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The domestic sailing season is winding down, but there's still plenty happening at Yachting New Zealand.
We recently shared an update on Project Arotake, the independent evaluation of our high-performance programme completed late last year. As you may have seen, the Yachting New Zealand board has established a transformation oversight group to implement the recommendations from this evaluation as we embark on the new cycle for the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. The group will be led by respected sports administrator Kereyn Smith and will seek input from a wide range of organisations and leaders, including our high-performance advisory group and newly formed athlete leadership group.
It’s not only in the high-performance space where we’re striving for improvement. Yesterday, we announced an overhaul of our regional development manager (RDM) programme in response to feedback from yacht clubs requesting more enhanced specialist support across the country.
This follows a comprehensive review of the existing structure and is based on data collected during the annual club survey conducted last year, as well as feedback received directly from clubs and class associations. This process identified a clear need for more targeted support at club level - including strategic planning, governance, environmental and facility infrastructure development, coaching and effective club programmes, risk management, fundraising, and compliance.
We have listened, and as a result, we are introducing four revised roles, each focusing on key areas identified in the feedback. These specialist positions will replace the four existing RDM roles while maintaining regional connections and on-the-ground support. The roles will be implemented within the current budget, so there will be no extra cost to clubs. Importantly, finding support will not take any more time either - these specialist roles will be more focused on specific club needs and are designed to lighten the administrative burden and provide even greater value back to clubs so they can get on with sailing!
You can read more about the new structure here.
We’re edging closer to the 2025 Yachting New Zealand club conference, another excellent opportunity to connect with club leaders and us. This year’s conference will take place at Bucklands Beach Yacht Club in Auckland on Saturday, 24 May 2025, and you can register to attend at this link.
It’s also that time of year again when we ask clubs to submit their affiliation data - and this year, the process is easier than ever.
We use this information to better understand what clubs need from Yachting New Zealand to deliver vital services to their communities, as well as to calculate each club’s affiliation fee. This year, we will provide an Excel worksheet listing your club’s membership records based on data submitted last year, along with any updates received throughout the year. We ask that you review this data against your records, adding any new members and removing those who are no longer part of your club. Once completed, please send the same updated worksheet to Angela Jordan at angela@yachtingnz.org.nz by Friday, 25 April 2025.
Finally, I'm also excited to share the latest edition of Yachting & Boating Quarterly.
As always, YBQ is packed with excellent sailing and boating stories from across New Zealand and the world, the latest in sailing technology, fitness and nutrition, and handy tips and tricks to be faster and safer on the water.
It's free to read by simply clicking here or on the banner below.
Please share it with your network, and happy reading!
