Issue date
Dear members
It has been a significant time of the year with the staging of the annual general meeting and there were a number of important outcomes.
Not least of all was the need to improve the communications from Yachting New Zealand to the clubs and their members. There's a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes that isn't always passed on in the best way and we recognise the need to improve.
We do a raft of advocacy work and sometimes this isn't communicated as well as it can be so we will look to implement a new communications strategy to get this information out there. It's not only the clubs and their members who benefit from this work but also yachties and boaties who aren't members of clubs and don't contribute to the advocacy work but enjoy the benefits of what we do.
We also need the clubs to be on board and work with us to share to their members what we are doing to support both clubs and the wider yachting and boating community to improve their yachting and boating experience.
Related in part to this is the need for yachties and boaties in New Zealand to have a strong voice and that they need to be supported by their clubs. If that voice is diluted, it won't serve the wider yachting and boating community nearly as well as if we are all in this together.
There was widespread agreement at the AGM around three motions put forward by the Waikawa Boating Club.
Two motions, principally around a move to change the affiliation methodology to exempt social members from the Yachting New Zealand levy, were turned down. It was notable the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron abstained from this vote because, given their large vote, they didn't want to influence the outcome.
The vote against these two motions reflected the mood of the member clubs.
A third motion to review the levy attributed to individuals with multiple club memberships was passed and will be reviewed by the board and the board governance committee.
The board is unchanged, with the three appointed members - Murray Brown, John Cobb and Stephen Reindler - ratified for another term and incumbents Viki Moore and Sarah Meikle voted in again as the elected members.
I would really like to thank those who put their names forward for the board - Michelle Bain, David Gunn, Tony McAlwee and Polly Powrie - and hope they will remain engaged in the sport and put their names forward in the future. The quality of applicants was very high and it was gratifying to know there are so many good people involved in our sport.
I would also like to thank everyone who returned their proxy forms ahead of the meeting. The annual general meeting is a great opportunity for clubs to be heard and also to learn more about what's going on around the country and some of the concerns that exist in terms of Yachting New Zealand governance.
We recognise the constitution needs a little bit of modernising and will consult with clubs over the coming months about what those changes should be. It will reflect the direction Yachting New Zealand is moving.
The AGM was also an opportunity to recognise those sailing stalwarts who have passed away over the last 12 months.
Yachting and boating has enjoyed a particularly rewarding year. Financially we have our challenges but it was great to have the support of the clubs, particularly around a number of events hosted in this country that helps the bottom line and allows us to bring in some income that otherwise wouldn't be there.
I'm really looking forward to the next 12 months and, as always, welcome your feedback.
Kind regards
David Abercrombie
