Happy New Year to all our friends and families of DSKC. 2010 heralds the start of a New Decade, and a New Club Committee. This is the first newsletter of the year and something we aim to distribute monthly. As the letter becomes established we aim to add more features and information such as a member profile and training hints to name a few. We also welcome any contributions from members in the form of written pieces or photos.
DSKC Committee
A meeting was held last week and was attended by the respondents to the request for volunteers that went out from the club. From the meeting a new committee was formed and they were able to start the year with a very productive and promising meeting.
Before we talk about the committee we would like to express our sincerest thanks to outgoing Club Captain Colin Campbell for his tireless work and excellent efforts to keep the club functioning since he took over from Gavin. Juggling all of the roles is certainly not easy and at times a thankless task but you have excelled Colin, thankyou.
The New Committee for 2010
President: Wayne Randall (aka Bob Mugabe)
Club Captain: Jonathan Crowe
Treasurer: Peter Bengtsson
IT/Communciations: Michael Croft
Gear Steward: Colin Campbell
Social Organiser: Carlo Cottino
Competition Committee: Nigel Harvey, Jonathan Crowe,
Hayden Smith, Haydn Holmes,
Andrew Dunstan.
Next month’s newsletter will give you some information on each member of the committee, so stay tuned.
2010 DSKC Committee’s Aims and Objectives
The Committee identified a number of aims, tasks and objectives for 2010 that we wanted to achieve. The main ones are listed below:
· Create a Club that is a Registered Identity and has it’s own Charter, Rules, Responsibilities, Bank Accounts etc;
· Organise insurance coverage for the club and it’s members;
· Revamp Club Membership, fees and create opportunities for members to benefit from their involvement in DSKC with other organisations;
· Set up a new website and provide increased opportunity for communication and member interaction;
· Plan and implement regular racing and social opportunities within the club for all members;
· Increase membership and member involvement within the club; and
· Identify a worthy charity and dedicate efforts towards providing assistance to that charity.
This list is only a small number of the many tasks and objectives we would like to achieve this year. As we move through the year and we successfully complete each task we will identify other objectives and work towards successfully achieving these also. We also welcome any issues or objectives you think would be worthwhile to achieve.
DSKC: an affiliated and registered entity
An important goal for the club is to successfully have the club become a registered identity with it’s own bank account, charter, rules etc. We are fully aware that Wayne and a number of committees have tried a number of times to get the club registered. Unfortunately it has proven impossible with the absence of a process to do this and while under the umbrella of DIMC. With the help of Peter Bengtsson, our new club treasurer, we are looking to take a different approach to get registration and hope that this will be successful. We will update the progress in relation to this task, as well as a new club charter, budget, and other information in the next newsletter.
DSKC Insurance:
Ben Brough from Watkins Underwriters at Lloyds is a club member and has done some great work to investigate and organise insurance for the club and the members. Insurance will become mandatory for all members and will form part of the club membership fee.
What Ben has organised for DSKC members (only) is:
· Third Party Liability and Personal Accident cover in the UAE & Oman whilst on the water in a surf ski, travelling to and from events and within the club vicinity.
· Cover is for all paid up club members of Dubai Surf Ski & Kayak Club aged between 18 and 65 including the club committee and race event organisers for their respective rights and duties.
· Third Party Liability cover up to AED 1,000,000 in the annual aggregate. Policy will provide indemnity to the insured person against any payment they may have to make to third party following accidental bodily injury and/or death and/or damage to third party property for which they are held legally liable (exclusions apply).
· Personal Accident cover up to AED 100,000 in the event of death to members and extended for loss of limb or sight as more specifically detailed in the Schedule of benefits and wording.
· Main exclusions are that no cover is given to any DSKC committee or club member outside the activities of DSKC.
· Due to the fragile nature of our craft, unfortunately we were not able to secure coverage for craft in storage, transit or transport.
Limited personal accident cover can also be extended to give worldwide cover if members require this. The premiums would naturally vary depending on life style activities e.g. scuba diving, paragliding, parachuting, caving etc. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Ben on 050 28 77 919.
DSKC Membership:
With the intent to secure new club registration and also the instigation of insurance cover, the Club Committee agreed it was appropriate that the club membership be revamped and simplified for all members.
In an aim to strengthen the sport, our paddling community, and the club’s position and identity, as the only paddle club in Dubai, the committee has decided to have only one (1) membership category.
Your DSKC membership for 2010 will be 350 AED.
This fee includes your membership fee and insurance cover but not any rack fees which is over and above the Membership fee.
Club membership is required for those wishing to utilise the club facilities, including the craft storage racks and participate in any races or club events. It is hoped that all paddlers in Dubai will become a member of DSKC, regardless of where you store your ski or where you live.
With the new club registration we will have a new club membership form and insurance waiver as well as rules and regulations that will be provided. All members (new and old) will be required to sign the new form and insurance waiver and pay the fees when submitted.
The club’s data base and membership list is a mess and as such we are looking to start afresh and create a new list of members as people join the club. Fees will be due in the next month (and urgently required as we have to pay the club’s rent this month).
We are also currently working on a DSKC membership benefits programme that offers significant savings at a number of high profile entities and corporations in the UAE. Our aim is to provide our members added benefits and advantages for being a member of DSKC. We are in discussion with retailers, tourist operators, restaurants, insurance companies and car dealers to offer DSKC members exclusive member opportunities and discounts. Another great reason to join DSKC!
DSKC Rack Fee:
The 2010 annual rack fee will be 1200 AED. We are currently making some space in the club and clearing a few skis out, so if you are looking for somewhere to store you ski, please contact Colin Campbell at colsute@gmail.com. The annual fee will be payable with your membership fee and only club members will be able to store their ski at the club. We are also drawing up a new set of rules and guidelines for the racks. These will also be distributed in the next month, when rack fees will also be due.
New DSKC Website
Eva Csmor of has been working on our new website. It will be tailored to meet the requirements and functions of the club. In particular we are looking forward to the website being the club’s primary source of contact and for communication between members and the committee through the forum and noticeboard. We look forward to providing training programmes, race dates, notices about races and other items on the site. We will advise as soon as the site is operational.
New DSKC Competition Committee
A Competition Committee has been formed by some of the most experienced and successful paddlers in the club. The committee is currently drawing up the club competition calendar which will detail all races, pointscores and other events including the social events of the club. We aim to release this at the end of February. The committee has identified the need to cater for the less experienced paddlers in the club as well as the different categories of paddlers that are starting to emerge. We look forward to distributing the calendar and members getting involved in the events for the upcoming year.
Current Club Training Sessions
The club has regular open training sessions aimed at encouraging increased levels of race participation and performance across a wider range of abilities and ski types.
The sessions are currently run out of both DSKC club at Kite Beach (meeting up with paddlers from Rob's place) and DSKC at DIMC. Sessions from Kite Beach are run on Mondays and Wednesdays and from DIMC on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Both venues start at 5:30am (that is on the water at 5:30). Times will stay on this schedule until after the last race of the local series, after which they may go to 6:00am for the duration of the summer off-season. However, training times are a product of group consensus and are subject to change, check the web site or email Michael Croft at mcroft66@hotmail.com or Hayden Smith at hayden.smith@wildwadi.com.
Some additional notes about the training sessions:
· The sessions aim to cater for all standard of competitor and every effort will be made to regroup and keep everyone together as much as practical.
· During the race season sessions are structured into phases over several weeks building toward targeting the major local and overseas races.
· The training sessions are not social paddles, they are aimed at getting paddlers fitter to race faster for longer, expect to work hard.
· They are not a paddling school, there is no advice on technique.
· They are free to all members.
· You will need your own ski and paddle.
DSKC Charity
A suggestion by Wayne Randall at the last committee meeting was that the club identify a worthy charity that can be adopted by the club and become a beneficiary of the club. The aim would be that throughout the year we would organise events, (raffles, races etc) and opportunities to raise funds for the charity. There are many people who are less privileged than many of us at the club and I hope our social response to this venture is overwhelming.
Round Up:
There are two rounds of the Westminster Gulf Long Distance Series to go and it would be great to see more members at the last two races. In particular, the last race which will be followed by an end of season party to wrap up the series. (see the website for details)
As Club Captain, I am looking forward to the year ahead with the club. We want the club to be a source of enjoyment and fun for all our members. We wish to grow the sport and attract new and old members to the club to enjoy the paddling, friendships and social activities of the club.
I thank the committee for putting their hand up to “have a go” and I ask you to acknowledge and respect the committee as well as all the volunteers in the club who make time to fit the club into their already busy routines. The club has so much potential which can only be fulfilled if/when many members get involved and contribute when necessary.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at jonathan_s_crowe@yahoo.com.au or +971 50 6561265 should you have any suggestions or require further information.
Yours in Paddling
Jonathan Crowe
