As Commodore I welcome you all to the Lochbroom Sailing club. Our Club is one which has traditionally had a fairly informal and non-disciplined attitude towards its running.  As membership and facilities continue to grow there is, however, a need to  be more rigorous and structured in our approach with safety being paramount and we do demand that certain safety standards are adhered to at all times.

The Club was founded on the competitive edge of racing in largely single class boats. From there it developed into cruising/racing and thence to long distance cruising. Currently, the fleet of Flying Fifteens and more recently Picos has stimulated the competitive edge and we now see a resurgence of interest in racing in general - and this is to be encouraged.

The Club is run by an elected committee and it has generally been the case that a regular core of committee members have been the mainstay of annual maintenance and repair to the clubhouse and its assets. We currently have a desire to improve the clubhouse and its surroundings, to maintain and look after the Club boats, to organise training, to organise racing, to supervise Pico sailing, to be race starter, to chase grant aid - to name but a few of the ongoing requirements. We therefore welcome assistance from members who feel that they could help with, or perhaps take ownership, of any of these roles. We welcome new blood on the committee. If you would like to volunteer for any of these roles or feel you could contribute in any way to the running of the Club I would be pleased to hear from you. Alternatively, please feel free to attend any of our committee meetings and offer your assistance.

The Club occupies a very prominent position and we are under scrutiny from locals and visitors alike. It is essential that we maintain the appearance of the Club, its environs and its assets - and for this we rely mainly on the enthusiasm and commitment of members. I would encourage you therefore to take your share of work during the many work parties that we intend to convene over the summer and winter periods.

Work parties unfortunately (or fortunately) have to fit between summer racing and cruising commitments and between winter training and boat maintenance - and that is before even considering the demands of normal family life - such is the life of a sailor.