Getting back out on the water was a priority for many local boat-owners and sailing and boating enthusiasts as soon as Covid restrictions were lifted. More than ever, local sailing and boat clubs on the River Dart were at the centre of this resurgence in activity. But each club has had to grapple with the same subsequent constraints imposed on all hospitality venues and membership clubs. We caught up with the Commodores of the Royal Dart, Dartmouth and Dittisham Sailing Clubs to find out how they are coping.
Tony Baker - Commodore Dartmouth Yacht Club.
How long have you lived in Dartmouth?
We moved here four years ago and live in the centre of town, two minutes walk from the river. Before that we lived in a small village called Ickford in Buckinghamshire. My wife Jane wanted to move here when we retired and as I had sailed here for many, many years I could hardly say no! It’s a great town, I love it. It’s extraordinarily friendly. We lived in Ickford for about 15 years and I probably know more people in Dartmouth after four years than I knew all the time I lived in Ickford. Dartmouth’s a wonderful place.
What is your connection with Dartmouth and the DYC?
I have been sailing in and out of Dartmouth for more than 30 years and, when racing, we used to tour the West Country regattas, including Dartmouth, every year. I won the first X332 National Championships in Dartmouth, held as part of the Regatta, on my yacht Flying Dragon 2 in the 1990s.
Has sailing been a big part of your life?
I guess the answer is yes as I started sailing at the of age 18 in dinghies and then moved on to bigger yachts. It came to pass because I was playing rugby with a chap who was a very keen sailor and he said you should come sailing with me, so I went sailing with him and that was it. For many years I competed in JOG (Junior Offshore Group) and RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club) racing including the Fastnet in 1995 and two Atlantic crossing as part of the ARC (Atlantic Rally for Cruisers) in 2010 and 2014. I have sailed extensively around the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Racing is probably the thing I have done most of and lots of offshore racing, which is what I really enjoy.
How did you come to be Commodore of the DYC?
I joined the committee in the autumn of 2019 and at the time the club did not have a Commodore, and I was elected to the post in January 2020 just in time for the first Covid lockdown.
What have you enjoyed so far about being Commodore?
The truth is - not a great deal, as most of my time has been during Covid which has been very difficult for the club, as it has for us all. I am hopeful that as we return to normal the social side of the club can be improved and, of course, that I can sail more.
What impact has Covid had on the club and its membership?
Interestingly, we have seen an increase in members. Our membership now is probably at a record high. We have a lot of kayaks which are available to members for free - and the membership is not expensive - and a lot of people have found that kayaking is something you can do during Covid, so that has proved popular and been quite a big driver. It has rather surprised us all that membership has stood up as strongly as it has. Also, there is no doubt the property market is busy here, there is hardly anything for sale and if it does come up for sale it sells very rapidly. More people are living here full time.
What is your role as commodore?
I am effectively the chief executive and more recently have also assumed a role in running all the hospitality as chairman of the hospitality subcommittee. It’s a question of running the whole thing, making sure everybody is doing what they should be doing and that things are running reasonably smoothly. I have to say that running a yacht club is probably more difficult than running my own company, which I ran for nearly 30 years!
What did you do before retirement?
I was a chartered surveyor for more than 50 years, specialising in retail development.
What aspirations do you have for the club as Commodore?
I am particularly keen to encourage young people on to the water and into the club, as they are the future and must be encouraged. Offering them opportunities to come and use the kayaks, under supervision of course, is probably an obvious way we could do that. We do have some connections already with schools but that’s something we need to do more of. We need to keep the club moving forward on all fronts and to be a major focus for all the local community.
Do you have any other hobbies/interests?
I am a keen follower of rugby and cricket and enjoy walking in the beautiful Devon countryside with our labrador, Milly. www.dyc.org.uk
Peter Boote - Commodore Royal Dart Yacht Club
Peter Boote
What is your connection with the area and the RDYC?
I moved down from Rutland 27 years ago with my wife Maggie. We initially lived just outside Totnes before moving into this area. We joined the RDYC as we sailed a Squib keelboat on Rutland Water and there was a Squib fleet at the club. I have been sailing since I was about nine years old, mainly in dinghies until we moved down here. Since then we have owned several yachts during which time Maggie served on the club’s general committee and was a founding member of Ladies Afloat. I now sail a restored Yachting World Diamond classic day boat and also have an old motorboat for pottering around the River Dart and local coast.
How did you come to be Commodore of the RDYC?
I became Vice Commodore in April 2019 and it normally follows on that you become commodore at the end of that term - which I did in June 2021. I am also chairman of the Joint Regatta Sailing Committee, responsible for the sailing side of the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta.
What is your role as Commodore?
Being Commodore is similar to running a small business in that you are co-ordinating the activities of the club and ensuring we deliver a premium service, whether on the water or in the clubhouse, to all the members and visiting yachtsmen.
How has the membership changed during the Covid pandemic?
Most sailing clubs have suffered from static or declining membership over the last few years, however during the pandemic we have seen a rise in membership as people realise that we offer a safe environment in a stunning location. We are able to offer a wide range of activities to all age groups which are brought together through special interest groups such as Junior Sailing, Ladies Afloat, Boys in Boats and racing. We also have a sailing trust – the Royal Dart Youth Sailing Trust (RDYST), which is a charity and helps children who might not normally have access to the water get a taste of sailing. We saw our membership pick up from about May/June time last year. We think because people weren’t going away on holiday they were looking more at what was available locally. Also, we have strict Covid rules and do a lot to make people feel secure. If you combine this with more people moving to the area, it all contributes to an increase in the membership.
Is there something special about being a Royal club?
It is prestigious to have Royal patronage and ours goes back to 1873 when it was granted by Queen Victoria. She had already given her patronage to the Port of Dartmouth Regatta after visiting in 1856 and the then Dart Yacht Club petitioned the Palace and were successful.
What did you do before you retired?
I worked for British and American companies in the aerospace hardware business in both engineering and sales roles travelling extensively throughout Europe and America. On moving to Devon, Maggie and I set up our own speciality fastener business in Totnes which designed and manufactured quick release mechanisms for the aerospace/defence, industrial and motorsport markets. We have since sold the business.
What’s so special about the River Dart?
It is just the topography. The entrance is hidden as you sail down the coast and you realise why the Daymark was erected to show vessels where the mouth is, but then you come in and the harbour opens up – it’s just stunning. Then as you go further up the river you see the rolling countryside and you get this lovely effect where all the trees come down to the water’s edge and you see where the high-water mark is as the leaves are all on the same level. It is a river with a lot of different aspects.
How is the river for sailing?
This can be quite challenging because you get a lot of cross winds from the valleys. You might start off thinking you’ve got a nice following breeze and then suddenly it is coming in from the beam or dead ahead, it’s very variable. Also, the tide can be strong so when you are sailing against it you need to keep out of the main flow.
What aspirations does the RDYC have/do you have for the club as commodore?
To continue to grow the membership and widen our appeal through offering more options for enjoying the water such as paddle-boarding and possibly kayaking. Our position on the river is arguably one of the best on the Dart. We are, however, constrained for space, so one of our biggest challenges is how to best utilise our space both inside the clubhouse, on the terrace and pontoons, to the best advantage. Our racing, cruising and junior sailing fleets are well supported and we need to build on these and introduce as many young people as possible to the joys of sailing.
royaldart.co.uk
Anne-Marie Coyle -Commodore Dittisham Sailing Club
Anne-Marie Coyle
How did you come to be Commodore of Dittisham Sailing Club?
The previous Commodore, Mike Webster, had to step down for personal reasons and I was persuaded to step in - strongarmed by Peter Symons I’d say!
What is your connection with Dittisham and the DSC?
My partner, Jon Clarke, is a dinghy sailmaker (Edge Sails) and when we moved to Dartmouth in 2013 we joined the club in order for him to continue to race Solos. He recently gave me his 4748 Winder built Solo and has resurrected Solo 3301 which was bought by him in 1982, sailed by his dad and is now living out her retirement being raced on the Dart.
Has sailing been a big part of your life?
I started in big boats when I was about 20, cruising with friends in a Westerly 25 to as far afield as Cherbourg and Cornwall from the Solent. I went on to boat share for 10 years and then, as my male boat partners acquired girlfriends and wives, I was somewhat reluctantly left with sole ownership of a Nicholson 32 called Responsive MkX, which I continued to sail out of Portsmouth for 15 years.
I started racing classic boats and then dinghies in my 40s while doing a three-year stint as class captain of the Nicholson 32 Association. I didn’t race until the 2012 Nicholson 32 annual rally in the Solent. I now have a Nicholson 43 - Sarabande of Dart – which I have overhauled and restored to her glorious beauty, she really is stunning. I cruise and also race her in events like Dart Regatta and classics regattas’ such as Classic Channel Regatta, Hamble Classics, Cowes Classics. I also have a Solo dinghy and a J24 for Royal Dart Yacht Club racing.
What is your role as Commodore?
I stepped in on the basis that I was only required to do a few jolly speeches, run the committee meetings and keep a light hand on the helm as required. Other than organising food and drinks for our clubhouse launch party last week to celebrate a volunteer led ‘Raise the Roof’ initiative which has resulted in much better changing and social facilities, this
has proved to be true so far! The members and committee at Dart Sailing Club really do pull together and volunteer and get things done. In reality, it’s filling the gaps occasionally or helping to reach consensus when something is required which needs committee approval.
What have you enjoyed so far about being Commodore?
Helping lovely people run a lovely club with lovely members in a lovely place. It really is a privilege. We have a growing and enthusiastic ladies training group, the Ditsum Belles, we regularly see 25-30 boats out for club racing and have strong fleets of Lasers, D-Zeros and Solos.
What do you do as a job?
I’m a global account manager with GE Renewable Energy and I sell offshore wind turbines - in fact the largest turbines in the world with hub heights of at least 135-metres and blades of 107-metres, with total rotor diameter of 220-metres. We install these units in up to 50-metres of water depth and the furthest offshore so far is 150-kilometres. It’s a fascinating and growing industry which delivers clean and green power.
What aspirations does DYC have/do you have for the club as commodore?
We are working to relaunch our training programme to deliver power and sail courses. The club is in such a lovely steady state, I think it’s about maintaining what we have and continuing to encourage more junior sailing and junior membership. We have a couple of fabulous youngsters who are nipping at our heels. Arthur and Kate Marshall offer superb junior training out of DSC and we look forward to Family Sailing Week. We have a wait list for the boat park. I’d really love to get some ‘all river’ racing and socials up and running. All local clubs are very active in their right but one or two conjoined events per year would be fantastic.
What advice would you give aspiring sailors?
There is absolutely nothing to lose and so much enjoyment to gain. I feel I am now 70 per cent confident and 70 per cent competent - after 30 years! In my experience, time on the water is never regretted whatever your ability or skill level or aspiration. Ask yourself - what is stopping you.
Do you have any other hobbies/interests?
I like walking, skiing, music, cooking, reading and socialising. Not travelling for 18 months has resulted in me doing a lot more local walking and my sailing destinations have been very much in the West Country, which has been super.
dittishamsc.org.uk
First published in By The Dart in August 2021.
