Friday, 21st September 2018
Past Commodore and 45 year member, Chris Carlile was awarded Life Membership at our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 18 September 2018, with Immediate Past Commodore Rob Davis presenting Chris with his pin and members Dean Robson and David Lynch speaking of Chris’ time at SYC.
Chris joined the Club in June 1973 and has been an active Senior member during this time. He has a well-earned reputation as a competitive and successful yachtsman, having participated in Club, Victorian, National and International events. He has also provided strong leadership as a flag officer for six years and a member of the General Committee for several terms.
Chris has a long and successful yachting record. He became a prominent competitor at this Club in 1982 after his return from London where he competed in events on the Solent, sailing out of Lymington.
The record books testify to his many successes, initially in his Boomaroo 22, Elbereth, then in his Farr 740 Sport, Farr Better and then his 11-Metre One Design Blue Chip. Beyond the Bay, Chris has 13 Sydney-Hobart races and many other coastal ocean races to his credit and has competed in three 11-Metre world championships.
Chris has also made a very significant contribution to the governance and leadership of the Club. He served as a member of the Sail Committee for multiple terms, including one term as Sail Captain and as a member of the General Committee, again over multiple terms.
He has drawn on his personal, professional and business networks for the benefit of the Club, has introduced many people to the sport and continues to be an advocate for the Club and the sport in general.
In particular, Chris advocated for the Club to be invited to join the International Committee of Yacht Clubs (ICOYC), which has elevated the Club into an elite group of Clubs from around the world. His enthusiasm for the ICOYC continues. He has been a member of the ICOYC committee since 2012 and is currently Vice President, Asia/Pacific.
A highly visible Club asset which came from Chris’ term as Commodore is the starting and safety boat Endeavour IV.
Chris’ long lasting legacy and most significant contribution (to date) can be traced to his years as a Flag Officer and the preceding and following years as a member of the Finance and Audit Committee.
From 2006 to 2017, in consultation with successive General Committees, Chris refined the capital funding strategy and financial parameters which underlie the oft-referred “financial model”. Over the years, this model has guided the Club’s long term strategy and annual plans and budgets. It has equipped successive Committees with strategic, responsible and practical financial information and is a primary reason for our current sound financial position.
When it comes to sailing and socialising, Chris is every members’ friend, always willing to lend a hand, you know when he’s around, we’ve all been hailed with a “G’day mate” and know that his assessment of every situation is that it’s “just bloody terrific”.
We hope that all SYC Members’ share in Dean and David’s thoughts and think that it’s just bloody terrific that the Club has awarded Life Membership to Chris.
Congratulations Chris!