Chipping Norton Yacht Club inaugural meeting a stunning success
by Trevor Taylor 1 Feb 2013 06:00 GMT
30 January 2013
Gill Stuart of Tredington, Neil Fisher of Banbury, and David Wilbrahams of Witney at the Inaugural Dinner of the Chipping Norton Yacht Club being served by Alex New © CNYC
Membership doubles and two new sailing sections announced
"Oh my goodness what have I done?" said a somewhat bemused Trevor Taylor, the Commodore of the Chipping Norton Yacht Club, as more than 80 members sat down for the club's Inaugural Dinner on Wednesday 30th. January. "The response has been terrific. Our members come from the Cotswolds and beyond, not just from Chippy, in fact five counties are represented by our 100 plus members and not one of those counties has a coastline." Taylor told the packed meeting at the town's golf club.
The Chipping Norton Yacht Club achieved substantial international, national and local publicity last month (January) when it announced plans to set up a yacht club more than 100 miles from the sea. "It has been a stunning success" says Taylor. "When we floated the idea of a yacht club in Chipping Norton we thought that we would be doing well if we attracted 30 members. We had 100 members before the first meeting and the number grows daily. That is brilliant and demonstrates what a substantial interest there is in boats in the Cotswolds despite being a long way from the sea. In fact it is precisely because we are a long was from the coast that creates a need for a local yacht club, a place where those interested in boats and the sea can meet."
At the inaugural meeting Taylor announced the formation of two sections within the yacht club; the Solent Section and the Ionian Section. "It is perhaps not surprising that a lot of members keep their boats on the south coast and during the summer we will be organizing rallies for them in the Solent. What is perhaps more surprising is that many members have their boats in Greek waters and there will be a little bit of Chipping Norton in the Ionian this summer when yacht club members meet for a rally among the Greek islands. "
The next meeting of the Chipping Norton Yacht Club is on Wednesday 27th. February when the guest speaker will be Chris Jeckells, MD of east coast sailmakers Jeckells Sails.
The club can be contacted at www.cnyc.co.uk