RQYS MAINSHEET 2025

Feature: Finn’s Boat Shed

There’s talent aplenty across all aspects of marine woodwork, fibreglass, finishes and basic metalwork — but an extra pair of hands with welding expertise would be a welcome addition to the already impressive capabilities of Finn’s Shed. A little later, St Mick shows me a broken Opti mast’s pair of pole segments. He’s sourced an inner sleeve ‘plug’ and machined all components to securely fit together to create a whole new mast —and, moreover, in doing so, lifted the ‘gooseneck’ fitting (which anchors the boom) so that it’s elevated a crucial few inches more above head-hight of our young Tackers sailors … that’s first-class attention to detail. Technically, maintenance / operational readiness job taskings are compiled by the Sailing Manager / Office to feed on to RQYS Volunteer Co-ordinator Phil Tooth for ‘whiteboard job-ticket’ assignment to one or more of the Finn’s Shed crew via Patto’s oversight of said-whiteboard on the wall of one of the TEU containers. It’s a neat balance, with the Sailing Office across regatta and event plans and Phil in daily operational contact with boats and bodies on launching ramps and rigging lawns. There’s a morning brief, every Thursday’s gathering, to see who’s brought in ‘homework’ and to identify priorities — especially for the imminent weekend’s activities — before those present go about deploying workbenches, mixing two-packs or fine-sanding last week’s varnish. On pain of jovial ribbing, one of the cohort will be tasked with bringing cake for morning tea, with Donna Paterson closer to midday providing an esky or two containing lunch of sandwiches and heartier fare (the cost of which foodstuffs is borne by a grateful Squadron). Numbers in attendance can vary, depending on (often, medical) appointments or the sea’s Siren-call: P/Cdre Greg Clarke’s absence up north over a couple of Thursdays for the Hamilton island / Airlie Beach race weeks being entirely understood (if not quietly envied) by the group. How it all works Thanks to a steady stream of donations over the past half-decade, Finn’s Shed now has the makings of, to quote Patto, “a mini-chandlery” that’s increasingly able to support the growing gamut of work done, away from the public eye, by these RQYS Volunteers. “A lot of the individuals and businesses which have given us stuff — equipment, tools or whatever — over the years have done so privately, without fuss or any desire for acknowledgement,” Patto tells me, “and, if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep it that way out of respect for their wishes and support.” Behind the scenes

SQUADRON FLEET ASSETS INCLUDE: • 17 x RhIBs • 3 x Start / Finish boats • 6 x Elliott 6s • 1 x Fareast 28r • 5 x ILCAs (Lasers) • 12 x fibreglass Optis • 26 x ‘Ozi Optis’ (Tackers / plastic Optis) • 6 x RS Quests • 3 x Hanser dinghies • 20 x SUPs (stand-up paddle boards) • 7 x Foiling windsurfers • 12 x Windsurfers (‘Bic boards’)

Remember that ramp scenes like this are largely only possible thanks to the behind-the-scenes efforts of the Finn’s Shed crew of Volunteers!

Mainsheet 2025

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Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Yearbook