MEET THE BOARD

ContacT US
The Board is responsible for the overall running of the Club on behalf of the members. It meets regularly to consider issues and arrangements affecting the Club. Elections for Board members are held annually. All Board members are volunteers and rely on help and support from Club Members to keep the Club’s activities going – please help if you can. If Club Members have questions, suggestions, or issues they wish to raise with the Board, they are encouraged to speak to any Board Member. 

OFFICE BEARERS

Sandra Hogg: Commodore
I've been a member of the club for around 15 years. I sail a Wayfarer dinghy with my husband George, and in the past few years have been loving coastal rowing with the club. I've been on the board as rowing secretary for the past four years. I'm now retired but volunteer with Inverness Citizens Advice Bureau, spend time with my grandchildren and enjoy green woodworking.
Marisa Astill-Brown: Club Secretary
I’ve been a member of CSC since 2010, I enjoy the buzz of racing but also sailing recreationally, whether going somewhere, just for a blast or generally having fun on the water. I obtained my Dinghy Instructor ticket last year and have enjoyed helping out with Dolphins, Junior Week and the odd Friday evening informally teaching adults. Out with sailing, we have a family business providing strategic advice and planning to international development programmes, dogs that need/want lots of walking in the hills, and I enjoy playing traditional music on my fiddle.
David Finlayson: Treasurer
I started sailing 60 years ago at Loch Tummel and built my first Mirror dinghy when I was 14. I hope to continue for many more years, even if it is harder work keeping up with teenagers in a Laser. I sail dinghies and cruisers but as long as it’s a boat, I'm happy. I'm looking forward to putting faces to all the names I see when you pay your subs!

GENERAL BOARD MEMBERS

James Dargie: Harbour Master
I joined the Club in 2015. My first sailing experiences were in a Mirror dinghy a long time ago, and some RYA cruising qualifications back in the 1990s. Then I bought a Hunter Sonata and sailed it up to Scotland from Wales as a maiden voyage in 2010. If you see a cruiser messing it up, it is probably me. My professional background is as a marine data manger in the public sector where I have worked with GIS and databases for too long.
Lisa Pattenden: Sailing Secretary and Safety Boat Bosun
I’ve been a club member since July 2020 and yacht sailing since a young girl. I row and am the safety boat convener. My background is in mechanical engineering, and I have worked on manufacturing in aviation and rail. I love everything to do with the water and I happily volunteer to be an active member of the club. My hobby of photography has kept me snapping photos of sailing and events at the club, outside of that I’ll be up a hill capturing the Northern Lights. I have a 23-year-old son and have been in the UK for 14 years and gladly call Scotland home.
Paul Briggs: Social Convener
We moved to Fortrose in March this year, and I joined CSC a few weeks later. More recently I’ve taken on the role of Social Convenor, mainly organising catering, etc. for various club events - so beware, I’m always on the lookout for volunteers to help!
My first ‘sailing’ experience was windsurfing back in the 80’s, followed with some 2-hander dinghy sailing mainly in the med, and a little bit of cruiser sailing. More recently I’ve done a lot of big-boat ocean sailing. And now I’m loving sailing the single-hander Topper Topazes in the firth.
I worked in Financial Services IT for many years, but ‘stopped going to work’ at the end of 2018, and as they say, I don’t know how I ever had time to go to work!
​Chris Taylor
My first experience of sailing was racing Mirrors on the Tay as a child and I have been hooked on water sports ever since - in dinghies, windsurfing, occasional SUP trips and latterly cruising in Scotland and in Scandinavia. I enjoy learning new things on the water and improving skills – every day is a school day! My day job is Regional Director with VisitScotland, covering the North of Scotland. I’ve been a member of club since 2018 and worked on the Development Group in 2021.
​David Vincent (left): Buildings Custodian
I have been a Highlands resident and club member for 5 years and have learnt to sail in that time - members of the family have been sailing here for many years. I am a Physics teacher and STEM coach in Inverness. 
​Mike Wilson
I have been an active sailing member of the club since 2011 and prior to that completed RYA 1&2 at the club in the '80's. I enjoy sailing and volunteering for duties in equal measure. My occupational background is as a forester and arborist and work now for SSE Transmission in an IT role developing our GIS mapping system.
Allison Elder: Swimming Lead
Although born in Ullapool, I come from a Black Isle family and spent the first 37 years of married life on the other (dark 😉) side of the Black Isle before moving to Fortrose in 2018. My son and grandson have taken advantage of sailing and safety lessons over the years and we all enjoy the harbour events and genuinely feel part of the harbour community.
I’ve always been a swimmer and, since retiring, I have embraced sea swimming with enthusiasm. However, I was very nearly discouraged when I saw many neoprene clad swimmers during colder months but, walking past Fortrose harbour during our first lockdown I saw some braver souls swimming in what I believe is referred to as skins.
This encouraged me to try swimming throughout the year and there are very few weeks now that I don’t make it into the water at least once and being part of a group encourages you in - even on the cold days.
I enjoy the shelter of the harbour and the use of facilities and it’s lovely to be there with fellow swimmers, sailors, rowers, and paddle boarders.  Everyone is welcoming and, most importantly, respectful of other users.