Contents

• Commodore's Corner
• Berthing Deal Conditions
• 1997 Season Racing Activity
• Pre-season Talks
• New Clubhouse
• 100 Club
• £300 off your Berthing Fess for Seven Years
• Early Season Events
• Regattas
• Hunter 707 Road Show

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Commodores Corner

Berthing Deal

Sail Hoisting

The AGM had a proposal from Iain Tait to use this money to support our cadet fleet -as it was our younger members that won the money it is only right that they benefit from it. We'll work on the details but the intention will be to make money available to cover expenses incurred in cadet sailing, equipment, travel, training and accommodation costs.

This comes at the right time for three members. Suzie, Tamsin Smith and Scott Gray have all been invited to move from the Scottish 420 training squad to the UK squad. This means that of the top Scottish 420 sailors  three are PEYC members. An impressive record for the club but their parents must be wondering what happened as the UK squad trains at Grafham  a couple of times a month and the 420 championships this year are conveniently held in Looe.

We'll use the sail hoisting fund to help all out cadets - from those at this high flying level to the first timer.

Subscriptions

We also decided to cancel the direct debit scheme. The administration which in 1997 amounted to some 300 bits of paper to start the scheme and collect 65 memberships was not going to ease up and in fact as people and accounts move was going to get worse. We've reverted back to the simple system of just give us cash or a cheque. Every one who took out a direct debit will get a letter confirming that we will not be actioning the debits in the future and we'll be reverting to the old simple system.

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1997 Season Racing Activity

Race management

Changes for 1998 concern the use of the computer out on the end of the pier and identifying race entrants. First we will supply pre-printed paperwork to take to the end of the pier to record a race without needing to have the computer out there. You have a choice of either taking the computer out there if you are confident in using it or leaving it back in the clubhouse and entering the data  later.

Second, we are adopting Margaret Tait's Monday evening race entry scheme for all club racing. The details of each boat will beheld in a colour coded card index, available at the clubhouse before racing Sailors intending to compete must select their own boat, check all details are correct and place it in the "Race Entries" box. If they do not have a card they should fill in a race entry form  The OOD may either take the cards out to the end of the pier just in time for the start of the race or may draw up the race sheets in the clubhouse and take out  prepared recording forms. Some OODs may choose to get the best information they can on who is racing from what they see on the start line then match this up to the boats that are entered when they get back to the clubhouse. As registering with the card system is new for 1998 it won't be compulsory  at first. However it will be a big help to OODs  reducing the admin load at the time when they should be considering wind, tide, course choice etc. so we should all get in the habit of registering before the start of each race.

1998 Season Planning

Race Fees

Handbooks with full details will be sent  in mid March  to members who have paid their 1998  subscriptions.
 

Pre season talks 1998

New Clubhouse

In 1996 after  Lothian Region was dissolved and the City of Edinburgh Council assumed responsibility for the marina four options were investigated. To neglect the marina until it had to close, to sell it, to use a PFI initiative to run it or to ally with a builder to develop it. The latter option was preferred and we negotiated ourselves a clause in the council's decision to allocate a serviced site for a new clubhouse. After a lengthy selection process the Council has formed a partnership with Wimpey Homes  in which in exchange for land bordering the Western  harbour Wimpey will fund the re-development of the marina and the associated buildings by the Eastern harbour.  It's worth noting here that 100% of the value of the land will be used to re-develop Port Edgar - to provide a new road  and new services. Similarly the rent from the commercial units in the marina is earmarked as income from the marina and in effect helps keep berthing fees down.

We  now have a development plan that is realistic in scale in the new housing and is going to re-build the marina to a high standard.  I have heard members express fears  over the parking  which on the current plan will readily cope with all but the Carl Dyson regatta, the route of the road - which has now been approved by the Scottish Wildlife trust and the commitment of the Council and Wimpey  Homes - which having seen the effort put into the development so far, I can assure you is strong.

The club's role in the development is formed on one basic agreement.

• That PEYC makes a major contribution to the activity in Port Edgar and therefore we should collaborate in the re-building of Port Edgar Marina.

The obvious question is how do we pay for all this. The new fund raising required from us in 1998 is at present estimated to be £57000 .although this figure will change. There are several ways for us to raise the money.
The berthing deals are the biggest single fund-raising lever we can use. The idea is a club member lends £2000 to the project. This is paid back over 7 years in discount of berthing costs in Port Edgar. The interest on the loan is a free family  membership for the seven years. If you placed the money in a building society at 4.7% and over the same period took money out to pay berthing bills and membership you'd finish up about the same at the end.  Selling these deals is the easiest way of raising £20,000 for the project.

Two breweries have indicated they would give £5000 to the project in advance barrelage discount - the loan is paid off so much per barrel of beer consumed.

We will appeal to you, the membership, for both cash - to put your name on a brick for a small donation or on the plaque of acknowledgements for larger sums.  Work undertaken towards the project - such as the late Tom Henney's contribution of design work-  can be counted as gifts in kind as can labouring work by members during the building.  Fund raising events  - East Coast Sailing Week this year presents us with an obvious opportunity - can be used to generate cash for the project.  In general we should note that clubs much smaller than ourselves  have managed to raise similar sums of money and if the membership of Port Edgar Yacht Club wants the club to prosper in the future in a custom built clubhouse rather than pay an expensive rent on a small room then we must be able to do the same.

The next step for the club is to harmonise our clubhouse design with the marina design, the meeting is arranged for Tuesday 3rd March,  then apply for planning permission - which was granted on a similar building in 1994 and to apply to the National Lottery for 50% of the funding. The council plans to start building early in 1999 and we need to be in a position to start at about the same time.   We'll keep you informed on progress and if you have ideas on fund raising events please get in touch

100 Club