Minutes of Annual General Meeting held at HISC on

 Friday, 14^th October 2011

Present: Richard Smith ( RS, Chair), Judy Cave (JC, Minutes) 36 members 1.  Welcome. RS thanked everyone for coming, and JC for standing in for Barbara Beck with the minutes. 2.  Apologies: John & Pat Bovis, Adele Rizzi, Jane Hooper, John & Barbara Beck, Barry Blaydes, John Cook, Romey Sawtell.Seamus Kilpatrick, who had been scheduled for Item 6. 3.  Minutes of Spring General Meeting held on 1st April 2011.Accuracy agreed Actions: i)  JC has started a list of all venues we use, with contact details.  All organisers to send further details to JC. ii)  All members willing to take people on their boats/wanting to go to update the web-site iii)  Other actions to be reviewed under Item 6. Mike Baker proposed accepting the minutes, seconded by Roy Barnes 4.  Fleet Captain’s Report. RS presented his report,                                                   See below Discussion points: i)  RS read out an email from John Cook, who was not at the meeting. John wrote in his email that he does not doubt the sincerity of friends in asking about Mildred, but, as he finds the whole subject very emotional, would they confine their enquiries to a few words and not make enquiries as to the detail of her health and care. John asked that we please pass this message on to those not present at the meeting. ii)  Iris Long has offered funds to develop a Social Sailing Fleet burgee/flag. Pam Marrs showed a large house flag from Chichester Cruising Racing Club and presented various options. There was discussion on design, size and the importance of keeping costs reasonable. A large rectangular flag was agreed, and RS to set up a small group to pursue it further. Everyone should email their ideas to Richard. iii)  Jane Blaydes had received a renewal notice for the fleet web-site for £15.98. This sum was agreed. iv)  As agreed at the SGM in April, RS ceases to be Social Sailing Treasurer as from now. Cathy Rayner had kindly agreed to be Treasurer, although she will not be involved in any detail until February 2012. Proposed by RS, seconded by Jean Baker 5.  Treasurer’s Report and Fleet accounts. RS   presented his report, available on the web-site. Although we have over £500 in the bank, it was agreed not to spend it until we knew the costs of developing our new flag. It was also agreed to defer the decision on whether to collect subs for 2012 until next year. 6.  Discussion with Colin Ralph (CR), Marine Manager. Actions from last meeting: i) CR had made two rows with wooden pallets from the old pontoon to improve tender access. There was discussion on how to further improve access in view of the soft sand encroaching. ii)  RIBs and committee boats occupying the pontoon. CR and Crew now only bring boats alongside 30 minutes before they need to go afloat. iii)  Monica Rose thanked CR for increasing the number of trolleys. iv) JC proposed a vote of thanks to all the Crew, including Selene drivers, for their helpfulness. Discussion points: i)  Strops. CR plans to reduce the size of chain to ensure one size fits all. He is awaiting confirmation from the underwriters, via insurers, before installing new chains. He plans to introduce a concurrent 3-year change cycle for both moorings and strops, but it is the intention that all strops will be replaced with the new specification for the 2012 season. ii)  Winter layup. CR reported that the best tide week clashed with half-term training, but that all boat owners would be phoned prior to their boat coming out. RS noted that in previous years owners had received written notification of lay up dates, but this had not happened this year. CR to look at position. iii)  RS thanked CR again. 7.  Debate on Richard’s  discussion paper, dated 5-10-11 (available on web-site). i) JC praised the paper – it was the first time anyone had considered all the different groups and needs within the fleet. ii) Barbara Glasby pointed out that members without boats often joined boats for overnight venues, and stayed on those boats overnight. Discussion points on the draft 2012 programme. i)  It was agreed to start some trips on Sunday, if applicable. ii)  JC requested more day trips in the harbour at the beginning (shakedown) and end of the season. iii) Chris Rayner suggested some longer trips, and those with unsuitable boats could crew others. iv)  Social sailing week. Rosemary Gledhill suggested that we did not need to do all the trips in one week. iiv)  Barbara Glasby read out a letter from the Chichester Harbour Trust thanking us for the profit from the Dell Quay trip, which had been donated by Liz and Jean, who catered for us. iiiv)  Paul Cook said there may need to be changes to the programme much nearer the time, and reminded members to check the web-site and their emails. xi) The RYA Portland trip would cost about £480 per boat for 2 people. It was agreed that people wanting to go should arrange directly with the RYA. x)  All comments on the draft programme to be emailed to RS asap, as the Club needs the information for the calendar. ix)  There was discussion as to whether events should be published in the Club programme and calendar, and it was agreed that they should be so published. Discussion points on draft winter programme. i)  Lyn Smith was organising Social Sailing tables for 22nd October and the 10th December Christmas party. Names to office. ii)  Mike Baker reminded everyone of the Christmas Fair and Boat Sale on 4th December. 8.  Any other business. i) RS invited Jane Blaydes to talk about the web-site. Jane to email it to everyone, details also attached to minutes. Jane requested reports and photos from events. ii)  JC has a contact who will clean boat cushions on shore. iii) Jean Baker brought a hat and salad servers, unclaimed from the barbeque. iv)  RS thanked everyone for their attendance. The meeting closed at 12.30.

ACTION             Event organisers ALL                     RS ALL                                 CR                   ALL ALL ALL   ALL     ALL

FLEET CAPTAIN’S REPORT

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since we all last met at an “official meeting”, it’s been quite an up and down summer in all sorts of ways.

A number of us have various health problems, some serious, some not so bad. Sincerely, I hope the companionship from the members of this Fleet helps all of us
.I would like to talk about Mildred Cook. I have had an e mail from John, and I just want to read the bones of it out to you-----------
                     (John’s e mail was read and was understood)

Quite a few of us attended the funeral of Eddie Lewis. It was a very moving occasion. We all miss Eddie, and hope we will see Heather for a lunch and for her company.

Welcome to new members since our last meeting----Bill Findlay, and Sue and John Pickup.

We have 96 paid up members. Even better---about 90% of those members did “social sailing things” during the season. I guess that makes us the most active fleet in the Club---but I may be proved wrong on that one?? Anyway----I hope Doreen’s looking down from heaven reckoning we’re all keeping up the good work.

That summer weather was up and down.

• We had some great trips. I remember good winds (sometimes) and warm and sunny conditions to CYC, to Seaview, to Bucklers Hard and I think to Bembridge.
• But conditions were not kind for our “Poole Week round the Solent”, nor our Social Sailing Week. We then all went by road to Hornet, and in September we had to cancel two trips to the Folly and one to Bembridge. Finally, on our last trip of the season, Itchenor SC forgot we were coming to lunch, and the pub was second best, and I am so sorry for all that inconvenience. The happy note is that Itchenor have apologised, and offered 50% discount to us next year

Probably the most notable voyage of the year was by Nauti Lady. Trevor and Monica reached La Rochelle latitudes, and well done the two of them.

(Correction---Mark and Romey Sawtell brought their new boat back from the Baltic, having cruised in those northern waters. Liz and Chris Alder also cruised “foreign parts”. Apologies!)

Proud Moment only left the Solent once, and then only to Christchurch harbour!!

The two gigantic social events of the year were

• Iris Long’s 90th Birthday Party. It was a great occasion. Iris looked fantastic---and she still does.
• The Mike and Jean BBQ. The weather was not kind, but we all had a great evening as always

A lot of effort went into both occasions, and thanks to everybody involved

What else??

• New Committee Structure. I did talk about it at our SGM. As you are aware, our Rear Commodore Cruising will no longer sit on the new General Committee, which is the top table of the Club. Members of that Committee do of course represent all members of the Club, but it is reassuring that our “cruising voice” might be heard on that General Committee from our new (virtually certain) Club Treasurer, Mark Sawtell, from our two Trustees Mike and Peter, and from the elected representatives who will certainly include one cruising member.
• Social Sailing Flag. Iris Long has suggested that we might consider a Fleet flag and she kindly has offered some funds. It is a dangerous area of etiquette!! Pam Marrs has some suggestions.
• (Discussion took place.)
• The Domain Name for our social sailing website needs renewal at a cost of £15.98 for two years. Can I have agreement for this? Jane Blaydes does an amazing job administrating our website and general news and she puts up with my computer ignorance. Jane is going to talk us through the procedures on what she does and we should do ref computers. Her comments will get on our Minutes.
• Doreen Bennett Trophy. We talked about it. I’m sorry. I’ve failed on this one.

My thanks.

• To everybody who helps.
• To all the trip co-ordinators who do so much to make our events go smoothly---John and Barbara Beck, John Cook, Tony Mills, Trevor Rose, Jane Blaydes, Barbara Glasby, Anthony Penfold, Judy Cave, and My Lyn.
• To my team of young girls---Barbara, our secretary, Judy, on our records, Angela, on flowers and gifts and things, and Jane, already mentioned on computers. I have a further girl---a  recruit! As you know, as threatened / promised last SGM, I relinquish the treasurer job from now, and Cathy Rayner has bravely agreed to take up the post, although not in detail until next February. I think we need some formal meeting approval of this. I hereby propose that Cathy Rayner is appointed Treasurer Social Sailing. Can I have a seconder? All those in favour?
• To everyone who comes sailing and social sailing. Our success continues to be down to you, all of you, for your support. Thanks.

• RICHARD

Web site and Emails

The Web site is constructed on free space on Barry’s Internet Service Provider

Its name is www.hiscsocsail.co.uk and if this is written into the top line of your internet connection you should get connected. At the moment this is not working and Barry has written to Free Parking from whom we buy the Domain Name – next payment for two years due November 14^th cost £15 98.

If you write in www.blaydes.plus.com/hiscsocsail this will also get you onto Barry’s server and our site.

If you just write in ‘hiscsocsail’ on the top line you will get through to Google and will find that all our pages are listed.

Another way is to go to the main Hisc site – www.hisc.co.uk – where there are two links.
1) go to ‘sailing and racing’ along the top line, then down to ‘cruiser news’ then to ‘Social Sailing’ at top left

2) go to ‘social’ near right end along top, go to ‘social sailing events’ – which has our programme on it but which is not updated -  then go to ‘social sailing web’ bottom left . Once site is reached scroll down to whatever page you require, bearing in mind that some pages only show up when you click on the dominant page. There is a link back to the hisc site

For events and messages etc. Organisers will tell me what they want to say. The web page – usually ‘next event’ is written up on the Fusion programme on our computer and then published onto the Web site.  This is then copied to a Yahoo General Newsletter and sent out using the email address hiscsocsail@tiscali.co.uk which is actually me but set up by Barry to look official. Any replies to this email will come to me but will then be forwarded to relevant organiser.

The Yahoo emails have organisers’ tel nos and emails which you can click onto and get an email set up. These are not put on the web site for reasons of privacy. The only email address on the site is ‘hiscsocsail’ and it has only ever been used once by an outsider. This person was trying to trace Basil Rizzi and Google had found his name somewhere on the site and I was thus able to connect Basil with a very long lost friend!

If the message is very long or sometimes a bit personal, then I will put a short message on the Newsletter with a link back to the relevant web page. Clicking on this link should take you straight there.

People asking for a message to be posted should remember that it will go out to the whole club and not just Socsail members. This was Doreen’s idea to enlighten the whole club to our activities and to thereby recruit new members.

I need more reports please about events that I do not attend – and pictures!

Jane Blaydes