LOCAL Dave Castleton lives and breathes sailing.
When he first joined the Queens Lake Sailing Club in 1997, his long-term goal was to sail in the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
Surpassing that goal, on 26 December Dave will commence his eighth race, crewing on the Lake Macquarie based boat “Inner Circle” which will cross 628 nautical miles, covering challenging stretches of rough water with notoriously unpredictable weather.
Most of the crew have been racing together for more than 20 years, with this being the highlight of their racing calendar.
Dave told News Of The Area, “I’d encourage everyone to have a goal, and this shows that anything is achievable.
“To come from a country club and be able to sail in such a prestigious race is fantastic.”
With the help of a committed group of volunteers who work hard behind the scenes, the Queens Lake Sailing Club is producing some excellent sailors and club membership is booming.
Sailing on an open flat water rather than a river like many country clubs, it is also becoming renowned as a desirable place for sailing championships, with sailors prepared to travel great distances to compete there.
Recently Dave was nominated by a member of the community to receive parliamentary acknowledgement of his efforts; this resulted in him receiving a certificate from Member For Port Macquarie Rob Dwyer, recognising him as a driving force behind the growth and success of the Queens Lake Sailing Club for the last two decades.
While delighted to receive this recognition of his hard work, Dave is keen to point out that the club successes are very much a team effort.
The iconic Sydney to Hobart race has been running since 1945 and is organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
By Rachael THORPE
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