Issue date
The Naval Point Club Lyttelton will in November celebrate 100 years of sailing in Lyttelton and many of the major events and personalities over this time have been captured in a special book.
Sailing in a Volcano records the history of three phases of the Naval Point Club Lyttelton (NPCL) from its roots in the Canterbury Yacht Club from 1886 until World War I; through its more formal iteration for 80 years as the Canterbury Yacht & Motor Boat Club from 1921; and, since 2001, emerging as the Naval Point Club Lyttelton, embracing its amalgamation with the Banks Peninsula Cruising Club and welcoming a wider range of club-based water activities.
This book also records the achievements of club members of outstanding ability who have brought honour, not only to Canterbury but also to New Zealand. Many national, Olympic and world champions have learned their craft sailing from Lyttelton, including New Zealand’s first Olympic sailing gold medallists Peter Mander and Jack Cropp, as well as OK Dinghy world champion and Admiral's Cup winner Peter Lester. The stories of 20 club champions are told in this book.
Peter Mander and Jack Cropp won New Zealand's first Olympic sailing medal with gold in Melbourne in 1956.
No club can exist without commitment from families. NPCL is no exception, and this book celebrates the stories of a dozen families, many based in Lyttelton, who have had three or more generations of their family sail as members or serve the club in some other capacity.
Purchases of Sailing in a Volcano can be done here
NPCL are also hosting a gala dinner on November 11, 2021, as well as the Eliot Sinclair Centenary Regatta from November 12.
See here for more information, including how to purchase gala dinner tickets.
