On the hunt for new community use

Sailors have been racing on the waters of Rivoli Bay at Southend for more than six decades and the Rivoli Bay Sailing Club is now looking to ensure the clubhouse and boat shed continue to be well utilised by the community.

It was back in the 1960s when a group of GP-14s, a two-man centreboard dinghy, migrated from the Port MacDonnell Sailing Club, including national champion Mr Manefield and local vet George Shenman.

The group continued to return for racing at Port MacDonnell, with events also held on Lake Bonney and Lake Leake.

It was in the early 1980s, when the club took on the lease at its present site, from the, then District Council of Millicent, that its member rolled up their sleeves and started to build the clubhouse.

It took two summers of blood, sweat and tears for the landmark to be completed and over the past 40 years since setting up that home base there has been a multitude of classes taking to the Rivoli Bay waters, including Windrush, Cobra, A-Class, Taipan catamarans, 145-Class, Tasar, Fireball and Laser dinghies.

The club is currently going through a dip in the number of boats in the water but they are keen to ensure this important community asset continues to be used.

The clubhouse boasts a crows nest, separate male and female changerooms on the ground floor and a kitchen-dining are on the main deck.

There is also an large grassed area providing room for rigging and parking.

Then large boatshed is connected to the planked track to allow easy movement of boat trolleys to the water.

The club is hoping to people from the community will come forward with ideas for future use and if you have an idea you can contact Phil Smith on 0405 774 047.