Watson gets a move on
administrator Peter Watson has taken up a new role, moving from Bellerive Yacht Club to the Derwent Sailing Squadron where he has taken up the position of marine operations manager.
Watson had been marine/ sailing manager at the BYC since 2015, with the club paying tribute to his contribution to the club operations in its weekly newsletter, notably in organising Crown Series, the IOR Cup and the BYC’s role in Combined Clubs racing, as well as the very active club racing at Bellerive.
As well as having a wealth of experience in yachting and marine management, Watson was a prominent sailor in still going when we started,” she said amid laughter.
Husband Brett is one of Hobart’s leading racing yachtsmen with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, last summer winning the SB20 sportsboat Australian champion and finishing sixth at the Worlds, best of the Aussies.
“We love it here at Maggie Island. It’s not every day you get to sail with your family. Jorja did offshore races with us from a very young age — she’s crossed Bass Strait,” Brett Cooper said proudly.
“The girls enjoy the boat and sailing it — they’ve done hundreds of miles already with home schooling thrown in.
“This is a laid-back friendly event — and what a venue. We get a private concert every night too,” he said of their berth just behind the stage at Peppers Resort.
Well-known Hobart yachtie Hughie Lewis has been there again too with a crew from Bellerive Yacht Club, including commodore Graham Mansfield and combined clubs pennant winner Ian “Seaweed” Stewart.
Lewis was loaned David Currie’s Farr 40, Ponyo. Olympic classes between 1987 and 2000.
He represented Australia in the Flying Dutchman world championship in Germany and was a member of the Australian Olympic sailing team in Greece, as well as being a helmsman in several Sydney-Hobart races.
He also won an Australian championship in the Flying Dutchman class and the prestigious Royal Coweslip Trophy.
His first major sailing event at the DSS will be the Pipe Opener Series over next weekend, September 21-23, including the Hobart to Garden Island Race starting on the Friday evening.
The DSS is also responsible for the administration of the Combined Clubs Series this summer.
Watson is also a talented yachting photographer and his images have added much to reports in the Mercury and on the BYC’s website and other sailing sites.