I feel both humble and privileged to be endorsed as the 78th Commodore of the Royal Brighton Yacht Club. Our Club continues to grow and respond to changing needs of members, sailors and the larger community.
We cannot afford to stand still.
2025 is shaping up to be year of celebrations and challenges. The most pressing and immediate issues for the members and General Committee are the completion of the forecourt, the dredging of the marina and, as we have seen in the Annual Report, the need to better market the hospitality operations of the Club. While the former is almost complete, work has already started on the latter two.
Next year, we celebrate 150 years of sailing at Royal Brighton Yacht Club, our past and at same time look towards the future.
It’s probably almost 40 years ago when I first sailed at Royal Brighton YC. Apart from a sailing career that one could not have imagined 40 years ago, the two things that standout are the enduring friendships forged both at sea and at the club and that our destiny lies with encouraging and developing our young sailors and future leaders. The Club should allow space for the views of our younger members to be heard. The results from the survey of members indicate we could do better at engaging those under the age of 45.
While acknowledging the concerns expressed by our younger sailors, the club does offer unparalleled opportunities for younger members to socialise and sail. These include strong one design racing in Etchells, VX1s and 2.4s, as well as Quests, ILCAs, 29ers and IQFoils, access to a well-equipped gym included in their membership, training and a pathway to competitive keelboat racing.
Last night the new General Committee agreed to appoint a young member, preferably under the age of 30, to sit as an observer during General Committee meetings. They will have no voting rights but will be there to bring a younger person’s perspective to the GC’s deliberations. This is a great opportunity for the nominated person to develop a deeper understanding of the Club’s operations while at same time learning some valuable skills. I invite all interested members to please contact me, via the Club office, to discuss the role.
And just a quick reminder that it’s just a few days to Opening Day. This year’s theme is Under the Sea and there will be prizes for the best-dressed boat and member. Hopefully, the weather is kind to us and I look forward to seeing as many members as possible participating in the day’s activities.
Wishing you fair winds and following seas and remember no bananas at sea.
Commodore
Peter Demura