Issue date
Just like that, we're in the home stretch of yet another year.
And what a year it has been, starting with a series of adverse weather events, the effects of which are still being felt by some pockets of our sailing family.
There have been plenty of highlights too - we had our first in-person Club Conference in several years in May, we adopted a new, modernised constitution at our annual general meeting in October, we celebrated the best of our sailors, club members and volunteers at another successful Aon Yachting Excellence Awards gala dinner last month, and we've continued to work hard to support and advocate on behalf of our yachting and boating community in several ways.
It's also been a year of renewal and we've refreshed how we engage with our members. In September we launched our new digital magazine Yachting & Boating Quarterly and today we published the second edition.
It's full of news, opinions, profiles and updates from across the country and I know there will be something interesting for everyone in the 70 pages.
Have a read by clicking the link below and feel free to share it with your networks.
The new year's dawn also signals changes to our team and board. We farewelled board members Ross Blackman, Sarah Meikle and Viki Moore after years of dedicated service and we welcomed Sarah Bacon and Nicola Harrison in their place.
Greg Knowles has also returned and has been elected to the board as chair.
Cris Brodie has joined as our new safety and technical officer, and Alisa Torgersen as our RŪNĀ education lead and they have both made considerable contributions in a short time.
I would also like to thank our sponsors and partners who have supported us through another challenging year - Sport NZ, HPSNZ, NZCT, the Lion Foundation, Aon NZ, Oceanbridge, Lawson's Dry Hills, VMG Clothing, Radix Nutrition, B&G, Kiwi Yachting, Orbit World Travel and NZL Sailing Foundation.
The value of these sponsors to Yachting New Zealand is immense and if you can support them, you will in turn be supporting yachting in this country.
Read more about some of the work they do in this edition of YBQ.
Yachting New Zealand will take a break over the festive period with our offices reopening on Monday, January 8.
To all our members, clubs, and partners - I wish you a merry Christmas and a prosperous 2024.
David Abercrombie
Yachting New Zealand chief executive
