OBC Memoirs
PIECE OF LAND
At the annual meeting of the second year the name President was abolished and changed to Commodore. With a healthy bank account following the club’s first Boat Show and still no place to call home, members decided to plug for the rubbish dump at Hobson Bay – land they knew belonged to the Harbour Board but was vested in the Auckland City Council as a reserve. It was an eyesore on a main entrance to the city and without dredging lots of mud to form a channel approach it was not the ideal site for the club’s purpose. However all attempts to obtain space at Okahu Bay or Westhaven were hopeless so beggars could not be choosers. In desperation members approached the Harbour Board with some practical ideas for the dump which were rejected out-right. By now though, a group of passionate members were determined to have this dump. After months of hammering, arguing, string pulling, lobbying sympathetic listeners plus good publicity from the Herald and the Star, they got it.
OOZY MUD, SHOVELS AND GUMBOOTS
1956-1966
SO HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN?
The first conception of a boating club for small boat owners, particularly boats that could be transported by trailer, was the idea of John Mallitte, editor of Sea Spray magazine in 1955. “In March I published an article I had written called “Outboard Cruisers” which in general described the advantages of these craft and their development in the USA. During the remainder of the year I published more information on this type of boat as the interest in them was growing rapidly, and by the end of the 1955-56 season there were several more in the water and many more being built.” Outboarder, July 1976.
The desire for a trailer boat club in New Zealand came at a time when the boating season was just taking off in New Zealand. Building materials such as plywood and glue that were previously hard to get hold of became available, and the first kitset plans were designed for people to build their own boats. Import restrictions made it virtually impossible to get hold of outboard motors, so boaties came up with the idea of substituting them with car engines. Ford 10s were considered the best, followed by Dodges.
John Mallitte was aware that this type of boating was not catered for in New Zealand by any of the existing clubs, so he wrote to the OBC of America for guidance in forming a similar organisation in New Zealand. “Shortly after all the helpful literature arrived, trailer boat enthusiast Fred Walker came to my office clutching a duplicate set. He too thought it was time a club was formed and had also enlisted help from America.”
And so one afternoon in August 1956, 19 interested people gathered for a meeting in the boardroom of United Business Directories, publishers of the Sea Spray magazine. The meeting was chaired by John Mallitte, and it was agreed that a club to be known as the Outboard Boating Club of New Zealand be formed along the lines of the OBC in America, including the constitution, its officers and their duties. The discussion and planning led to a public meeting held in the Auckland Sunday School Hall and was attended by around 70 boating enthusiasts. This was the inaugural meeting of the OBC of New Zealand.
“The formation of the OBC of New Zealand in Auckland last week has already created wide interest among the myriad of small boat owners. Seventy enthusiasts were present at the inaugural meeting and the local response since has been nothing short of amazing. The purpose for which the club was formed is to serve the interests of boating and in particular those propelled by outboard motors, and to set a high standard of safety at sea.” Auckland Star, June 1956.
As one of the prime movers, Fred Walker seemed the obvious choice to be the first President but he declined, instead offering his services as chairman of one of the working committees. Stan Gleadow was chosen to be the club’s first president at that meeting. Others elected at that first meeting were:
Secretary/Treasurer – Gore Fisher
Club Captain – Bob McRae
Chairman Programme/Attendance Committee – Fred Walker
Chairman Publicity/Membership Committee – Ron Abel
Chairman Technical & Safety Committee – Gordon Brookbanks
In all there were 15 foundation members.
The 1956 pioneers were elated with the enthusiasm surrounding the formation of the club but soon realized it was one thing to start the club, but it was an entirely different proposition to find it a home. From 25th October 1956, monthly meetings were held in the Commodore’s Lounge of the Tamaki Yacht Club on a Thursday night. However the date was later moved to Tuesday night as the clash with “Coronation Street” appeared to be the cause of poor turnouts. Communication among members was provided by a monthly club report published in Sea Spray magazine. Sea Spray also featured articles on any new boat that was built or owned by a member. At the end of the first year the club had some 70 members and an annual income of a pound a head per entrance fee. After all, the club had nothing to offer the members so it couldn’t charge them much.