I do believe I mentioned in one of my other posts that I had drafted an ad to that end.
But before placing it, I wanted to have at least one sailing place to point people too. There is one I still need to investigate that sounds really promising but I haven't had the time to check it out yet.
Even next to the Helicopter club is a lake that once was great. The local power station has drained it, but in addition there is the issue of frequency control which is absolutely critical with model aircraft. In fact, the Australian body has even only allowed 10 2.4Ghz systems to be used at one time, whereas the yachties don't care, and neither should they, because lives are not at stake with the yachties, but they certainly are with the model aircraft.
But I am working on it.
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Maverick Model Yachting - The Only Way To Go! Secret Alias - Don Leitis
"As you are remote from existing clubs have you had any success in getting sailing going locally?"
I respond as follows, giving also a bit of background to the challenges I am facing.
To the best of my knowledge, radio boating, in any form, is rather a scarce commodity in Gippsland, unless you go further east towards Bairnsdale/Sale, places which are about 2 1/2 hours drive from where I live. That is each way by the way.
However, there is a place that is closer. A place I found out about as a direct result of my interest in RC helicopters. Unlike Radio Yachting forums' which are one-eyed about their sport, the RC Helicopter scene is much more tolerant and open to new ideas than is my experience in the RC yachting scene. In my preferred Australian RC Helicopter forum, they have a forum titled "Anything to do with R/C". I need to take a leaf out of their book actually.
Anyway, I posted a topic in this forum, that amazingly, generated quite a bit of interest. As a result of that post, many helpful suggestions were made, and I am still to follow many of those suggestions up. And I profusely thank my RC Helicopter friends for their support.
The most common recommendation was to try the Hazelwood Pondage, about 45-55 minutes from my place as a venue for RC boating. That distance is fine. However most of the interest was from power boaters, and I have been asked to let people know if/when I get something going.
I figure, the first thing that needs to be done is to confirm that there is available, a suitable venue for sailing radio yachts. I have not at this stage had the time to do that, but comments and anecdotal offerings suggest that the Pondage might work.
Once I am happy that that is in fact dooable, I will make another post on the heli forum advising my intent to arrange a gathering of all interested parties. I have also drafted a preliminary ad that I will place in the three Gippsland papers inviting potential radio yacht sailors to ring me directly if they are interested in meeting.
So Graeme, in answer to your question, if your question was if I was doing anything apart from running a website at my own expense, and running a forum at my own expense, and doing anything other than the above, also at my own expense, then my answer has to be, yes I am. And with all due modesty it seems to be a hell of a lot more than most nearly everyone else that I know about.
The people who I have a genuine respect for, and who I believe have a genuine desire to promote this sport, have already been mentioned either on my website or in the forums', or, whose businesses appear in the "Links" page of my website. Just by way of clarification, the businesses that appear on that "Links" page have earned that spot, due to service I have considered to be exceptional, not only due to the quality of the products and services they are in the business of supplying, but also because of the additional factor of caring, and having a passion for this sport, and doing the right thing by their customers. Doing the right thing by you and me.
Damn, I have gotten off the topic. I will rectify that soon.
-- Edited by Maverick at 01:20, 2008-06-28
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Maverick Model Yachting - The Only Way To Go! Secret Alias - Don Leitis
