RQYS MAINSHEET 2023

Yachtshare Club Members of the Year

Paul actually won this award 10 years ago for his volunteer efforts, and was of the view that ‘lightning never strikes twice’ but was surprised and humbled to be honoured again this year — or, as Nelly expanded on Paul’s modest thoughts, “It was nice for both of us to be recognised, as a team, a pair and a couple.” Recognising our ‘WAGS power team’ Yachtshare Club Members of the Year 2022-23 Paul and Nelly Bolton have given so much for more than a decade.

CITATION (extract) announced at the Seniors’ and Club Member of the Year Presentations night on 16 June 2023 in the Girdis Room: “These two winners started their humble beginnings as Volunteers in 2010, and shaped the way our regular weekday regattas are run. They created new and better handicaps, improved the Sailing Instructions, set new courses and locations for the start line to accommodate those deeper keeled vessels. “Their love for the Club has truly made a difference here and the Club and its Members are truly grateful for your support. Ladies and gentlemen: our 2023 Yachtshare Club Members of the Year are Paul and Nelly Bolton!" n

“I joined the Club back in 2000,” remembers Paul, “and for 17 of those 23 years I’ve been volunteering in one capacity or another — not always but mostly WAGS — and especially so since I retired in 2009. Nelly’s always been right there with me, and she’s been a ‘full-time WAGS volunteer’ since she retired in 2017. The first WAGS in my hands was Boxing Day 2010 when Vic Frizzell and Judy Parker handed over the reins and, within 12 months, I was handicapping and then Volunteer Co-ordinator Dougal Henderson suggested I get my Race Officer’s ticket and things just snowballed from there … I was lucky to be surrounded by the right people at the right time.” Planning and building new courses for WAGS became a priority when Youth Week and Sail Brisbane attracted hundreds of competing sailors. With space this side of Green Island at a premium, the WAGS fleet needed to sail courses that didn’t encroach onto Waterloo Bay’s three traditional courses. So, necessity being the mother of invention, some new courses were born and appreciated by all. COVID’s onset in 2020 almost broke the Wednesday tradition “but the WAGS family is so strong,” says Paul, “it survived via social media and to this day fields great, consistent fleets,” the bonds so tight throughout that boats like KERAZY (the McKay brothers) haven’t missed a single WAGS so far in 2023.

Final words from Nelly, ever-present but somehow always in the background: “I’m just there to encourage and support, and pick up any pieces which may be missed.”

Mainsheet 2023

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Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Yearbook