2 August 2002

Dear Andrew,

I am always pleased to receive your Smooth Sailing newsletter as every week it contains a wealth of sailing news and information. Edition #170 was no exception.

You raised a number of interesting points regarding the proposed development of the yacht mole and merger of RNYC and PYC as recently reported in the Natal Mercury.

I have been involved in the discussions for an effective merger of the clubs for the past 3 or 4 years and I am confident that an effective merger will take place and it will benefit the members, sailing community and the City of Durban. It is worth noting that these discussions, according to club records, have taken place numerous times over the past 30 years however this time they would appear to be more serious than ever before and at a very advanced stage.

Many people from both clubs have given hours of their time researching the facts and then have spent hours in various committees debating the many issues involved in the merger of the two very different and historic institutions. The debate has often become intense and emotional but I believe we have overcome most of the thorny and emotional issues. The process has been both sensitive and complex. In fact it has often reminded me of the "Codesa" negotiations held during the early 1990's that finally resulted in the creation of a democratic South Africa.

What is however clear to me is the fact that there are a number of different elements and interest groups involved in the process. The "Left Wing" being a progressive group made up of mainly sailors and active Club members while at the other end of the spectrum lies the "Right Wing" a group who attempt to derail the process regularly and who are reluctant break with the past (or bar counter) for the benefit of sailing. They often claim to support the marriage but with preconditions. This group reminds me of the ageing leaders and politicians in countries to the north of us. The leaders who would rather see their countrymen starve than relinquish their position of power and privilege. Of course there are also a number of "Fringe Groups" or "Minority Parties" who appear to be there for other more sinister and selfish reasons.

The benefits of an effective merger are enormous; the pooling and efficient use of resources would greatly enhance the quality and quantity of yachting events held in Durban not to mention the facilities we enjoy. The vast majority of yachtsmen recognize the fact and an effective merger between the RNYC and PYC will happen sooner rather than later. All that is required is for the "Left Wing" to stand up, take charge, obtain a formal mandate from the membership and make it happen since the issues have already been debated to death and are no longer relevant. Throughout the world we see that those resistant to change will, in time, simply be swamped by numbers and defeated and the will of the people will prevail.

You asked for my thoughts, now you have my perspective and views on the matter. I am confident the RNYC and PYC will merge however the minutes of the merger meetings are readily available "as a matter of public record" and I would recommend that any member wishing to establish the progress made to date refer to them, they make for interesting reading and this is an important issue that will directly affect the future of sailing in Durban.

I trust all is in order and look forward to receiving many more editions of Smooth Sailing.

Yours sincerely

Graham Rose
RNYC