From the Board Room – April 2021
I was very pleased to be able to personally thank about 70 of our volunteers who attended our annual Volunteers Thank You Function on 15 April. It was also my pleasure to introduce Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Noel Cornish who stressed the importance of the enduring relationship between the CYCA and RYCT for the successful delivery of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Thanks for visiting us Noel and Meg.
RYCT success on the water continued in April with Sam King and his crew winning the 2021 Sailing Champions League Asia Pacific Final held in Newcastle. Well done Sam and crew!
The Combined Clubs’ Womens’ Keelboat Regatta held on 24 April in the RYCT Elliots at the DSS was a huge success. Congratulations to all involved and I hope this event can become an annual fixture on our Combined Clubs’ sailing calendar.
At the April Board meeting the Directors were advised that the 2020/21 financial year (which ends on 30 April) will deliver a very positive result and accordingly we agreed to pay $60k off our loans. The Board also approved the 2021/22 budget.
In my March report I made some comments about culture and challenged us all “…to ask ourselves whether we behave in a manner that is tolerant and welcoming to all”. So it was very disappointing that less than a month later the Board found itself dealing with a disciplinary matter involving a member behaving inappropriately towards a staff member; this resulted in a temporary suspension of that member’s privileges of membership. Let me make it very clear that, regardless of membership category or duration, the same rules will apply to everyone and that inappropriate behaviour towards our staff or other members will not be tolerated.
As the Sailing season concludes I look forward to celebrating with you at the Combined Clubs, RYCT Keelboats and RYCT OTB presentation events during the next few weeks.
Richard Bevan
Commodore