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First lady takes the helm at East Lothian Yacht Club

by Sue Simpson 12 Feb 2012 14:32 GMT
Commodore Sheila Smith prepares for Winter club racing at East Lothian Yacht Club © Sue Simpson

Since it was formed in 1928, East Lothian Yacht Club has never had a female Commodore. That changed this month, when Sheila Smith became part of the Club's 84-year history when she took over the post of Commodore from Hugh Marston.

Sheila, who lives in Dunbar in East Lothian, started sailing as a teenager on family holidays at Loch Torridon, learning to sail on her father's 14-foot clinker-built RNSA dinghy with Gunter rig. She joined ELYC in 1997, becoming Assistant Race Secretary in 2006. She went on to become Rear Commodore in 2008 and Vice Commodore in 2010.

A keen dinghy sailor, Sheila joins in the year-round Club racing in North Berwick sailing her Laser Radial. She and husband, Alan, also sail together and have a Benetau First 29 which they sail along the West Coast of Scotland.

In her 2-year term of office, Sheila heads up a new committee to include Donald Mackinnon as Vice Commodore, with Linda Sheridan and Robbie Lawson as Rear Commodores.

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