ANTIGUA YACHT CLUB

 

A hurried change of venue from the new but enclosed and air conditioned Events Centre to the outdoor restaurant which benefited from generator power allowed the meeting to start more or less on time.

 

Many changes over the past few months caused intense and sometimes heated debate amongst the more than 50 members attending.

 

High on the list of hot topics was the letting of the Members terrace to a commercial enterprise as part of a longer term plan to make greater use of the newly completed Sailing Centre and Events Centre.

 

Deemed equally important were the proposed changes to the club's Constitution, consideration of which, after a prolonged debate, was deferred for further consultation and for reconsideration at an EGM to be held early in the New Year.

 

Retiring after six years as Commodore and ten years on the Board, Elizabeth Jordan gave a summary of the achievements over the past few years which included an substantial increase in sailing activity, the hosting of the RORC Caribbean 600, the use of the yacht club as the Antigua Sailing Week venue, the hosting for the past several years of the Caribbean Dinghy Championships and the continued success of the Classic Yacht Regatta.  Of equal importance was the current financial state of the club whose income had risen substantially along with a sixfold increase in membership. 

 

The meeting closed with the largely unopposed election of the new Officers and Board which comprised the following:-

 

Commodore - John Duffy

Vice-commodore - David Fitzmaurice

Rear-commodore - Franklyn Braithwaite

Dinghy Captain - Ashley Rhodes

Classic Yacht Captain - Julian Gildersleeve

Fleet Captain - Clare Leader

Motor Boat Captain - Brad Esty

Secretary - Flemming Niehorster

Treasurer - Richard Watson

Social Secretary - Paddy Prendergast

Director at Large - Kathy Lammers

 

An election was held for the post of House & Grounds Director with the sitting Director, Paul Smith, being re-elected, however, the in-coming Commodore asked that the new Board agree to the losing contender, Steven Spanis, being asked to join the Board as a supernumerary Director.