THE contentious issue of mandatory membership of the Irish Sailing Association should finally be put to rest at a special Extraordinary General Meeting of the ISA next Monday week at the National Yacht Club, Dun Laoghaire.
If carried, the proposed amendment to the constitution will ensure that all sailing club members become members of the national authority for the sport.
Although the net benefits will not affect the sport until next season, very tangible and immediate benefits" will be seen according to Paddy Boyd, Secretary General of the ISA. These will be principally in the training and coaching areas when the appointment of a new Development and Training Officer is approved.
It is expected that each club will apply the new scheme in its own way, with some adding the subscription to their own club fees and others absorbing the costs into their overheads. This means that clubs with social or non sailing members must include this category for contribution to the ISA.
Although appearing to be a return to the old capital ion scheme that existed prior to the introduction of the Joint Membership Scheme (JMS), the new version of the JMS will give each club member the option of becoming a direct member of the ISA for voting purposes. If the option is not taken, the club automatically retains the member's proxy.
However, it is the voting rights that are at the centre of the delay in the introduction of the scheme. A voting bloc against the new proposals was formed by the clubs of the Victorian yachting port of Dun Laoghaire, who opposed the plans on the grounds that traditional club voting rights would be lost.
Arguments for and against this suggest that the revised wording for the constitution, allowing clubs the right to use their members vote, could see an attempt to form blocs against major policy changes.
The other view is that it is essential for the clubs' to vote for their membership, given the apparent widespread apathy at "grass roots" level to national and administrative matters.
Meanwhile, the world's first one design dinghy class is to celebrate the centenary year of the oldest known boat at a special regatta in Dun Laoghaire next weekend.
Although the Water Wags were founded in 1887, Erica was built in 1896 and is still sailed by the Sarratt family. As many as 25 boats are expected to compete in the six race series that will be sailed in the harbour and on Scotsman's Bay.
Up to 35 boats are expected to compete in the Carlsberg Short Offshore Regatta this Sunday from Malahide Yacht Club. Brian Murphy's Crazy Jane and Francis Ennis Moondance are tipped for class one and two respectively, while MYC Commodore David Greene and John McGovern in Equity are also expected to continue their winning form from last year.
Back on the south side, up to 30 assorted multi hulls will compete in the Carlsberg Irish Open Catamaran Championship at the National YC.
Cathy MacAleavey and husband Con Murphy are in top form with the recent Northern Championship under their belt.
Organisers at Wicklow Sailing Club report that the confirmed entry list received for the Cork Gin Round Ireland Race has broken last year's starting line record of 56 boats.
