Edmund Whelan: 1947 - 2013
by Charlie Whelan 10 May 2013 09:50 BST
8 May 2013
Edmund Whelan, Barrister (Middle Temple), Yachtsman and formerly the RYA's Deputy Secretary General and legal affairs manager, died on Wednesday 8 May 2013 after a short but typically spirited fight with lung cancer.
Edmund started sailing as a small boy in Enterprises and Albacores, but it was in yacht racing where he really made his mark. He went from RORC and Admiral's Cup boats in the late 60's through to 1/2, 3/4 and 1 tonners in the 70's and 80's. Also in the 1980's he owned an Impala (National Champion) and a J24 whilst still racing in RORC and Sigma 38s through to the 90's. Edmund and his wife Teresa competed for more than three decades in JOG, RORC and the Royal Southampton Double handed series in which they enjoyed plenty of success, but more importantly gained great pleasure from the camaraderie with the sailors they came to know over the years. From 2000 they successfully campaigned their X342 Xarifa both inshore and offshore.
His work for the RYA started in 1981 when he was appointed as the Legal and Government Affairs and General Purposes Manager. It was in this role, and latterly as the deputy CEO, that he came to help hundreds of yachts clubs and yachtsmen around the country to help deal with their legal and planning matters. One of his main roles was that of a parliamentary advisor and lobbyist fighting for the rights of sailors to enjoy uninterrupted sailing in UK waters, unimpinged by regulation and licensing; this was in addition to his unstinting work with the RYA regions and clubs. To help achieve these goals he also acted as secretary and treasurer to the House of Lords and Commons Yacht Clubs and as Secretary of the European Boating Association. He was well known internationally through his involvement with ISAF. He wrote many articles for yachting and boating magazines and published several books including Marine Law for yachtsmen, an essential handbook for all prospective and current boat owners. He also wrote Around the Red Tape, which became the 'bible' for all club secretaries. Additionally he was a Director of Central Council for Physical Recreation, was very involved with Harbour masters and hosted the annual boat show conference for club secretaries and chairmen.
He always felt he was the luckiest man in the world to be a barrister working in the sailing industry helping the sport he loved. The sailing community and all sailors greatly benefited from his influence. As some colleagues said 'he was always there to listen to anybody's problem and make time to help them solve them. He always had a good sense of humour and was a wonderful guy'.
Since his retirement in 2007 he became a Yachtmaster Ocean instructor and has been regular face on the oceans as he has worked with amateur yachtsmen helping them achieve their goals of transatlantic crossings and achieving their own Yachtmaster certificates. He loved helping new sailors to become proficient and enjoy their sport. He completed his last transatlantic in December 2012, by which time he had logged over 100,000 ocean miles.
He died leaving behind Teresa, 3 children, 8 grandchildren and many hundreds of friends from the sailing family across the globe. He will be missed at the bar!
A celebration of his life, to which all are welcome, will be held at St Paul's Church, Sarisbury Green at 2pm on 18 June 2013, which would have been his 66th birthday. Please visit www.flatchat.co.uk/edmund for details.