THE CLYDE YACHT CLUBS’ ASSOCIATION

CYCA HISTORY

The Clyde Yacht Clubs’ Association is an organisation run by yachtsmen to serve yachtsmen, on the Clyde and West Coast of Scotland, from Girvan in the south to Armadale, Skye in the north. Originally established in 1898 as the Clyde Yacht Clubs’ Conference, it existed simply to coordinate racing activities on the Clyde. The objectives - to ensure that there was no conflict of courses and dates, and that racing yachtsmen would find some consistency of race management and regulations in the different events in which they entered - remain as valid today as they were over a century ago.

In 1968 its terms of reference were enlarged to make it an Association to represent all clubs in the area, which became members, and to deal with all aspects of sailing including cruising, moorings and handicapping.

Each member club appoints delegates, the number depending on the subscription paid to the CYCA. This in turn depends on that club’s subscription income. Spring and Autumn Delegates Meetings enable the efforts of the Association’s Executive Committee to be assessed and commented on by the delegates. The officers of the Association are the Chairman and Vice Chairman, elected annually. The Chairman and Vice Chairman are eligible to hold office for up to two years. Members of the Executive Committee are elected from among the membership of the Constituent Clubs and considerable expertise and knowledge is available to the Association from them and from the members of sub-committees (who need not be Executive Committee members).

A valuable feature of the Executive Committee is that it has a nominee from Clydeport and from the HM Naval Base Clyde, normally from the Queen’s Harbourmaster’s office. The Association also participates fully with these and other bodies in

· The Clyde Moorings Committee, which is chaired by the Clydeport Harbourmaster and oversees small craft mooring arrangements within the area of Clydeport jurisdiction, and

· The Clyde River Marine Safety Committee, chaired by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), looking at the interaction of all users of the estuary waters.

The Association is also represented on the council of RYA Scotland.

The CYCA is one of three bodies in the UK authorised to issue internationally-recognised sail numbers. In addition, the Handicap Committee administers CYCA Handicaps which offer a cost-effective local alternative to IRC ratings for the average club racing enthusiast. In addition to responding to requests from owners, a Winter Review takes account of club feedback, and initiates any necessary adjustments.

Government Regulations and Restrictions - both intentional and as unforeseen spin-offs from, for example, taxation or environmental legislation - remain an area requiring to be monitored. The Association accepts its obligation to represent the interests of the sailing community in general in its interaction with the bodies concerned, including the Firth of Clyde Forum. Given the skills and resources available from the member clubs, the Association can be effective in a way in which individual clubs might find difficult if not impossible.

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