Club problems

Its a tough one. I've just walked away from my club (temporarily) because of similar issues with the committee knowingly breaking the law, manipulating race results and ignoring protests plus various other questionable decisions. 
Ultimately there isn't a lot I can do other than bring up my concerns at the AGM but it would be at the cost of nobody wanting to do the executive roles. My choice is to just walk away or join somewhere else until I have confidence in a new committee for 2024. I'm a bit bitter that there won't be any justice or even making sure the membership are informed of what has gone on. I feel much better having decided to just walk away for a while rather than get stressed over it even though I've been a member there for 20+ years

Edited by ClubRacer - 29 Nov 22 at 5:01pm

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ClubRacer Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 26 Sep 15 Online Status: Offline Posts: 210	Post Options Post Reply Quote ClubRacer Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Club problems Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 4:45pm
	Its a tough one. I've just walked away from my club (temporarily) because of similar issues with the committee knowingly breaking the law, manipulating race results and ignoring protests plus various other questionable decisions. Ultimately there isn't a lot I can do other than bring up my concerns at the AGM but it would be at the cost of nobody wanting to do the executive roles. My choice is to just walk away or join somewhere else until I have confidence in a new committee for 2024. I'm a bit bitter that there won't be any justice or even making sure the membership are informed of what has gone on. I feel much better having decided to just walk away for a while rather than get stressed over it even though I've been a member there for 20+ years Edited by ClubRacer - 29 Nov 22 at 5:01pm

davidyacht Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 29 Mar 05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1345	Post Options Post Reply Quote davidyacht Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 5:33pm
	Intriguing. Is this a club where the racing fleet have allowed other interest groups in, like Social Members or dare I say Yacht Owners? The long game might be to get a few like minded people onto the committee, and over time get rid of those who don't have the sailing interests of the club at heart. Alternatively it might cause you less angst to find a more welcoming club, if it is as bad as you say, presumably others will walk too. You could set up an independent Whatsapp group on the pretext that this is for banter amongst the sailors, but it could grow into a useful tool to get people elected onto your committee, unless they check your phones for subversive apps
	Happily living in the past

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3406	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 6:29pm
	Disqualified for sedition Have a look at this site https://www.sportenglandclubmatters.com/?redirect=0 Edited by 423zero - 29 Nov 22 at 6:29pm
	Robert

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3406	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 6:33pm
	Volunteer run clubs still have a duty of care. https://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/leisure/amateur-sports-club.htm
	Robert

JRB12 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 28 Nov 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote JRB12 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 9:18pm
	We had half a dozen decent people on our committee recently but they ended up resigning in the face of collusion and obstruction. When the key jobs are held by a certain clique it makes things very hard. Controlling finance, keys, information and data. If one or two people control all of those then it can be very hard for others to do their jobs. Especially so when the controllers surround themselves with loyal support. Everything is done to control things in the face of challenge and trumped up disciplinaries handed out. There must have been a few dozen disciplinaries in the last 10 years. You literally cannot raise a concern in this club without potentially facing a disciplinary. To give an example the lead investigator in the safety concern I mentioned before ended up being suspended and then they refused to renew membership all in a ploy to boot that member out. What did that person do? Told the governing body that a fair investigation could not be carried out on the face of lies, corruption and collusion amongst those committee members supporting the accused. And the concerns were serious in relation to safe operation of club activities. You can’t have a safe club in that scenario when people do as they please and no one dare raise a concern. It’s a recipe for disaster.

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3406	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 9:52pm
	Wow, and they said sailing was fun, get away from there, probably every other club in the country is far superior.
	Robert

JRB12 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 28 Nov 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote JRB12 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 11:16pm
	I had been thinking that it probably is the worst sail club in the country.

davidyacht Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 29 Mar 05 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1345	Post Options Post Reply Quote davidyacht Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 29 Nov 22 at 11:26pm
	This has to be a wind up
	Happily living in the past

JRB12 Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 28 Nov 22 Online Status: Offline Posts: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote JRB12 Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Nov 22 at 12:06am
	No, not a wind up at all. Sadly even the governing body will do nothing about it. Even with further background evidence to the issue I mention they will not do anything. I question the point of the existence of that body if they cannot regulate the clubs that operate under their name. I have no faith in them at all.

Late starter Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 24 Feb 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 481	Post Options Post Reply Quote Late starter Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 30 Nov 22 at 1:37am
	As others have said, this is supposed to be a hobby/fun/enjoyable etc so my initial take would be to run away and find another club. And yet I've been there in terms of not agreeing with the direction my clubs committee was going in, so ended up spending several years as a committee member/secretary/vice commodore/commodore/trustee as a result. JimC is spot on when he makes the point that a club should be democratic and an AGM and EGM are the ultimate expressions of that. If you're in a minority at both/either of these you should re-think where you are. On the other hand if what you're saying is that your club are ignoring basic constitutional protocols such as holding AGMs I'd suggest talking to the RYA legal section.