It is hard to imagine that our CLX anniversary year is drawing to a close and as I write this message from the “spiritual home of yachting” in Cowes I am struck by a number of thoughts which are perhaps appropriate to share with members.
While enjoying some sailing in the Solent over the past few weeks I have been privileged to visit a number of yacht clubs including the oldest yacht club in the world, and fellow International Council of Yacht Clubs member the Royal Cork Yacht Club, where my crew and I were warmly welcomed and treated to a very royal reception. In Cowes I have been honoured to pay a courtesy visit to the Royal London Yacht Club, the Island Sailing Club and perhaps the highlight was a visit to the Royal Yacht Squadron which included a guided tour of the Castle and hosted drinks. During my travels I have been overwhelmed by the reception we have received at each club and it is wonderful to see the high regard with which our Club is held in international yachting circles. Members can be proud of our heritage and standing amongst the other Royal clubs. Equally, members should be proud of our facilities, which despite being somewhat modest when compared with the San Francisco Yacht Club and St Francis Yacht Club or the Royal Danish Yacht Club, which I visited earlier in the year,they are nonetheless a superb venue which is not easily found elsewhere in the world let alone affordable and they provide a true “yachting home” for members and their guests. Our range of offering, service levels and general standards represent good value for money and are thanks to the tireless efforts of our General Manager and her team. It is therefore surprising that members do not make more use of these magnificent facilities for entertaining family and friends, whether it is beside the water on the Ndongeni Lawns and adjoining Lower Deck or upstairs in the refined atmosphere of the Britannia Room which is so elegantly furnished with commanding views of the bay and compares favourably with similar venues of our sister clubs abroad. Despite the ongoing efforts of the staff to market the club via all forms of electronic and social media and with repeated appeals from the General Committee for members to patronise the clubhouse and support club functions we continue to find that the facilities are underutilised. It is even more surprising when members then complain that too many non-members are enjoying the facilities of the club and fail to realise that it is the non-members who are in fact subsidising the operations enabling us to maintain the facilities to the standard which members have become so accustomed. Regrettably unless members make a concerted effort to support our magnificent club the General Committee will be forced to make some uncomfortable decisions in the New Year. Another thought that occurred to me while beating to weather in a stiff breeze and choppy sea is the lack of enthusiasm which members seem to display with regard to sailing. While the prevailing weather conditions here can only be described as less than ideal and with most of the fleet on the hard for the winter layup there are still more boats sailing on any given day than we see in Durban even on the best day. With our fantastic sailing conditions one would think members would be more enthusiastic to sail especially when we have a fleet of club owned boats at our disposal. I do hope that members will take advantage of the wonderful summer weather and Christmas holidays to patronise the club and make an effort to take to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. As it is the festive season we should not forget the efforts of our loyal staff throughout the past year under the direction and guidance of our General Manager, Meleney Cunniff. Even if we have not visited the club recently these amazing staff members have ensured that our Club remains open and are ready to serve the needs of members and their guests 364 days of the year, often working under some very trying circumstances. I would like to appeal to members to donate generously to the Staff Gratuity Fund which as usual will be distributed at Christmas as a token of our appreciation. It is customary for members to donate 10% of their annual spend in the club to the Staff Gratuity Fund and I hope that even those members who have not frequented the Club much during the past year will at least still find it in their hearts to donate generously so that the staff may be able to bring some Christmas cheer to their families. While I will be enjoying a Northern Hemisphere Christmas this year it is my Christmas wish that members will make full use of the Club over the festive season and I hope your New Year’s resolution will be to continue to actively support the Club during 2019. On behalf of my fellow Flag Officers we wish you and your families all the very best for the festive season and a prosperous New Year. Cowes, December 2018 Graham Rose [email protected]
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Results from the November Club Draw:
1st prize – R750 - Mr H Poulter 2nd prize – R250 - Ms L De Freitas 3rd prize – R300 Meal Voucher - Mr P Harris 1st Attendance prize: R1500 - Mr M Collins 2nd Attendance prize: Meat Hamper - Mr M Sousa 3rd Attendance prize: Johnny Walker Black - Mr M Collins 1st Bottle prize – Dieu Donne Chardonnay - Mr K Brodie 2nd Bottle prize – Dieu Donne Cabernet Sauvignon - Mrs K Burger 3rd Dinner for 2 – Meal Voucher - Mr N Barnes SOCIAL
Mon 17th Kiddies Christmas Party Fri 21st Exclusive Members Christmas Cocktail Party Mon 31st New Year’s Eve Party - BOOK NOW! For bookings and more information on events, please contact us: [email protected] or 031 301 5425 MUSIC Every Saturday: Soundwave Sessions - Open Mic with Auburn Sound! Sunday Line-Up: 09th - Tainted Rock 16th - Hans Dettman 23rd - Shades of Grey SAILING Wed 12th RNYC Wednesday Night Fun’d Sailing Fri 14th WOZA Friday Sat 15th-Mon 17th Flying Fifteen Worlds Tune-Up Sun 23rd RNYC Offshore - Impromptu Race Pacer Team Sailing/Racing - EVERY Saturday Pacer Ladies Twilight Sailing - EVERY Tuesday Please Note: Pacer Sailing is weather dependent, and will be rescheduled to a day with more favourable conditions if need be. WhatsApp us on 065 131 0104 to request to be added to our Pacer Team Racing or Ladies Pacer Sailing WhatsApp groups! |
AuthorThe Royal Natal Yacht Club is the oldest yacht and sports Club in Africa and the oldest yacht club in the southern hemisphere. Read our Newsletter to find out more! Archives
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