KILLINGTON SAILING ASSOCIATION
Present - Geoff Pardoe, Myles Ripley, Ian Downs, Geraldine Downs, Pete Lawson, Rob Blair, Andrew King, Pete Dowker, Martin Metcalfe, Anne Pitt, Luke Pitt, Rosemary Paul, Dominic Ashton
Apologies – Chris Bell, Shaw Brown, Cath Fox
Last year’s Minutes were circulated and agreed as an accurate account
Proposed by Ian Downs and seconded by Andrew King – nem con
Matters Arising – nil
Chairman’s Report – as circulated on back of agenda
Questions invited – nil
Offers of help solicited either by being on committee or in any other form
Treasurer’s Report – Accounts circulated
Treasurer briefly went through the salient points emphasizing the buoyant nature of the membership which had therefore raised our membership income. The other large increase in this year’s income was due to grants raised for the rescue boat and windsurfers.
Expenditure – Insurance had increased partly due to ratification of coverage of club boats which it had emerged were not covered fully under the RYA insurance scheme. Also public liability had been raised from 2 to 5 million.
Site works – completion of dinghy park had been achieved - thanks to Rob Blair for organizing the work. Also roof damage and improvement since last winter
FTS cover continues to rise for mysterious reasons.
PO BOX had now been cancelled
Boat purchase – RIB, 2 optimists and 2 windsurfers
Explained the funds transfer between 2 accounts since we were now running a Depreciation reserve account to allow for any unusual expenditure for club boats and to allow for replacement in due course.
Left us with 10,000 in the bank – the club is viable
Anticipated continued rise in building costs due to running costs and potentially the rateable value to rise.
Andrew mooted the concept of resignation but this was blithely ignored by the membership. Geoff expressed many thanks for his services since 1992
Membership report
Members included 106 dinghies with 72 sailors and 11 groups
37 windsurfers with 32 members
58 canoes from 11 members
2006 subs were beginning to come in . He reminded members that the deadline of 28th Feb put them in danger of losing berths. He did not anticipate this sanction being applied until end of March but that he was holding a list of 7 people wanting berths. So if no payment by 31st then this sanction would be operated.
Suggested a requirement that all boats be removed in Jan/Feb to allow pro-active rationalization of berthing. There was no overwhelming response to this suggestion.
Lydia enquired whether membership renewals had been sent out by post or e-mail since one member reported not having received it. Ian confirmed that they had gone out by post.
Geoff thanked Ian for all his hard work.
Site Development
Final berthing area had been done in Autumn – Rob supervised the work for which Geoff thanked him.
Some boats needed a bonfire!
Nothing was currently in the pipeline – see Future item below
Racing –
Pete Lawson reported on the Wednesday racing which was very popular with a big mix of people – all of whom had developed night vision for the autumn racing. It had not been a very windy season, but a very dark one at times. Lasers had thinned out over the summer but made a resurgence in the autumn.
Ian Downs reported on the weekend racing – the Summer handicap series had had a group of approx 10 boats but the pursuit races had been very thin with only 5 or so. In the winter series there was a regular group of about 7 which Martin Metcalfe won.
We hosted our first open meetings in 2005 - Enterprise and Miracle. They would happen again this year on 26th March and 1st July respectively. Volunteers to help with these would be welcome.
The 24 hour race had been entered again which all had enjoyed and we anticipated entering again this year. There was a totally spontaneous and unsolicited vote of thanks to Paul and Lydia for the loan of their boat for the race.
Overall racing is looking good. In passing it was noted that the windsurfing series had happened but no representatives were present at the AGM so we would have to search the back numbers of the Westmorland Gazette to discover their highs and lows.
Members’ Duty Rota
Ian introduced the concept of a members’ rota of duties so that the club’s activities could be run efficiently especially on w/e when racing is happening. (the Wednesday series runs itself). From 4th june to 17th December every Sunday needs help. The suggestion is that every member should do a duty. On the whole 3 people were needed on a Sunday to run the race eg Safety boat and duty officer plus catering. Obviously the racing community would supply the expertise but it was thought that ever member could contribute in terms of catering, open/shutting the club etc.
Suggested scheme would nominate dates for every member which they could then change if the date didn’t suit. What to do if they didn’t turn up? E-mail reminders. Software could be used to administer the system via website. Training on the use of safety boat would help to provide a larger pool of safe users.
Paul – How important was it to provide catering? In winter – v important; in summer it was more of a feel good, club spirit, helpful provision.
Geraldine – Someone needed to coordinate the rota – no volunteer was immediately forthcoming. Ian offered to set it up with his normal delicate touch.
Election of Committee
Chris Bell was due for re-election and was duly elected in his absence
Paul and Lydia kindly offered to come on the committee as did Martin Metcalfe so the assembled company were stung into spontaneous applause.
The Next Five Years
We have been in the clubhouse for 4 years now and all of our original site developments have now been completed. What next??
From the floor came suggestions
Pete Dowker – to provide a wider concrete apron eg from slipway around to jetty if not wider still towards overflow. BWB would have to be consulted. Dominic Ashton reported on the success of such a move at Bolton. General approval
Ian Downs – suggested purchase of big wide pink buoys to replace the slightly faded current ones. Pete Lawson will investigate price – thought to be about 70 pounds each. Possible to incorporate reflector strips for night time sailing.
Anne Pitt – good to get the optimists but would be useful to get a trolley as well – (agreed) – Has seen quite a lot of NW clubs in her chauffeur duties for Luke’s attendance at the nw junior travelers series. Most of these clubs have a strategy to bring on young sailors. Should we develop a youth package. General agreement but the concept is a big one in view of litigation, child protection etc –to be explored further.
As time was getting on Geoff asked for any further thoughts to be e-mailed to him.
AOB
Lydia reported on an e-mail from Des Metcalfe wanting to know about storage cages. Asked to get back to him to say that we had no plans to build any more.
Myles announced the Try a Sail date of 20th August – the Sunday before the bank holiday w/e. Asked all present to come and help!
Anne Pitt wondered about confidentiality of minutes – especially in view of an item in the minutes from the middle of last year. The offending item would be removed from the website by Ian Downs.
IN CONCLUSION _
Geoff thanked everyone for coming along on a cold night and wished them well for next season.
He then proceeded to present Martin Metcalfe, fresh from the Antipodes with the Fleece to prove it, with the trophy and prize for the Winter Series.