It gives me great pleasure to present my report for the year 2009/2010 to you. This has been an amazing year with so much goodwill and happiness in the Club.

SAILING/BOATING

Unfortunately the weather plays such a big part in the racing events resulting in a number of races not taking place. There has also been a lack of support in some of the scheduled races. However, social sailing under the auspices of Andrew Radnitz and David Lane has been a great success. It seems as if the members prefer the “fun” events and I know that more of these will be organized. Thank you to both Andrew and David.

Our Opening Cruise on the 3rd October was very well attended by 21 boats with some of the yachts and a dog being beautifully dressed. Captain John Woodend gave us an outstanding address where he gave us amusing anecdotes about ship salvaging.

The Vice-Commodores Cup race took part on the 29^th November and 5 yachts took part with a sleepover in Stompneus Bay that night. Johan and Veronica Hartman on Fat Cat won this event.

The Power Boat Rally was held on the 6^th December where Frank Stuyck compiled questions, both nautical and general, testing both our sailing knowledge and observation powers as we traveled up and down the river looking for the answers. Once again this was a great success and thank you to Frankie for the enormous amount of time he took to compile the questionnaire.

The annual Great Berg River Race between VYC and POYC took place as usual on the 16^th December. I am proud to state that POYC won the trophy. Well done to all the participants.

We held the West Coast Cruise from the 4^th to the 8^th January. This was the first time that this event was held after New Year’s Day and am pleased to report that it was extremely well received and attended by 35 yachts. Thank you to the Sailing Committee as well as the Social Committee for contributing to the success of this event.

The Port Owen River Race held over the weekend of 23^rd – 24^th January was well attended by the dinghy sailors. We hope to turn this into a bigger event next year.

Our annual cruise to Kruispad took place on the 13^th March and was well attended as always with members arriving by boat or car. Thank you to Carol and Arthur Melck for allowing us to make use of their home.

The Port Owen Classic took place on the 27/28^th March with 7 yachts entering. The yachts dropped anchor in Britannia Bay that evening and were treated to a wonderful meal and warm hospitality by Diane and Kevin Webb who have a house in Britannia Bay. A few of the members traveled by car to join the “yachties” for the meal. Thank you so much to Kevin and Dianne for a wonderful evening. “Just Do It’ owned by Kevin Webb came first.

Our Closing Cruise took place on the 15^th May. I was unfortunately not able to attend but thank you to Frankie for officiating in my place.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our members who participated in the sailing events. I hope that more of you will take part in our new sailing year.

 

POMA

I am pleased to say that the dredging of the main channel in the Marina took place last year and has certainly made an enormous difference to the ability of the yachts getting in and out of the Marina. Thank you to POMA under the leadership of Bevan Hall for their perseverance in getting this done. Bevan will be updating you on POMA activities later in the meeting.

SOCIAL.

Once again we have had an outstanding year with excellent support from you, the members. I would like to thank my excellent team of ladies and some gentlemen for being so willing to provide us with meals on Friday nights as well as at all the functions. Your assistance and willingness has been most appreciated by me.

Wednesday nights have been a great success and the snacks provided by Neville with a lot of help from Bev have been most appreciated.

Our theme for the dinner/dance was Ebony and Ivory and we have got May Muzik ably assisted by Petr to thank for the fantastic decorations. The members were all asked to wear black and white and I must say, that we all looked so elegant. Thank you to May, Petr, the catering ladies and all of you who attended and so making it the success it was.

Our annual Beach Walk to Rocherpan was well attended followed by breakfast on the beach at Rocherpan.

Ron and dawn Miller organized a Potjie Festival in which 10 local companies and organizations took part. It is hoped that this will become an annual event. Congratulations to Spar who won the event and to Ron and Dawn for their outstanding organizing.

Carols By Candlelight was well attended and a sum of R710.00 was collected and handed over to the St Helena Sandveld Hospice. Twelve couples took part in the Valentine’s Day Safari lunch which went down very well.

The Club hosted the Probus Association of Western Cape “Buzz Meeting” in March. Delegates from the whole of the Western Cape took part and went away with high praise of the hospitality, friendliness and meals provided by our members. Well done to the ladies.

We have had two International meals this year. Paul and Jeanine Stuyck organized a Belgian evening and June Fannin and Pam O’Reilly organized St Patrick’s Day dinner. Both evenings were well attended and the food was outstanding. Thank you to the organizers and their helpers as well as Vanessa Lamprecht and May Muzik for treating us to some Irish Dancing.

We held our annual Potjiekos Competition on the 17^th April. Thank you so much to Anthea Calf for organizing the competition as well as all those who provided the potjies. Congratulations to Dawn Miller for winning the competition with her “Fatima’s Fish Pot”.

Our men, with Frankie being the organizer, treated the ladies to a delicious Cholesterol breakfast on Mother’s Day. It is wonderful to sit back and not have to do any of the cooking etc. Thank you so much to our intrepid band of men.

Neville Furnell organized a few wine tasting evenings and we have been introduced to some very good and inexpensive wines. Thank you Neville. Thank you too to Beverley Furnell for the Quiz Evenings which she has held. We have certainly had our minds and knowledge put to the test. Thank you Bev.

Thank you to each and every one of you who took part in organizing the events and to all of you who came and supported them. Without your support these events would not have been the success they were.

 

BUILDING AND GROUNDS

Our braai area was completed in July last year but unfortunately it emits a lot of smoke when used. Your Committee is still investigating options to try and remedy this problem.

Our Manager, Neville Furnell, ably assisted by Alf Collins have completed the tiling and putting in shelves in the scullery area. The roof has been cleaned, a Petanque Course has been developed, the ceiling in the old section of the clubhouse has had new beading attached, the parking area has been improved, two blinds have been put on the verandah and a spotlight put up near the Wall of Remembrance. Neville has also done a lot of work on the garden. Thank you Neville and Alf.

 

BAR

 

The bar is doing incredibly well thanks to your support on Friday nights, at functions and Wednesday nights. Since the purchase of the DSTV our club has been used to watch sport at the weekends which also fills the coffers. Thank you Neville for having the bar open at weekends to enable the members to watch the sport.

 

MEMBERSHIP

Our Membership stands at 194 members at the moment. We have received a few resignations in the last few weeks, but there are a few applications in the pipeline.

 

THANK YOU

As always, there are so many people to thank for their contribution to the running and success of the Club. I will try to keep this brief. I have had the most amazing support from my Committee Members and it is really thanks to them that I have managed to lead you this last year.

First of all I would like to thank our President Jenifer Webb for her unfailing support to me and the Club. Jenifer will be standing down as President and I would like to thank her so much for taking over from Gordon as President in 2006. She has been great support over the years with sound advice when needed. We wish her well and hope she visits us often. Thank you Jenifer.

Our Trustees Paul Stuyck and Bill O’Reilly have quietly kept an eye on the Finances and have always been available for help and advice. Thank you both so much.

Thank you to my Vice Commodore Frank Stuyck for organizing the sailing events and standing in for me when I have been away.

Brian Cole, thank you for your wise council this last year and for being our Safety Officer.

Richard Petersen, thank you for being our SAS representative and for your input in the Committee.

Thank you to Andrew Radnitz for starting, together with David Lane, the Social Sailing events. These have been so successful and I hope you will continue organizing these. Andrew has been a fount of information on the Committee as well as being our alternate representative on the Board of POMA. Thank you Andrew.

Alf Collins has been of enormous help to Neville Furnell and I would like to thank you too Alf.

Alan Biesheuwel was a Director on POMA for POYC but resigned earlier this year and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him. Alf Viljoen very kindly stepped into his shoes - thank you Alf. Thank you to Bevan Hall, who is Chairman on POMA, for also being our representative.

Anthea Calf needs my special thanks. She has been most efficient and been a pillar of strength to me. Thank you so much Anthea for being my Secretary and doing so well especially when you were not at all well.

I would like to thank Louise Jacobs who has so diligently done our books over the years by being our Bookkeeper. My thanks and gratitude goes to her.

Our Newsletter Editor has put our Newsletter in another league. Thank you David Lane for the excellent Newsletters you have created. I have had so many positive reports about the quality of our Newsletters. Well done!

We have not had a Rear Commodore Social this last year but I would like to thank each and every lady who has supported me over the last year. The meals, functions, refurnishing the Club and whatever else needed to be done was done with a great spirit of togetherness. A special thank you to Bev Furnell for taking down names every Friday and for every function. She has most certainly gone to a lot of trouble trying to rally up support each week. Thank you all so much.

Finally, to Theo who has been our Financial Controller and also been in charge of Membership. He has really kept a tight rein on our finances and the excellent state of our finances speaks for themselves. We are really doing extremely well financially. Theo thank you for supporting me personally and as a Committee member these last 2½ years. I could never have done it on my own and I thank you for that.

I would like to thank each and every one of you, the Members, for your unfailing support this last year. You have encouraged me and had faith in me and for that I thank you most sincerely. I am going to miss the interaction I have had with you as Commodore. When times have been tough, it is you who have given me the courage to carry on. I look forward to standing down as Commodore and would like to wish the new Commodore and Committee “sterkte” for the coming year. Please do support the Commodore and his Committee in the same manner that you have supported me.

Thank you.

Anne du Plessis