Cadets and Otters Choose Their 2018 Committee
Gunfleet Sailing Club’s younger members, those under 18 years of age, met at the Clubhouse last Saturday 18 November for their Cadet and Otter Annual General Meeting.
Before the meeting actually got underway, Cadet Officer Claire Aylen was very pleased to display the Club’s new Topper dinghy, which had been very generously funded by a grant from the John Merrick Sailing Trust. The Cadet Committee had set itself a goal, at the beginning of the year, to raise sufficient money to purchase three nearly new, fully kitted out, Toppers in order to attract young people into the sport. The new addition to the fleet was a race-equipped ex-national squad boat and had come with a mass of spares, as well as all the “go-fast” goodies.
The meeting then commenced in the warmer Clubhouse and was opened by Cadet Commodore Harry Swinbourne, who welcomed all those present and looked back at a busy year of activities. The full and varied sailing programme had included the now famous SOS – Sailing On Saturday, giving young people the opportunity to train and also to take part in a series of Cadet Class Points. The Cadet Day, which had formed part of the weekend’s Gunfleet Regatta, had proved popular with its all-in handicap race in the morning and, following a free lunch, the water-based games in the afternoon. At the beginning of August there had been the Cadet Week with a wide spectrum of ages – from 6 years old to 17, and a mix of racing, cruising, games, and plenty of cakes!
There had also been some great social events, and these included the wall climbing at Birch Hall Adventures, A film evening with a fish and chip supper, and the very packed Cadet Week Party when the 2017 designer Cadet Week T-shirts were awarded, along with an array of trophies and prizes.
The Cadet Committee had recognised the need to replace the three aging Club Toppers, and had set itself a target high to raise sufficient funds. Thanks to the generosity of the John Merrick Sailing Trust the first replacement Topper was now at the Club and, through much fundraising, the money was now in place to buy a second Topper.
Finally Commodore Swinbourne wished, on behalf of all the Cadets and Otters, to thank the Club’s Cadet Officer Claire Aylen for all she had done in 2017.
The election of officers to the Cadet Committee saw Harry Swinbourne re-elected as Cadet Commodore, with Tom Philpot his Vice Commodore. The remaining positions were taken by Shona Goodchild, Owen Hooper, Harrison Smith, Ted Newson, and Lauren Hooper.
