GP Committee members

The general affairs of the Club is managed by a voluntary team of members who are elected at the annual general meeting to form the General Purposes Committee. The GP committee has three Flag Officers, Commodore, Vice-Commodore and Rear-Commodore, as well as a Secretary, Treasurer, and three other members.

Harold Fletcher is our Sailing Club Commodore. Harold spends more time maintaining and tinkering with his boat and the sailing club than he does sailing, however in 2008 he says it will be his year to dip his feet back into the mucky waters of Combs reservoir in a new boat. (He said that in 2007 too.) Harold has acted as Club bosun for several years, maintaining the club facilities and is a great asset to the club and has been the driving force for all of the clubs projects since joining several years ago. Occasionally seen steaming about the reservoir in a red International OK, he enjoys nothing more than pottering about.

Tony Berry is the club's Treasurer again. He has been a loyal and faithful member of Combs Sailing Club for many years. He has previously acted in all management positions from club treasurer, recorder, secretary, vice commodore and has served many years as Club Commodore, bringing much peace, harmony and development to Combs Sailing Club. He is a loyal GP14 sailor who taught many of today’s club members to sail in their youth.

Harry Mayo is our multilingual ex commodore of past years having served the club in many positions from Sailing Committee Chairman to Club Commodore. Harry has now taken on the Vice Commodores position and spends his time sailing a Lightning 368 around Combs Reservoir whilst muttering in Italian, showing up those many years his junior on the race course. Harry is also well known for his enthusiasm for big boat sailing and travelling, and now he has retired is enjoying his time fulfilling all such ambitions.

Russell Talbot was this year elected to the post of Rear Commodore. He is one of the newer members of the GP committee and is the club's Health and Safety Officer. Russell is our resident tech guru who loves tinkering with boats and electronics, including designing and building our new electronic starting system and also helping design our new website. Russell also loves larking about at Combs reservoir in his ancient Lark sailing dinghy or his Laser when he can't find a crew.

Chris Fletcher has been a loyal member to Combs for many years joy riding as crew to Gordon Thompson in many double handed sailing Dinghies, enjoying many trophy wins across the years at Combs and away. Chris has now joined the fast growing RS300 class at Combs Sailing Club. Many among us will have heard Chris's screams of delight as he hurtled accross the reservoir attatched to a flimsy bit of metal rope on a high performance sailing Dinghy. Chris acts as our resident comedian having recently strutted his stuff to the joy of all attendees at the 2007 Combs Dinner Dance.

Ian Francis is one of the newer GP committee members who has recently taken on the post of Bosun. He also helps with training and family sailing throughout the season. His expertise in all club related areas is invaluable to the club.

Gordon Thompson has been the club secretary for several years now having served in many different management positions within the club since his youth, when he began his sailing life crewing in double handers for Les Hutchinson and Tony Berry. Gordon has raced and sailed several classes over the last few years at Combs ranging from Toppers, Lasers, Bytes, Iso, 505, Cherubs, Contenders, International Moth etc.. most recently he has settled on an RS300 class which helps him rock around the clock on Combs Reservoir and further afield at class competitions and open class championships.

Mike Craddock has recently joined the GP committee. His real passion is big boat sailing and he spends much of the summer racing around the Irish sea. He is currently looking for a dinghy that will be competitive at his weight.

No Flag Officer may hold the same office for more than five consecutive years. The Committee shall have power to decide any matter not provided for in the Constitution and shall decide on any Byelaws for the efficient running of the Club. It may co-opt one or two Members (with voting powers) for special purposes. It shall determine the times when dinghy and boardsailing can take place on the sailing ground.