2021
- Pittwater Roads II: Where The Streets Have Your Name - Clareville
- Avalon Sailing Club History By Norm Field (Commodore 1998-1999)
- Clareville Public Wharf: 1885 to 1935 - Some History
- Avalon Sailing Club Hosts Pittwater Leg Of Australia Day Regatta 2018
- Avalon Sailing Club Celebrates 75 Years - November 2013
- Avalon Sailing Club - Australia Day 2013; Avalon Sailing Club continued a 177 year tradition by hosting the historical Australia Day Regatta, held on Pittwater each year on behalf of the Australia Day Regatta Management Committee. Owners of all yachts - including centreboard classes, one-design keelboats, gaff-rigged and classic yachts. A sail past at 12.30 preceded the competition.
- Avalon Sailing Club Teaches a Novice to Sail - 2012 - volunteer Norm Field
- AVALON SAILING CLUB - speech by Hon. Rob Stokes, 2011
2025-26 committee:
Helena van de Linde Commodore and Membership/Roster
Paul Westcott – Vice Commodore
James George – Secretary
Martin Didsbury – Treasurer
Ralf Moller - Yacht Racing and Rear Commodore
Tony Cockle – Club Captain
Kingsley Forbes Smith – Head Coach
Ian Turner - Support Crew
Jeff Conly – Maintenance
Chris Zonca - Expert Assistance
Other Key roles:
David Baker – Yacht Cruising
Matt Young – Co Club Captain
Gary Timm – Moorings and External Racks
Pat Quinlan – Internal Racks
Thank you Ralf M for taking on Brett’s role as Yacht Coordinator. Mindy M has offered to assist us with social media and marketing. Nick C is managing and recording centreboard race results.
