Surrey Park Model Boat Club

Latest News

Extract from SPMBC Rules & By-Laws

(May-2017)

(6) Fast Boats

-Generally, fast boats may operate for the first 15 minutes on the hour.
-Prior to the commencement of fast boat activities, at 10 minutes to the hour, a bell will be rung and all operators, currently using the lake, must be made aware of the pending activities.
-Fast boats may operate at other times if:

a) There are no other boats currently using the lake or about to launch, or
b) The operator of the fast boat gains agreement of ALL current lake users and maintains an adequate distance from other boats to avoid collisions.

-Operators of fast boats must pay particular attention to avoiding wildlife in addition to their responsibility to avoid collisions with other boats.
-Up to three (3) fast boats may run on the lake at any one time

- they will run in the same direction.
-If more than three (3) boats are present, the run time will be five (5) minutes for each group of up to three (3) fast boats.
-There must be no racing between fast boats.
-The fast boat course comprises the four (4) white buoys.
-Fast boats (or any boats) must not pass, or enter, at speed into the area between the coloured buoys and the dock.
-All boats returning to the dock must do so at slow speed.
-Safety officers, or Committee personnel, may terminate the operation of fast boats at their discretion.

NOTE: Fast boats must never be left unattended when the propulsion system is armed.

SPMBC Lake Marker Buoys

(September-2016)

There has been a slight re-arranging of the marker buoys at the SPMBC Surrey Dive lake. The new arrangement includes a designated "Slow Zone" in front of the clubroom dock area. This applies to all boats, in an attempt to reduce wash and provide a safe area for boats to depart and arrive back into the dock.

There is also an additional white buoy deployed to provide sailors with an increase in sailing course options.

Slight tinkering with buoy positions may occur as water depth changes over summer.

Busy August to December 2016 for SPMBC

(August-2016) Events Calendar here

The second half of 2016 is going to be an active time for the Surrey Park Model Boat Club. The Club will be holding two Social luncheon events, one on the 10th. September and, our Christmas luncheon, on 10th December 2016. Also there will be two off-site displays of our boats. One event will be held at Como Gardens Open Days, The Basin, in the Dandenong Ranges on Saturday 15th. and Sunday 16th. October 2016.

The second event, also on Sunday 16th. October 2016, will be held at the City of Whitehorse Spring Festival at the Civic Centre, Nunawading. As well as these extra special days, there is a great line up of our regular Club special days. These include;

Buy, Swap and Sell Day
Night Sailing
Square Rig Day
Navy Day
Schooner, Ketch and Couta Boat day.

The health and safety of our members is not forgotten either, as a refresher course in CPR and training in the use of our portable Defibrillator, will be held on November 6th. 2016.

Come along and see SPMBC talents on show at the special display days.

New SPMBC dock almost fully complete

(August-2015)

Work has all but finished on the fabulous new SPMBC dock area. See some photos are in the Gallery section of the web site.

Areas around our club rooms are now the focus of works activity. Landscaping on the Eastern bank of the lake will be predominately grass with a small amount of native shrubbery at the Southern and Boat Club end. Park bench seating will also be installed.

The City of Whitehorse is sympathetic to the needs of model boat operation and every attempt is being made to accommodate the club activities. A new rescue boat ramp is to be constructed using a new type of crushed stone that, reputedly, has better resistance to washing away and resists softening when wet. This new material is also being used to resurface the vehicle entrance track for model boat unloading and will include an area that enables a 3 point turn for easy access and exiting.

A shallow water area near the model boat launching dock is to be rectified as well. Good news for deep keel yachties. Hopefully the Lake level will be raised very soon.

The Eastern car park has had "all day parkers" restricting the amount of spaces available to Surrey Dive visitors. City of Whitehorse intends to make this parking area restricted to 3 or 4 hour parking, in an attempt to keep this car park for visitor use only.

A new car parking area on the Western end of Surrey Park will be constructed shortly, as cars will no longer be able to park in the "loop" driveway.

The automatic Super Loo is almost completed, so this should make life less stressful for Surrey Park visitors and SPMBC alike.

Council Surrey Park Re-development commences

(April-2015)

Following 12 months of planning by the Infrastructure Department of the City of Whitehorse, work has commenced and is well under way in the area of the Surrey Park model Boat Club.

The new concrete dock area is almost complete, as small section of recycled timber "Sleepers" is yet to be fixed to the dock water line. The pathway along the front of the SPMBC club room is to be paved in Blue stone pavers. This work has commenced and will look very smart. A large concrete ramp from the eastern end of the pathway, leads down to the dock and will enable full access for people with disabilities. It is envisaged that the gently sloping landscaped areas, on the Eastern edge of the lake, will offer easy rescue boat launching.

Two "Super Loos" are being installed west of the SPMBC close to the Playground equipment section. This has been long lobbied for by SPMBC and locals alike, so their installation will be much appreciated. Photos of the works progress are to be found in the picture Gallery section of the website. The area used by SPMBC is scheduled to be available for the club to use in time for our Navy Day on 26th. April 2015.

UPDATE Club By-Laws

There are restriction on Fast Boats at SPMBC. Refer to Club By-Laws on usage. (Feb-2014)