Wellington Ocean Sports is sad to announce that Manager Matt Wood will be moving on. Matt has worked for the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club for 11 years, first as a casual sailing instructor in 2005 before taking on the role of “Sailing Academy Manager”, then in 2011 he successfully applied for the position of “Wellington Ocean Sports Project Manager” and lastly as “Wellington Ocean Sports Manager”. Matt will be moving on to a role at Maritime New Zealand as a Maritime Officer. His last day of employment at RPNYC is Friday 3 August.
Matt absolutely loved his time working time at the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club saying “There are so many highlights it’s hard to know where to start!!!, but it is the people – staff, Club members, customers, partner groups and al those who help us on a daily basis I’ll miss the most. It’s been a privilege to work in such a unique role, at a special location, delivering safe boating education to both adults and children. When I took over running the Sailing Academy in 2005 from Gerry Booth it was working with instructors such as Craig Ryburn, Iain Wilson, Kim den Boon Fabrice Vauclair and Bruce Hills. At that time Brendon Hogg was Commodore, Doughy was Boat Master and Zana was tied up at the end of A Pier!!
Craig Ryburn, Kim den Boon and Matt in 2006.
At that time we only delivered sailing and Coastguard courses and were still running the learn to sail programme for the Worser Bay Boating Club. During my 11 years here I have worked for different 5 Commodores and many Governing Boards.
Matt went on to say – “one day I’ll never forget was the 12th of March 2010, on that day the Club was running it’s annual Business House Yacht Race. The feat were nearing the end of the race when it was hit by one of the biggest southerly fronts to ever hit wellington. It was like a bomb went off!! Over a dozen yachts with about 100 corporate gusts were slammed and there were 5 different maydays over the next 5 minutes including a man overboard situation on Flying Circus. I was on the rescue boat Te Ruru that day and immediately made our way though the almost zero visibility, and on a hunch stumbled across a man in the water. I could not have been more relived to have then helped Bardy out of the water….. “
Moments before the “bomb” went off in 2010.
“Leading the transition from the “sailing Academy” to “Wellington Ocean Sports” and achieving all of the KPI’s stipulated from Sport New Zealand will also go down as highlight of my time here. Then to have everyone’s work acknowledge by receiving was also “It was also fantastic acknowledgment for the programme to be awarded “Wellington Sports Administrator of the Year” in 2014.
I want to offer special thanks all staff and members. Your commitment to Wellington Ocean Sports has seen a legacy facility and programme established that has enabled thousands and thousands of adults and children receive safe boating education. It’s been a privlage to be involved and I wish everyone well for the future”
Matt on a course in the Marlbrough Sounds.
We wish Matt well at his new role and all the best for the future. He assures us won’t be too far away as Wellington Ocean Sports is a customer at his new role at Maritime New Zealand.