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.
Stuart Davies: Club Secretary
I joined the club in 2022 having previously sailed at Loch Ard in the Trossachs. My main interest is dinghy sailing though I also enjoy kayaking and have dabbled with cruising on larger boats on the west coast  - in general I just like messing about on the water!  When not sailing I also enjoy hillwalking, mountain biking and fly fishing.
I’m now retired but started my career at the Scottish School of Forestry at Balloch. From forestry I moved into Countryside rangering and then finished my ‘work’ life with Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot) where I worked on grant funding and the development of the National network of long distance paths and cycle routes.
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
Marisa Astill-Brown: Recognised Training Centre Principal
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. Since becoming a sailing instructor I’ve enjoyed helping get members out onto the water and learning to sail. Outwith 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.
Paul Briggs:
My first ‘sailing’ experience was windsurfing back in the 80’s, followed with some two-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!
​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: Chief Instructor Power
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.
Anna Bell-Higgs
I joined the sailing club as a swimmer with my husband when we were looking for somewhere warm to get changed in the winter of 2021. I had seen a few others over by the slipway and have since become part of a wonderful group of laughing swimmers. Joining the club gave me the opportunity to learn about all of the other activities going on, sailing, rowing, social events etc. I am excited to be part of the board and have a particular interest in supporting volunteering which is the mainstay of the club operations. I have a 25 year history of volunteering through my profession as a dietitian,  as a befriender for Befrienders Highland, and as a martial arts teacher for SOS School of Self-defence. I continue to work nigh on full time (4day week) and have been with my current employer,  Counterweight, for 16 years. My day to day work involves working with NHS/Local Authority/Research teams to provide evidence based interventions to help people improve their health through long term habit change to their eating and activity behaviours. When I am not working, you will find me swimming, walking or teaching martial arts. 
Roddy Henry
​​I joined the club in 2011, initially to support my son into sailing then crewing in double-handed dinghies before joining the Solo fleet. I started to sail as a child in the family Wayfarer on the Forth, followed by the family cruiser on the Clyde. My ‘first career’ was in the Merchant Navy and I have worked in further and higher education since 1998.
Tim Lloyd
​I joined the club in 2011 in order to learn how to sail on one of the RYA Level 2 courses and have been enjoying regular dinghy sailing since. I really enjoy the club racing and generally going out in boats including the RIB safety duties. Beyond sailing, I spend time cycling and walking in the amazing landscape that we have on our doorstep and very often with our old Springer, Barnie. I am an electronics engineer by background and am very busy managing a team of engineers developing and manufacturing medical devices - not retired yet !