Message from the Commodore

Elsie and I would like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year and hope that we will meet all of you during the course of this year.

The Club as a Company

2009 will be an exciting and challenging year for the Club. In 2008, we embarked on some big changes for the Club constitutionally which are on-going. These are in the interests of members and to improve your representation in the Club. Members voted at the Special General Meeting (SGM) on 10th September 2008 for the Club to become a Company limited by guarantee. This was necessary as the Northern Bank indicated that it no longer wanted to act as Trustees for the Club, in line with its general policy.

Clubs under Trustee status cannot hold assets, such as property, as they are not legal entities. The assets are held by the Trustees on behalf of the Club and they cover all liabilities. With the withdrawal of our Trustees, we took legal advice and considered the various options open to the Club. The Club, now being a limited company, will be able to hold assets such as buildings and equipment. Additionally, there are other benefits particularly when it comes to seeking funding for projects. Further information can be obtained from the Hon Secretary on robert.logan@carrickfergussc.org

There will be a further SGM prior to applying for company registration to present the Articles of Association to the membership for approval. The Company Articles of Association reflect the existing Club rules.

New Management Structure

At the SGM on 3rd December 2008 the Club established a new management structure. Previously there were 18 members on the Management Committee which was proving cumbersome and somewhat inefficient. The new Management Board (10 voting members) will oversee the management of the Club and will be responsible for the strategic direction, setting targets, monitoring performance etc.

The new structure will be more effective as it devolves more powers to the working committees – this means that the membership will be able to influence decisions at Board level. We would encourage members to participate in any of the following working Committees - Sailing; Cruising; House and Grounds; Social; Marketing or Fundraising – particularly if you have a special interest or relevant skill. Please contact the Hon. Secretary on robert.logan@carrickfergussc.org

New Facilities

One other exciting initiative that is on-going is the Club’s application for funding under Sport Northern Ireland’s Elite Facilities Programme. This programme was designed to improve facilities for NI Olympic Sports prior to the 2012 Games and to provide a legacy to encourage top class national and international competition and facilities which can be used and enjoyed by the wider community. This is a three stage process and the Club made its Stage 2 submission (business case) at the end of November.

The concept plans are displayed in the Club should you wish to view them. They include a new Clubhouse, training facilities, offices, boat storage, new slipway and a single point crane for launching high performance keel boats. They will also be fully accessible for persons with a disability. If the Club is successful at Stage 2 we will bring a further report to an SGM prior to progression to Stage 3.

Slippi Jin

In Conclusion

Well, as I said this will be an exciting year. The Sailing Programme is full with something for everyone and I hope this will encourage many of you to participate in and enjoy the 2009 sailing season. This, coupled with an exciting social programme, will keep the Club moving forward and provide an attractive range of events that you will support.

Good luck and fair sailing during 2009.

Jim Shields
Commodore