2020 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – ACTION REQUIRED
2020 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – ACTION REQUIREDNOTICEDue to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and ongoing state of lock-down in Spain and elsewhere, the CBYA Committee has agreed that it is not feasible to hold our Annual General Meeting, originally planned for 20th May at the Real Club Náutico Calpe.Since the duration of the situation is uncertain and the safety of our members paramount, the Committee is making the following proposal and ask that members respond to this notice to approve these actions and to reply with any comments they wish to make. Members are reminded that only those whose subscriptions are fully paid can approve, or otherwise, our intended course of action.AGM ITEMSGiven the extenuating circumstances, there will be no formal AGM for 2020.Information will be made available on the website and by newsletter including· Member responses and comments on this proposal· A brief Chairman’s report on the main activities during the year· The audited accounts for the 2019 yearAs a reminder, the Minutes of the 2019 AGM are available on the website at https://cbya.org/2019-agm-reports-and-minutes/MANAGEMENT COMMITTEEThe current Management Committee will remain in place for the coming year. Ann Masson previously gave notice of stepping down, and Sue Eynstone-Hinkins put herself forward as a replacement Secretary. The Committee have co-opted Sue to the position, and she will carry out the duties until a formal vote can take place at the next AGM.CHARITY NOMINATIONSDue to the pragmatics of managing the nominations and voting process for members to select a new choice of charities, it is proposed to continue with the current charities which are Make-A-Smile and IVSH Bomberos.ACTIONPlease respond to me secretary@cbya.org with your approval of the above proposal, or with any comments, by latest Monday 6 April 2020.Ann MassonSecretary |
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Postponement of our CBYA Crystal Jubilee Celebration!
We regret to advise that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, and ongoing total lock-down in Spain, we are forced to postpone all of our social and sailing plans for our special year-long event to mark fifteen (15) years since the official formation of the COSTA BLANCA YACHT ASOCIATION – our CRYSTAL JUBILEE!! We will instead celebrate a CRYSTAL JUBILEE PLUS ONE during 2021!
However, during this year we shall continue to look back at the CBYA history, and run a series of monthly articles in our newsletter with interviews honouring key individuals who have helped to create the current CBYA – some of whom are founder members, and some of whom have joined more recently.
So we will still celebrate the formation and continued growth of the biggest (and only) VIRTUAL yacht club on the Costa Blanca, but our celebrations will now (mostly) take place next year!
Stay safe.
Hugh Epsom
Chairman
Coronavirus – CBYA Activity Shut-Down
We are entering uncharted waters….
Due the current worldwide coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and with the recent announcement of a further two-week total lock-down in Spain, the Committee has agreed that we now have to discontinue ALL of our CBYA-organised sailing and social activities until future notice.
The latest coronavirus (COVID-19) statistics can be viewed by clicking HERE.
The Emergency telephone number for suspected coronavirus cases in the Comunidad Valenciana is 900 300 555. We are requested to call this number if you have any symptoms and think that you may be infected. We are advised NOT to go to emergencies, doctor’s surgeries, nor to hospitals, where we could transmit the virus to other people. When we call this number, they will conduct a survey, and if the results are positive, they will tell us how to proceed, and will send someone to take some tests.
If you think that you may have the symptoms, you can check by clicking HERE.
Hugh Epsom
Chairman
Enjoying Coronavirus Lock-Down?
With the announcement today that our lock-down has been extended a further two weeks (click HERE), we CBYA members, locked down in our Spanish homes, are finding this an excellent opportunity to do all those things that we have been putting off for too long, such as spring cleaning the house, updating websites, getting back in touch with friends and family, catching up on sleep, etc. Those members in the UK, and elsewhere in the world, still have the ‘pleasure’ of probably experiencing a total lock-down!
If you starting to go stir-crazy,.. here are a few tips to help you survive this interesting time in our lives…
Introducing the CBYA Coronavirus Whatsapp Groups!
In order to try to keep CBYA members updated and informed during the worldwide battle against the Coronavirus (COVID 19), we are introducing two special dedicated Whatsapp groups:
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CBYA COVID Info (to share useful information)
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CBYA COVID Quarantinees (to try to keep us entertained during our lock-down/self-isolation)
If you would like to join either/both of these groups, please contact Rachel Garnham by clicking HERE.
The Committee
March 2020
CRYSTAL JUBILEE: The Costa Blanca Boat Club
As part of our Crystal Jubilee celebrations this year, we plan to publish a little bit of CBYA history every month. This month we would like to explain the origins of the CBYA…..
As some of you may know, we began as a sailing group (a Proprietary Club) formed under the initiative of Dr Ron Shanson in 1995, who was our first Commodore. This morphed into the Costa Blanca Boat Club (CBBC) in 2002, another Proprietary Club, with Michael Arnold as the Commodore and Chairman, and Dr Ron as Honorary Commander.
CBYA and the Coronavirus Pandemic
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is becoming more entrenched in Spain – the latest statistics can be viewed by clicking HERE.
The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that COVID-19 more severely affects older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma or diabetes). Many of our members are in this group.
The Spanish Ministry of Health has announced a containment strategy to try to slow down the rate of the spread of COVID-19 in Spain. As a result, we are now in TOTAL LOCK-DOWN with heavy fines for non-compliance. Click HERE for details.
The CBYA Committee has cancelled all of our social and sailing events during March, and we will review how we proceed with our April social events, towards the end of the month.
The Emergency telephone number for suspected coronavirus cases in the Comunidad Valenciana is 900 300 555. We are requested to call this number if you have any symptoms and think that you may be infected. We are advised NOT to go to emergencies, doctor’s surgeries, nor to hospitals, where we could transmit the virus to other people. When we call this number, they will conduct a survey, and if the results are positive, they will tell us how to proceed, and will send someone to take some tests.
If you think that you may have the symptoms, you can check by clicking HERE.
Hopefully, the above actions will help to get things under control and back to normal soon.
Hugh Epsom
Chairman
RIP KEN LELLIOT
KENNETH JOHN LELLIOT (1926-2020)
Ken joined the CBYA in 2006, having a boat “S/Y Free Willy” moored in Gandia. He realised he was no longer safe to sail alone, so he was looking for crew. A very keen DIYer, he’d even managed to install a kitchen into the galley …. and I mean a domestic kitchen.
CBYA Crystal Jubilee – March Interview – Bob Gordon
As part of the CBYA Crystal Jubilee celebration, each month we are going to hear from a member who has made a significant contribution to our club. This month we are going to hear from Bob Gordon, this year’s winner of the prestigious Karlheinz Witte Trophy, awarded to him for setting up and successfully running the CBYA Dinghy Section (despite vandalism), and for his welcoming attitude towards all, enthusiastic involvement and long-term commitment,…….
Hello Bob. Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed!
Can you tell me why you joined the CBYA?
….well just by accident ! I had been visiting a friend, Ken Upton, in Pedreguer since 1977. As a result I bought my house, by accident, in 1982. Ken was one of the original CBYA members. He was a little eccentric, built a boat and then sailed it round the Balearics. He thought I might be interested so he introduced me to Ron Watson, and to the famous Tricky D (one of the foundation stones of the CBYA), and from then on in there was no stopping me!
Relaxing after a strenous Dinghy Day!
What was a memorable first experience?
My most memorable early experience was attending social functions. They were good and someone had put in a lot of work arranging it all. But no one bothered to say ‘thank you’, so I decided to get up at the end of the meal and say a ‘thank you’. This progressed to me telling a little joke and then the ‘thank you’. Which grew into a ‘normal’ regular situation so as soon as I stood up it got into the inevitable ‘oooooooooooooohh….no’ before I delivered my joke of the day, and of course a ‘thank you’.
What was your role and how did this change over the years?
The CBYA was looking for a new Chairman. Ron Watson was Secretary and I felt he would make the most excellent Chairman. I proposed him but to cut a long story short I ended up becoming the Chairman! I followed Richard Jones and John Sloggie who had both previously served in this capacity. At that time, there were about 150 members and we already had a very good relationship with RCNC and sailing the TOMs. The social side was also very active with ‘get togethers’ most weeks.
What achievements are you most proud of?
I was chairman for 4 years (2014-2018). I was not the most popular because I ran the club like I ran my business when I employed 250 people, and I wasn’t the most popular then either! However during my time the membership doubled to over 300. I introduced the Dinghy Section by purchasing a dinghy for €1000 (couldn’t knock down the price because the money was going to local Javea charity) and donating it to the club. With the help of Karlheinz we introduced the Cruising Section. We developed the TOMs and expanded the social side of the club. RYA affiliation, a new web site with a commercial page designed to produce a little extra income, trips, courses and lectures and most importantly formalised the official side of the club’s Spanish registration as a non-profit making organisation. We got rid of cash collections, set up a new accounting package and brought all subscriptions onto an annual basis spread across the year instead of 1st January. It is now possible to join and pay your subscription to the CBYA ‘on line’.
Give us one of your amusing anecdotes then Bob…
Well…….I have always ‘preached’ that to capsize is not good sailing. It can always be avoided if you know what you are doing and don’t get caught out! Well not so long ago I took a laser out….the rudder came off for some unknown reason, sank to the bottom, I had no control and capsized. I was rescued by Paul Frazer and he even dived down and recovered the rudder…amazing. But you can imagine the greeting I got when I got ashore…….capsized….capsized …….they just couldn’t stop !!
Salvaging our Flying Fish dinghy (Yelly) after Storm Gloria/ Taking care of the paddle board & kayak man
What are your hopes for the future?
The CBYA is a great group of people from different walks of life, different sailing abilities (novices to round the world yachtsmen), different nationalities and provides sailing and boating opportunities for its members as well as a good social combination, all for a very small subscription. We don’t perhaps need that many more members and we don’t necessarily need boat owners, as they are a breed of their own and don’t always fit into our requirements. What we need are more people to get involved and share the responsibility of just ‘providing great boating (combined with social) opportunities for our members’. And when I say boating, I mean all aspects of being on the water, power, sail and all the modern opportunities available today.
Bob – thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and giving us this retrospective. I am sure the CBYA members will enjoy reading about this. You are such a CBYA legend!!
