As we approach Easter the Committee is, as usual, very busy getting the Club ready for what we hope will be another good season, and offering Members the best possible service. A warm welcome to our new Committee members, Joan Kearsley – Captain Juniors, Beccy Kestin – Captain Dinghies and Sandra Monaghan – Captain Social. A full sailing and social calendar is scheduled throughout the season with hopefully something for everyone of all ages. An exciting New Club Website, easier to access, is now up and running and this should give Members all the Club information they will need – do visit it. Thank you to Peter Wood and Jeff Meadows for their considerable help with this.
A Development Plan to take us to 2020 is underway, and a very productive workshop, attended by the Committee in February, proved to be enormously positive. A sub-committee, with expert financial planning help when needed, has now been formed to take this plan forward with regular monthly meetings, reporting back to the main Committee. Please see the information overleaf with a link so that all Members can access the questionnaire. This is your time to put your views to us.
Information Technology is the way forward, and to minimise administration costs (a mail shot is very expensive), Members are asked for their EMAIL addresses where possible, so that all social and sailing events, menus etc, may be advertised weekly by this method of keeping everyone informed. Please note that in line with other Clubs, again to minimise costs, the Rule Book will not be printed as a booklet, but will be printed in full on the website, displayed on the Club Noticeboard, and available to Members upon request.
Our main structural and unavoidable expense this year will be the replacement of the septic tank and connection to the mains sewerage system. It is hoped this will cause as little inconvenience as possible, but will obviously involve some loss of parking while work is in progress, so please be patient. A water meter will be installed for the slipway and pontoon, but Members are asked to watch water consumption throughout the summer as we will now face additional sewerage charges.
At the AGM I asked Members to consider, under Rule 42, ways to limit the number of guests brought in by Members, as at times we are packed to capacity, and some quite rightly feel aggrieved if they are unable to use their own facilities. Any rule has to be easy to implement and Rule 42 certainly is not! The Committee is considering various options but your input would always be welcomed. We certainly don’t wish to make life difficult for Members in this respect so a happy compromise needs to be reached. Please note when wishing to eat at the Club, to avoid disappointment during the busy periods, it is essential to book.
We are so lucky to have such a friendly and welcoming Club with great facilities, and I wish you all a very happy summer ‘messing about in boats on the water’.
Jane Benney - Commodore