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Bay of Plenty Model Powerboat Club.

Pre Nats update..

The clubs NZMPBA Nats venue preparation plans were going well upto X mas / new year, unfortunately some one forgot to tell Mother nature that it was supposed to be Summer ! Over that period, along with other parts of the country, we were hammered with massive rain dumps.
In simple terms the lake over filled well beyond anything we had ever anticipated, in fact the water level was some 2.5 m higher than normal, putting water across the top of our new drivers stand.
When the water finally receded, it left a hell mess behind, all our markers were wiped out, a number of our survey course pegs were gone and the drivers stand pavers had subsided in several places, just to mention a few issues.
Since then we started to experience un-desirables visiting the site, ripping it up in cars, leaving piles of rubbish etc, so we erected posts and a chain to limit access, well the next thing we found was the post cut off to release the chain barrier and our drivers stand vandalised, parts of the woodwork cut out and various other fittings removed.
Since all that, I am proud to say there has been a number of the local membership who dug in and helped put things right, to the point of personal detriment of missing events and valuable time preparing their own gear ready for the nats. The course has been reset with all brand new markers, the startline and pitlane poles have been manufactured and installed.
With the help of TCC between now and the Nats, the divers stand will be fully repaired, landscaping will be repaired, safety barriers will be installed, along with a lockable steel gate with combination access ONLY for BOPMPBC members and TCC contractors. There will also be a raft of other smaller projects completed in time for Easter.
As I say, we were not anticipating theses set backs, so am immensely proud of the guys here who have stepped up to help get things sorted, and of course our sincere gratitude to the TCC for backing the club.
We welcome out of town visitors attending our club days and practice days to further their own nats preparations and practice.
The BOP club are really looking forward to hosting the Nats, the vibe and energy locally is great, and if the national grape vine is in tune, then we should have a big turn out of competitors, including a trio of our Ozzy friends who are also coming over to give us the hurry up !

Look forwards to seeing you all here at Easter…

Regards and on behalf of the BOPMPBC,
Steve T.