A long-awaited crate has been delivered to the Darwin Sailing Club that will give a first-hand opportunity for young people to participate in the Territory’s great outdoor lifestyle.
A Hobie 16 catamaran has been delivered into the hands of Commodore Barry Stach from the Darwin Sailing Club, to be assembled by Hobie cat enthusiast and CDU (Charles Darwin University) lecturer Dan Baschiera.
The catamaran was bought by the Rotary Club of Darwin North as a youth leadership project after a joint sponsorship initiative with CDU’s Faculty of Education, Health and Science.
Acquisition of the Hobie 16 catamaran will give Darwin’s young sailors a chance to challenge the Australian Youth Multihull Nationals in the prestigious sailing competition due to take place in Perth in January 2009.
Winners of their class at the Perth regatta qualify for Yachting Australia’s youth team and will compete against 60 international teams in the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Brazil in July 2009.
The scheme is part of CDU’s community engagement program and linked to community sport, health and youth.
Its aim is to provide Northern Territory’s youth with an adventurous challenge and an opportunity to choose sport over street racing and other anti-social behaviour.
In the longer term, Rotary Club Darwin North also will use the project to assist youth at risk on a case-by-case basis by sponsoring sail training and club membership.
Other sponsors of the project include the NT Government through its Community Benefit Grant scheme, the Multihull Association of the NT and the Darwin Sailing Club.
Additional sponsors are sought to assist with final costs.