Ozone a popular arrival at Indented Head this summer

THE Indented Head Yacht Club’s (IHYC) new inflatable start and rescue boat has been a popular arrival at Half Moon Bay this summer.

Dubbed the Ozone, the multi-craft rigid dual purpose inflatable boat will now be in use at the club’s learn to sail program across the summer months and the Sail Bellarine event in May.

IHYC Vice Commodore and Sail Bellarine co-ordinator Peter Ellenby said the new Highfield Patrol 540 RIB, powered by a Suzuki 70hp outboard motor, was a welcomed addition to the club.

“What we have now got is the capability to be able to start races and also now [we] have a serious rescue craft for the Indented Head Yacht Club,” said Mr Ellenby, who oversees the on-water infrastructure at IHYC.

“It gives us a multi-purpose boat that is up to date, reliable and is able to be used as a rescue craft as well.”

He said the new watercraft replaced IHYC’s former start and rescue boat which had been in use for the last 27 years since 1995 but was now in need of replacement.

“It has given us (the club) great service as a start boat, it has also occasionally been used as a rescue boat, it has been a fibreglass hard style boat (and it has been) really difficult to rescue people with and that boat has reached end of life.”

Mr Ellenby said a competition was held across December to name the new boat where IHYC received about 30 entries and the club’s committee decided upon Ozone as the new name.

The Ozone boat name was announced at the IHYC’s Christmas club celebration last month.

Funds raised from IHYC’s biggest annual fundraiser Wreck2Reef help purchased the new vessel, valued at about $52,000, while a large portion of revenue came from club savings over the past decade.

A Healthy and Connected Community equipment grant valued at $2000 provided by the City of Greater Geelong went towards the Ozone boat trailer.

In other developments, $2000 was donated to the Wreck2Reef event under the city’s Community Events Grant initiative.

Registrations for this summer’s Wreck2Reef are open – log onto the Indented Head Yacht Club website at ihyc.com.au/wreck-2-reef-event for more information.

Competitor numbers will be capped at 300, and registrations will close once this number is reached.

// Sponsored Content