PCA AGM Minutes
28 November 2008
Meeting called to order at 8:10 pm by President, Ed Backman
1. Introduction
We welcomed a small number members to the Annual General Meeting being held at the Saraguay House of the RNSYS.
2. Approval of minutes from 2007 AGM
Moved by Mr. Snair, seconded by Mr. Stevens, the minutes were approved
3. Report of VP Class Development – Rod Stright
Delivered in printed form, Mr Stright being absent.
“2008 was a particularly hectic year for the development of the PCA in the Maritimes. A lot of changes: new requirement to join the PCA to race in a Premier event, new requirement for a PHRF New England Certificate, lousy weather, lots of new member boats and a new structure to the race program.
In total a lot of changes and the new structure for races that saw a deliberate focus in promoting the class outside of Metro. While we may think the world of yacht racing in the Maritimes starts at Mahone Bay and ends at Halifax, there are many great sailors and venues scattered throughout the area, and most of them have consistently better weather than we do. This summer, I think it was terrible everywhere.
There were 13 new members to the class – Baboon, Casper, Vanish, Wings and Pepper all in Charlottetown, Hard 8 in Shelburne, Climax in Dartmouth, Exile from the USA, Still Irie from Chester, Valkyrie of no fixed address, and Ciao!, Slider and Trumph of the Squadron. A number of these are from outside our traditional areas.
Observations:
1. Paid-up membership for 2007 was 23.
2. Paid-up membership for 2008 was 33.
3. Of the 13 new boat owners 5 are from Charlottetown (38%). 50% of new Class development occurred in Charlottetown. 6 members on the Strait.
4. As a total of the class in 2008, 15% were from Charlottetown.
5. Charlottetown Yacht Club is now the yacht club with the second highest number of PCA member yachts.
6. Recruitment results are a direct result of PCA presence in the areas. In 2007, 3 PCA yachts participated in Charlottetown Race Week as a promotion, and in 2008 all yachts in that handicap range joined the PCA. Baddeck Race Week didn’t materialize as a Class event, despite some very accommodating hosts from Bras D’Or Yacht Club – so the focus for the upcoming year should be on Cape Breton.”
Mr Stright also included a list of member yachts:
Boat Name Boat Type PHRF NE TOT OWNER
AIGLE Beneteau 36.7 78 0.987 Philippe Paturel
AKUBRA J-44 27 1.075 Reg Goodday
AMAZING POTATO/CORYB
J/N 39/Lager 40 63 1.011 Wayne Morrison
BABOON J-35 72 0.997 David Smith
BELLATRIX Swan 48 33 1.063 John Hunkin
BRILLIANCE J-120 51 1.032 Richard Calder
CASPER Henderson 30 45 1.042 Richard Walker
CEILIDH C&C 39 108 0.942 Randy Stevens
CIAO! Archambault 35 66 1.006 Philippe Paturel
CLIMAX 1D35 36 1.058 Nathan Reece
CRACKER JACK J-35 72 0.997 Peter Traves
STILL IRIE Beneteau 36.7 78 0.987 Thomas Lawrence
DUCK! Beneteau 36.7 78 0.987 Peter & Pam Maloney
ESSENCE C&C 37 + 75 0.992 Blair King
EXILE J-133 15 1.097 Brendan Kelley
FESTIVUS Beneteau 49 48 1.037 Mark Holden
GIRLFRIEND Henderson 30 NO PHRF Carl McGregor
HARD 8 Tripp 41 6 1.115 Larry Taylor
HELMS DEEP Beneteau 36.7 78 0.987 Mike Sutton
ILLICIT C&C 41 72 0.997 Dick Rafuse
KOOBALIBRA C&C 115 63 1.011 Dave Barlow
PEPPER J-35 72 0.997 John Rankin
POWERSHIFT Tartan Thomas 35 72 0.997 Clarence Wurtz
PURSUIT Peterson 45 54 1.026 Bob Belliveau
SIREN NO PHRF James O'Hagen
SLIDER Joubert/Nivelt Custom 42 39 1.053 Chris Chick
STARFIRE X Tartan Thomas 35 72 0.997 Andrew Boswell
THIRD WAVE C&C 37R 63 1.011 Hal Davies
TRIUMPH C&C 115 63 1.011 Peter Bromley
TROUBLE Mumm 30 54 1.026 Ed Backman
VALKYRIE Swan 78 NO PHRF Will Apold
VALOUR Peterson 37 87 0.973 Rod Stright
VANISH Mumm 30 54 1.026 Dan Mosher/Adam
Affleck
WINGS Taylor 40-3 54 1.026 Douglas Rankin
4. Presidents Report – Ed Backman
Ed gave a Regatta Review, reporting the number of yachts at each event. He also made special mention of the extra efforts made by the Race Committees at Charlottetown and Chester in lifting the standard of racing for our Class. Special thanks also to our sponsors.
5. Financial Report – Peter Robson
When I got the books in January 2008 from Hal Davies, there was a bank balance of $3001.92. Since then, there have been dues from 15 members, totaling $450.00
There have been 24 PHRF fees collected in the amount of $600.00 - Remittances to PHRF total $694.47, partly because of unreconciled fees from Charlottetown and from payments for previous years’ difficulties in collection on the part of PHRF NE. This will be accounted for in 2009.
Expenses are for prizes and for the 2007 Annual meeting, NSYA membership, Society registration fees.
Bank balance on Nov 28, 2008 is $3,549.63.
Financial Report moved accepted by Peter Robson, second Hal Davies – carried.
6. Handicap Report – Mike Hoyt from NSYA
Mike reported to the meeting the status of the NSYA Handicap Committee and the NSYA move away from ASPN toward a PHRF-based system. Mike reported that, because of a skew in the ratings of the faster boats (Rating over 139 ASPN) there was an attempt to re-evaluate the formula in use. In October 2008 the board of NYSA passed the Handicap Committee recommendation to use PHRF-TOT for handicap racing in Nova Scotia. The decision was to rate boats and make adjustments using PHRF as expressed in seconds per mile, but to race Time on Time rather than Time on Distance. This change is to take place for the 2010 season. For 2009, NSYA will make every attempt to have base ratings available for any NYSA member club or association that wishes to use them, but will still supply ASPN ratings.
NSYA will not be using PHRF ratings from other areas. They will be maintaining the existing relationships as currently expressed under ASPN in the new PHRF System. For boats racing in Premier Class, this means that a Beneteau 36.7 will continue to have the same base rating as a J-35. NSYA will make every effort to have the new base ratings in PHRF available for April 1, and possibly the Boat Show in February. They will then modify the web site, handicap manual and other documents to assist clubs.
Following Mike’s report, there was a discussion of the handicap system for Premier Class for 2009. It was pointed out that PHRF New England has, on their website, a list of regulations already in place for such things as required equipment, limited equipment, crew and weight limits. It will be some time before NSYA is ready to go this far. For this reason, it was decided by consensus of the meeting to remain unchanged for 2009 – Premier Class will race under PHRF New England, but will add some mandatory checks. At most regattas, owners can expect a representative to board their yacht and check for some detail of the requirements – looking for an anchor with rode, or sufficient life jackets, or lights, or fuel, or sail limits – without prior notice. It is intended that these will be done PRIOR to racing, with an opportunity to amend deficiencies.
It was also suggested that, for next year, all results will be computed using three different systems – IRC (where possible), PHRF NE and PHRF NS, although PHRF New England will be the official results. This will allow clearer decisions in the future. If there is a member who would be willing to undertake this task, please volunteer to Ed.
7. SCHEDULE for 2009
There are a few changes in the schedule for 2009, although the basic system is the same as 2008. Each yacht may count their best 5 results toward the Season Championship, and must include at least one regatta outside Metro and one race offshore in that five. The details will be available on the Premier Class website.
1 Opening Regatta – each yacht may count their BEST result – 1 only
Armdale YC – May 16-18
RNSYS – May 23-24
Dartmouth YC – Jun 5-7
Bedford Basin YC – June 13-14
Shearwater YC and Chester YC – June 20-21
2 Marblehead start Jul 5
3 Charlottetown Race Week – unclear – their website is down
4 New Race counting as offshore – from Charlottetown to the causeway
New Race counting as offshore – from Halifax to St Peter’s
It is intended that these races be at the same time, leading the East Bay Regatta and Bras D’Or Race Week
5 East Bay/Bras D’Or combined Jul 25/26 and 3 days of the Bras D’Or
6 New Race to be explored – feeder race, St Peters to Chester and Halifax to Chester Aug 6/7
7 Chester Race Week Aug 12 - 15
8 Prince of Wales Regatta Weekend (POW and Wenonah combined)
Sep 12 - 13
9 Silver Sail Sep 18 - 20
8. Items Arising from the Minutes/from the floor
There were no items raised from the minutes or from the floor.
9. Prize Presentations – John Roy
Season Championship trophy was presented to Philippe Paturel and Ciao!. In Philippe’s absence, Ann Ackland accepted for the crew. First, second and third flags. were presented to any skippers who did not receive them at Regatta event sites.
10. Sponsorship Levels
It was again stated that we owe a great deal to our sponsors, and that we depend on them a great deal. The feeling exists that we must formalize the returns to a sponsor for a certain level of commitment, in cash or in kind. Those sponsors are currently recognized on our website, so I will not risk missing one by attempting to list them here. The Executive has committed to draft such formal agreements in the near future, and post them on the site.
11. Crew Database for next year
A feeling was expressed that there is a gap between yachts needing crew of particular experience, and crew needing yachts to sail on. While we could attach a database/contact list on our own website, Mike Hoyt mentioned that NSYA already has just such a database. Our new VP Racing will contact NSYA re including Premier Class in that database, and referring sailors/owners there from our own website.
In a similar vein, there was a feeling expressed that we as a class should be making more effort to include Junior Racers in our class events. The Executive will discuss in more detail, and then contact Evan Petley-Jones at RNSYS. Watch the website for details.
12. Election of Officers
Nominations for each position were called from the floor. There being none, all officers were declared elected by acclamation. There are two resignations – Philippe Paturel VP Racing and Rod Stright, VP Class Development. Members Nathan Reece and David Barlow have agreed to fill those two vacancies, respectively.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45, and members enjoyed conversation and discussion on matters of import. |
