The Birth of the Lae Yacht
Birth of the Lae Yacht Club
The precursor to the Lae Yacht Club, Lae Power Boat and Yacht Club was formed in September 1950 by Bill Humphries and Bill Carr. A few small speedboats were imported into Lae from other centers, an account opened at the Commonwealth Bank, and for a few years the club flourished, operating from Voco Point. However, due to lack of support, by the mid-fifties this club existed in name only as most of the active members had moved away from Lae.
By 1958-59 a group of keen water skiers had arrived in Lae. Two speedboats were built and skiing started each weekend and most early mornings. This stirred up quite a bit of enthusiasm around town and a few more boats were built, ranging from small 13 foot speedboats to 25 foot power boats.
Spurred by this a group of sailboat enthusiasts stirred and began constructing a variety of small sail craft.
In December 1960, at a beach barbeque, a group of these keen ‘salties’ decided to call a public meeting to try and resurrect the Lae Power Boat and Yacht Club.
The public meeting was held in the Lae Club on the 10th of January 1961 attended by 41 people.
This meeting elected a committee of eleven headed by Keith Bradford, Commodore with Jeff Tait, Vice Commodore Power and Des Ashton VC Sail. Five trustees, Louise Ferraris, Ralph Phillips, Dr. Bryan Todd, Neil Leydon and Ron Dickson, were elected and given the immediate task of applying for Lot 8, Sec 27 at Voco Point which was the only waterfront land available in Lae. The committee were charged with the task of redrawing the club constitution in line with that of the Papua Yacht Club’s.
Membership fees were set at One Guinea subsequently doubled the following year.
Within a week, a petition to the Town Advisory Council had 672 signatures and this was presented to the T.A.C meeting at the end of January. There were competing claims for the block at the time and the application was opposed at the T.A.C by at least one prominent businessman who claimed that a club wharf would hinder movement of commercial small ships. On assurance to the contrary by the chairman, the T.A.C resolved to support an application to the Land Board.
The block was eventually secured in December 1961 and plans proceeded to raise funds and build a clubhouse on the site. Building approval was granted in September 1962. The club was proposed to be built in four stages. The first being foundations, steel frames and roof progressing to the last (toilet block) over a period of two years.
In early 1963 a new constitution was adopted and the club renamed to Lae Yacht Club. Building had commenced and application made to the Commonwealth Bank for a loan of 1,000 pounds to expedite completion. Net club worth at the end of 1964 was recorded at 424 pounds plus building under construction. Cost of the building, furniture and fittings came in at 5,730 pounds.
There were many functions and raffles to assist the club. One low cost raffle caught the attention of many – a Do-it-Yourself Kit Boat. When opened, the winner found an axe and a log! Needless to say, while other members saw the funny side, he was less than impressed.
To quote an article written by Jeff Tait (who supplied the archival records on which this article is based) in 1970 – “With due thought to the penalties involved, the committee, trustees and a few other willing helpers went ahead with all the necessary graft, sleight of hand, blood, sweat, near divorces and whatever it took, and built the Lae Yacht Club”. For example, it was necessary for the club to formally apply to the District Commissioner (Horrie Niall) through the Chief of Police (Superintendent Jack Carrol, papa bilong PC) for approval to hold a ‘carnival’ with Coconut Shy, Darts, Penny Board & Chocolate Wheel.
‘Friendly’ rivalry surfaced early with only the second minutes on 23-1-61 commenting on a dispute between members with power (stink) boats and the sailors (rag men). Tempers were quickly cooled in the interests of getting on with the main job in hand.
Membership records in late 1963 show 64 members and 17 associates. Of these only Ron Dickson remains with us in Lae until his untimely passing in 2017. The new clubhouse (complete with toilet block!) was officially opened on December 15, 1963.
The Clubhouse remained essentially unchanged, apart from the addition of the second story ‘Commodore’s Deck’, driven by Commodore John Riordan in 1978.
Written by Ian Bull, from the early records with assistance of Jeff & Narie Tait
