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in 2006 the RHKYC hosted the 2nd Commodores’ Forum and at this forum the next four host Clubs were chosen; Societe Nautique de Marseilles (2007), Royal Natal Yacht Club (2008), Royal Freshwater

Bay Yacht Club (2010) and the Seattle Yacht Club (2011). This year’s forum was firmly tucked under the banner of the ICOYC – the International Council of Yacht Clubs which was formed after the 2006 forum.

Participants gathered on the first evening for a cocktail reception, hosted by His Excellency the Governor, at Government House. Guests were welcomed to the event by John Stork (ICOYC President and

WORDS anD PhOtOS: KOKO MueLLeR

5th Commodores’ Forum in Perth, AustraliaCLuBS in AttenDAnCeCanberra Yacht ClubCruising Yacht Club of AustraliaCruising Yacht Club of South AustraliaEast Fremantle Yacht ClubHebe Haven Yacht ClubNorddeutscher Regatta VereinRoyal Freshwater Bay Yacht ClubRoyal Hong Kong Yacht ClubRoyal Natal Yacht ClubRoyal New Zealand Yacht SquadronRoyal Norwegian Yacht ClubRoyal Perth Yacht ClubRoyal Prince Alfred Yacht ClubRoyal Queensland Yacht SquadronRoyal Southern Yacht ClubRoyal Sydney Yacht SquadronRoyal Thames Yacht ClubRoyal Vancouver Yacht ClubSeattle Yacht ClubSouth of Perth Yacht ClubSt. Francis Yacht Club

ForuM HoStS1st Royal Vancouver Yacht Club 20052nd Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club 20063rd Societe Nautique de Marseilles 20074th Royal Natal Yacht Club 20085th Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club 20106th Seattle Yacht Club 20117th Royal Southern Yacht Club 2012

Cocktail Reception at Government house. From left to right, our Commodore Warwick Downes with alan Fisher, Commodore, Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, his excellency, Dr. Kenneth Comninos michael aC, Governor of Western australia and mr. John Stork, iCoYC president and immediate Vice Commodore of Royal thames Yacht Club

Forum delegates outside Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club

John Stork declares the 5th Commodores’ Forum open while alan Fisher looks on

Commodore Warwick Downes making his presentation

Immediate Past Vice Commodore Royal Thames Yacht Club), and His Excellency Dr. Kenneth Comninos Michael AC.

The next morning was Opening Ceremony and flag raising, and the participating Commodores were invited to raise their national flags. With the forum being declared ‘open’ the cannon was fired and the participants retired to ‘Forum Central’, which was our home for the next few days.

The forum’s opening address was given by Alan Fisher and John Stork, and we were given a brief summary of a survey that had been conducted amongst the ICOYC member clubs.

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And overall, the Clubs are doing “surprisingly well”. Members are still using their yacht clubs, coming back home a bit – using the club as they are more comfortable in familiar surroundings. Others have lost commercial ‘function’ revenue but all are surviving the economic downturn.

The theme for the first morning’s discussion was Sponsorship. The first speaker was Bronwyn Lewis (Executive Director, State Library of WA Foundation) on ‘Sponsorship Essentials’. She mentioned the need for clubs to enter into the world of social media (Facebook, Twitter etc). Next was Matt Allen, Commodore, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, who presented a Club Case Study on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Matt took us through the event’s beginnings and how it grew to the international spectacle it is now; ranked in the top five of sponsored events. One of the many key elements was the necessity for yacht tracking (and social media) so that people could “go home, log in and take a look at friends/boats/husbands and track them all the way to the finish”.

Five clubs were then invited to each share a lesson they had learned when dealing with sponsors. They were: John McNeill, Staff Commodore, St. Francis Yacht Club; Ravnar Klevaas, Past Commodore, Royal Norwegian Yacht Club; Russell Murphy, Commodore, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club; Craig Peploe, General Manager, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and RHKYC Past commodore Inge Strompf-Jepsen.

The afternoon sessions included Denys Pearce, Commodore, Royal Perth Yacht Club, speaking on ‘Balancing Tradition and Progress in a Modern Yacht Club’, the Royal Southern Yacht Club’s presentation on their 175th anniversary celebrations, part of which will be the 2012 Commodores’ Forum, and William Wood, Commodore, Royal Sydney

The survey showed that the main concerns are…Economic issues (69%)• Financial issues and balancing resources• Close scrutiny of costs (particularly energy)• Support for elite sailors representing

country in international competitions• Making up for financing shortfalls in spon-

sorship without raising membership fees• Funding international competitive

participationMembership (63%)• Continuously improving service• Maintaining a diverse membership base• Membership retention and recruitment• ‘Best practice’/‘benchmarking’ on

members’ satisfaction• Declining income – meeting service

expectations• Demand for boat pensParticipation (56%)• Still focusing on recruiting and educating

volunteers to race organisation• Maintaining/improving the count of

members actively sailing and using the club facilities

• Increasing member opportunities and involvement in sailing and racing

• Focusing on lifting the general level of club events

Youth (37%)• Keeping younger members involved• Aging membership and attracting

younger members• New sailing school permissions and

financing• To establish a foundation for youth• Continue to grow youth programmesRegulatory environment (37%)• Keeping up with legislation• Risk management in litigious society• Dealing with the city on the expired

marina lease• National Marine parks body• Increasing government impositions• Harbour authority wants to take

back privilegesHospitality (18%)• Marketing functions business

at clubhouse• Keep food and beverage competitive and

top of mind• Clubhouse – addressing quality and

value for money to encourage use (by members and reciprocals)

Fleet issues (12%)• Get good acceptance and high usage of

day – sailor fleet• Lack of space in the harbour to host

international or national nautical eventsVarious local issues (31%)• Changes to buildings• Construction next to club• Asset maintenance• The redevelopment of the yacht

mole basin• Strategic question: Whether to merge

with other water-based clubs or formulate a plan of our own

team hong Kong (sail no. 814)

team hong Kong

Yacht Squadron, presenting ‘Endowment and Trust Funds’.

RHKYC Commodore Warwick Downes was up next with his presentation on ‘The Benefit of Interports’, which was very well received. In fact it spurred several delegates to stand up, point at other delegates and say, “You have our trophy and we want it back”!

Seattle Yacht Club’s Commodore, Chris Otorowski, then gave a presentation on their outstation network – currently standing at ten beautiful locations. In fact, according to a recent membership survey, 85% joined SYC because of the outstations and 75% of the membership remains because of them.

Commodore Warwick Downes swapping burgees with Royal Southern Yacht Club Commodore, John Beardsley

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Presentations wrapped up, it was time to board launches for a scenic journey across to Royal Perth Yacht Club for an ‘Australian culinary experience’.

The next day the delegates had a private tour of the Maritime Museum by John Longley AM, Event Director for Perth 2011. John was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 2009 and has competed in five campaigns including being Project Manager and member of the crew of Australia II when she won the Cup in 1983.

South Africa and sixth, Team Eastern Australia 1. The bonus prize went to Team England for “using the pole as a paddle”.

Naturally the winning crew were thrilled and not only did the RHKYC get to bring back the trophy that it had first had made when we hosted the forum in 2006, but each crew member took home a limited edition bottle of wine in a leather wine case. It was Champagne celebrations on the lawn at RFBYC!

Peter Gilmour opened day two with his presentation on ‘The Role of Yacht Clubs

in Commercial Yachting Events’. Peter has been world match racing champion four times and involved in seven America’s Cup campaigns. He is currently the President of the World Matching Racing Tour, and organiser of the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia.

Next was sailing celebrity Belinda Stowell OAM. This Olympic Gold Medallist from the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games is now Head Coach of the Sailing programme at the Western Australian Institute

of Sport, which is considered one of the best in Australia. Stowell spoke about the three levels of sailing according to her coach Victor Kovalekno… 1 – fun, 2 – results and 3 – glory.

After a presentation on Risk Analysis and Insurance, the next item on the agenda was on Club Structure and Succession – the Continental Model by Gero Brugmann of Norddeutscher Regatta Verein. It was certainly an eye opener that their equivalent of the articles of association runs to 1.5 pages!

The subject of ‘Membership – Retention and Satisfaction’ was tackled by Sarah Howard, Commodore, Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. In the 90s/early 2000 a gap was identified

in their membership; they had a strong junior programme and a strong (adult) active programme, but members between ages 19 and 26 were resigning or not joining. As a result, a new category – Active Intermediates (AIs) – was introduced, the trend was reversed and they now have very strong numbers in that age category and are seeing growth.

Alan Fisher then spoke on attracting and retaining volunteers and described volunteerism as the “fabric’ of the club. He said that “RFBYC volunteers are seen as an essential, unique and invaluable part of the Club, complementing and supporting the work of employed staff. They are people who, of their own free will, contribute their time, energy and skills to benefit our sport.”

Ragnar Klevaas, Past Commodore, Royal Norwegian Yacht Club, followed with the Norway perspective… there they must have two ladies on the board. They also have no entry fee… just “drop in and pay the US$150 annual fee”! They have a lot of members with gold medals – but not in sailing – however this is still a draw for members who wish to mingle with the stars.

Mark Fitzhardinge, Past Commodore, Royal Perth Yacht Club, spoke of ‘Membership – RPYC Style’. His key message was that it’s “all about value, perceived value, expectations and information and not about numbers.”

The last presentation was by Seattle Yacht Club – and concentrated on encouraging delegates to attend the 6th Commodores’ Forum in Seattle in 2011.

A more detailed breakdown of what was discussed at the forum will be shared with the appropriate Club Committee Chairpersons but if members are interested in any of the topics raised then they are invited to contact Membership Relations and Communication Manager Koko Mueller on 2239 0342.

team hong Kong at the prizegiving

peter Gilmour Belinda Stowell

Next on the agenda was the event regatta held on the Swan River and sailed in Bakewell White 8s. The twenty-one participating clubs were grouped into twelve teams. Team Hong Kong consisted of Warwick and Suzanne Downes, Inge-Strompf Jepsen and our friends from Hebe Haven Yacht Club, Mark and Sara Houghton. At the last mark Team Hong Kong took the lead leaving Team West Australia, skippered by Peter Ahern, Vice Commodore, Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, in second place and Team Eastern Australia 2, skippered by Matt Allen, in third. Fourth place went to Team New Zealand/Australia, fifth was Team West Australia /

team hong Kong

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