History

Welcome to Newcastle Radio Yacht Squadron Inc.

It is with a great deal of excitement and pride we advise that in recent times we have managed to establish a new organisation to encourage and develop radio- controlled model yachting in our region. The organisation is known as Newcastle Radio Yacht Squadron Inc. (NRYS). We welcome your interest and trust this site will help inform you of our structure, goals, rules, and objectives. The Squadron enjoys a close association with Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC) who are also determined to further the interest of sailing in our district. The squadron has its own committee and operates independently of NCYC. The Newcastle Radio Yacht Squadron controls its own destiny but also enjoys a close working relationship with NCYC who offer on-going benefits and support. Newcastle Radio Yacht Squadron is a member of New South Wales Radio Yacht Association (NSWRYA.) The Squadron sails on waters which are the subject of an aquatic license held by NCYC.

The CEO and board members of NCYC are supportive of the NRYS. Northern Waterways are also supportive of the squadron’s endeavours. The recent improvements to the Carrington foreshore and the completion of a new public jetty under Carrington Bridge have created a wonderful place for NRYS to sail. This venue is subjected to ocean breezes and introduces the added challenge of tidal movement. A new representative group of all the major clubs and organisations who make use of the Carrington Foreshore has been established and known as Throsby Creek Users Group (TUG). NRYS is a participating member of TUG.

Membership

The cost of membership to NRYS is $ 115 per annum. There is no difference in membership costs between primary and associate members. If you choose to be a primary member of NRYS, the squadron will pay $15 (the insurance cover cost) to NSWRYS on your behalf. If you choose to be a primary member of another radio control model yacht club that $15 insurance cost will be imbedded in their annual fee which you pay. So, it’s $100 per year plus $15 to cover insurance if you are a primary member with NRYS.

Most squadron members support the NCYC and choose to be social members at a cost of $95 a year. We hasten to say membership of NCYC is not compulsory nor conditional upon membership to NRYS. It is a matter for you. The annual membership fee to NCYC is $95 per annum but is reduced on a pro-rata basis. For the purposes of calculation, the NCYC’s financial year ends on 31 st March each year. NRYS is affiliated with NCYC and all members enjoy reciprocal rights.

It therefore follows that if you choose to be a primary member of NRYS you will have the use of some of the best sailing waters in our region, an invitation to sail every Tuesday as well as every other Sunday and enjoy all the benefits reciprocal rights allowed to social members except for discount’s. You will not be required to pay a sailing fees every time you sail. That could amount to a saving hundreds of dollars a year. There are no sailing fees charged to sail with NRYS at Carrington foreshore.

The NRYC will be doing all it can to encourage interclub activities.

The development of Newcastle Radio Yacht Squadron is being undertaken with genuine respect for the efforts and efficiencies of other clubs in our region, however there is a void in Newcastle City, because there has not been a RC yachting facility anywhere on our harbour before. Some members of other RC sailing clubs will become associate members of more than one club and hopefully Newcastle will become an enjoyable facility for everyone sailing model yachts.

Encouraging Interclub Activities

The NRYC will be doing all it can to encourage interclub activities. The NSWRYA has in the past considered Newcastle Harbour as a possible venue to conduct Regional, State and National Titles; it is hoped now with a new venue that our harbour is reconsidered. We have, with the consent of NSWRYA, already held one GP event at Carrington. In time we do envisage running other events for different classes as the membership of the squadron grows. Certainly, with all the new accommodation available in the CBD, walking distance from the new Newcastle train station, restaurants and cafes, Newcastle is extremely well placed to offer what could well be one of the very best RC sailing locations in Australia. It must be a good thing for our sport and for our city.

More Membership Information

Your support and enthusiasm for RC Sailing identifies you as someone who might like to participate in this venture as well. If you are not a member of NCYC, an application form is available on NCYC’s web site but again it must be said that membership to NCYC is not compulsory. If you do wish to apply to be an associate member of NRYS the cost of membership is the same as it is for primary members. Associate members do not have any voting rights in NRYS.

Membership Acceptance Criteria

It should be said that membership of the squadron is conditional upon acceptance of the following:

1. All applicants agree to be bound by the NSWRYS’s code of behaviour,

2. All applicants agree to allow photographs of themselves and their RC Yachts to be published and or displayed at the discretion of the committee.

3. All applicants agree to be bound by NRYS’s association rules.

4. Membership of the squadron is not an automatic entitlement.

Persons wishing to become members of the squadron (Primary or Associate) must first be invited, nominated, and seconded, to become members of the squadron and have at least 80% support from all primary members. If 20% or more of the primary members object to any application for membership, the application will be refused, and the applicant advised accordingly by the committee. There will be no reasons given by the committee other than to say the applicant’s application has been refused. An application form to participate in Newcastle Radio Yacht Squadron is available here.

If there is anything further, you might like to know about the membership of NRYS please contact one of the committee members. We do hope you and all other RC model yacht sailors embrace our initiative and give it support in any way you can. It offers something greater than just sailing itself. There is a wonderful social aspect to being part of this squadron that allows for use of the NCYCs club facilities, and we do look forward to sharing them with you.