Making progress

 

In 1989 Cecil retired as Commodore and the Club had to decide its future. The organisation as existed was now inadequate to meet changing circumstances: no clear policy to meet the changing nature of membership  . . . in particular girls and wives of members, and no guidelines for accepted practice. Accordingly, the Vice-Commodore circulated an invitation to meet and discuss the future and nature of the Club.
   

All members owe their thanks to Gordon for the manner in which he led the reorganisation process and the way he conducted the various meetings. The businesslike manner he adopted enabled all present to have their say without being allowed to ramble on. What could have been a very contentious issue managed , instead, to produce a very positive response by all, and total support for the steering committee. The future of the Club owes much to Gordon’s wise counsel.

This notice is being sent to those active members of the club whose whereabouts are known and is initiated by me, as Vice-Commodore, as a suggested agenda for discussion, first by the meeting of senior officers, owners  and members bringing school parties, in October, and later, I hope, in a committee to consider the running of the club in future years.

Various factors have led to the change in the Club’s nature:
1) The attitude of LEAs which has made it difficult to bring parties of boys, essential to the continuation of he Club.
2) The decrease in the number of boats available for communal use.
3) The increasing age of senior personnel.
4) Marriage on the part of numerous skippers entailing commitments to families; and an increasing number of women and children wanting to take part in club activities.
5) A decline in the number of skippers able to devote holidays to skippering a boat.

The Club can continue as in former years and club cruises involving the training of future skippers can be organised. There must be a place for family cruising and the organisation of events throughout the season should be put in the hands of those involved. Racing is well catered for and our own Round The Island Race and Cecil Howard Memorial Race should be further developed as social occasions.
   

These matters and others need discussion. It may well be that the arrangement whereby flag officers emerge needs a touch of glasnost.  Therefore I hope that the meeting will be fully attended and that, following discussion, a steering committee will be formed to discuss the type of organisation to take some of us into the next millennium.

The proceedings of the meeting held on Sunday 29th October 1989 were recorded as follows
   

The usual Annual meeting of owners, officers and school organisers attracted an attendance of twenty, not surprising in view of the important items to be discussed. After the business affairs of the Club were dealt with, the committee turned to Item 9, the Uice-Commodore’s memo to all active members sent out in late August. The Vice-Commodore, who was deputising  for  the  Commodore,  introduced  his memorandum as follows:
   

Item 9 on the agenda is the memo on the future of the Club. In introducing it, I should like to say this. First, the memo was not written as a counter to any pre-emptive moves against the present officers of the Club. It was written in response to many suggestions  from  members  of  all  ages  and non-members of the female sex.  It was written in co-operation with the Commodore in July last and is presented  as  a  sort  of  Green  Paper  for consideration. Since we have no constitution and no management committee it was decided to make use of the AGM, a sort of Tennis Court Assembly, to ventilate our views, and finally we decided on this day as my health improved but, sadly, the Commodore’s did not.
   

The time is ripe for change and no-one should refuse change. But, long experience in politics, and I speak of politics as the science and art of running life, tells me to look carefully at what you change from and to what you intend to change.  The GW is the product of over forty years worth of experience based on the foundations of learning to live in small groups in sometimes stressful conditions. It is unique. There is no sailing club on the Broads. no organisation in the world of young people outside, that even approaches its distinctive lifestyle; where tolerance, understanding, respect far others and technical skills to cope with the elements, have been taught to such perfection. Where else can a died in the wool Tory and a convinced Socialist drink and quarrel peacefully;  where  else  can  a  pillar  of  the establishment, as for example a judge, drink pints with an unrepentant Marxist and enjoy them? Have you heard of anyone resigning from the Green Wyvern?   On the contrary, in their forties and fifties, members, remembering their riotous but socially acceptable salad days, return to the fold.  One understands at last the school closing hymn, 'Those returning make more faithful than before'; up to now meaningless.
   

This is what Cecil and his brother, and Jack Plumb and later I, with Nev Smith and Tony and others have created. I assure you that we sincerely hope that any  future  organisation  will  incorporate these principles I have outlined. We do not want the GW to become just another sailing club. There are plenty of those; I belong to one and so do many of you. But the GW is unique and in your deliberations I trust that you will not consider any move to prejudice that quality.
   

The memo is now open for discussion. I would ask you to be brief and relevant.  Letters I have received from members I will pass to the appropriate person in good time.
   

The committee then discussed the memo and accepted it nem.con. and proceeded to item l0. The Vice-Commodore here said that when the process outlined in the agenda had been considered, accepted and completed, the three senior officers would vacate their positions if they were requested so to do. The Commodore would retire but the Chairman suggested that any future organisation must include him, if only in on honorary role.
   

Item 11 was devoted to the composition of the committee. It was decided after discussion that the committee should consist of six members who would be elected from the present committee, only one member of which declared himself unavailable, on distance grounds, and that in order to include in discussion other members of the Club not at the meeting. powers to co-opt be granted. After a written poll the following were elected: C. Campbell, E.G. Winterton.  A. Christie, R. Hewitt,  D. Snutch and D. Valentine.
   

Item 12 considered the remit of the committee. Many items were suggested: Structure of the Club viz. divisions into cruising with school parties, family or social  cruises, racing. Members  were  very concerned that the ranking structure of the Club should not be neglected. The importance of the present procedure to possession of a burgee was emphasised. Membership was also to be discussed and particularly the provision for female members. On the whole the steering committee was given a broad field to explore. They were asked to report by January 1st, if possible, but it was understood that at best an interim report would be available. In the meantime, until Easter at least, the present officers would be in charge. It was felt that a report by the time of the rigging party in 1990 would suffice.
   

The meeting  adjourned  and  the  sub-committee convened to elect a chairman, C. Campbell, and secretary, E.G. Winterton. It was agreed that a circular would go out to all active members requesting their interest and co-operation by presenting any opinions they held to the secretary. Inclusion of this account in the Newsletter was agreed.

N.B.
On a purely personal note I would add that the meeting was decisive and effective.  No time was lost and by twelve o’clock all business was complete. I think
we now have a programme which, when complete, will ensure that the Club continues for a long time to come. Particularly, I would ask all members to say their piece so that we can ensure a truly democratic process.