The Pigeon Bay Boating Club celebrated its 50th anniversary over a cool, grey Waitangi Weekend. Classic yachts and boats and were made very welcome to participate in the weeklend’s activities. Though the persistantly gloomy weather discouraged a few, some classic boats did attend and enjoyed good sailing in plenty of wind.
The inaugural meeting of the Pigeon Bay Boating Club was held on January 8th 1962 and attended by locals of Pigeon Bay and Christchurch people who spent holidays at Holmes Bay beach, a small bay within Pigeon Bay. Holmes Bay was a meeting place for picnics and casual fun sailing during summer weekends before the PBBC began. Motor boats were part of the boating scene and this is reflected by the name Pigeon Bay Boating Club. Club facilities began with the use of the historic wharf shed that had been used previously to store freight transported to and from Lyttelton by steam ship. A public one-lane slipway was established where the present one is and a start box was built sitting on concrete posts and attached to the sea side of the wharf shed soon after the first meeting of club members.
Boating activity began with a fleet of Wagstaff design Restricted International Moth class sailing dingy and some power boats that provided the rescue support during yacht racing events. Over the 50 years of the club’s history this shed has been developed into what is now our clubhouse by the efforts of many members at numerous working bees. In the late 1970s the rigging area was acquired. The adjacent camping ground is also popular with sailing members.
The inaugural meeting of the Pigeon Bay Boating Club was held on January 8th 1962 and attended by locals of Pigeon Bay and Christchurch people who spent holidays at Holmes Bay beach, a small bay within Pigeon Bay. Holmes Bay was a meeting place for picnics and casual fun sailing during summer weekends before the PBBC began. Motor boats were part of the boating scene and this is reflected by the name Pigeon Bay Boating Club. Club facilities began with the use of the historic wharf shed that had been used previously to store freight transported to and from Lyttelton by steam ship. A public one-lane slipway was established where the present one is and a start box was built sitting on concrete posts and attached to the sea side of the wharf shed soon after the first meeting of club members.
Boating activity began with a fleet of Wagstaff design Restricted International Moth class sailing dingy and some power boats that provided the rescue support during yacht racing events. Over the 50 years of the club’s history this shed has been developed into what is now our clubhouse by the efforts of many members at numerous working bees. In the late 1970s the rigging area was acquired. The adjacent camping ground is also popular with sailing members.