Recognition appreciated but Doug would rather be sailing his keeler

Whangarei Cruising Club stalwart Doug Smeal has been recognised for his years of service to yachting in Northland at the national awards ceremony.
Smeal received a service award from Yachting New Zealand on Friday night at the Yachting Excellence Awards ceremony in Auckland but typically, he wasn't too impressed by "all the fuss".
"Yes, I felt very chuffed about being recognised I suppose ... but I would have taken my keeler out this weekend if it wasn't for the awards dinner," he said.
He has been the Yachting New Zealand councillor for the Northland region for the last 12 years and was the chairman of the Northland Yachting Association - the federation of Northland Yacht Clubs - for more than five years.
One of his biggest contributions over that time has been adding to the growing environmental awareness and lobbying of yachting . He has helped keep a lid on the development of aqua farms along the Northland coastline, opposing developments and other fixed moorings, to continue boaties access to safe havens to clean coastal waters.
He was never a competitive yachtsman but has always loved sailing on the water.
He taught himself how to sail in an old P-Class boat at his parents batch at Taurikura. He bought a trailer sailer and joined the Whangarei Cruising Club before teaching his children Raynor and Blair how to sail, before they began to get a feel for competition.
"The kids just started to shine and we had to take them to their competitions all around New Zealand and I had to sell my trailer yacht to do that," he laughs.
He loves being out on the water and has done his share of blue water sailing, more recently helping Blair shift yachts around the world. His daughter Raynor was unlucky to miss out on the Beijing Olympics and recently decided against another Olympic campaign, preferring to commit to her job for Yachting New Zealand.
The top award on Friday night - the sailor of the year - went to reigning champions of the prestigious World Match Racing Tour, Adam Minoprio and his BlackMatch Racing crew and Smeal said the award also had a Northland link.
"Adam first started sailing at Parua Bay at the Whangarei Cruising Club, when the family lived in the north - up Waiotira way, for about three years," he said.
The 25-year-old Minoprio and his crew of Nick Blackman, Dave Swete, Dan McLean and Tom Powrie have rocketed to the top of the World Match Racing Tour in a few short years winning the world title in 2009, currently at the top of the ISAF rankings.
Approaching 70 years of age, Smeal is still very active in yachting circles. He coaches youngsters every Monday night during the season and organises and teaches school groups how to sail, sometimes in demanding week long sessions. He is well known and liked, helping out behind the bar at the Whangarei Cruising Club, where he helps organise the club's social activities.