At the Annual General Meeting of Rideau District Ralph C. Smith, JN, and William J. Newlands, N, both Past Commanders of Britannia Squadron were elected to serve for another year as Commander and Training Officer respectively. A third Past Commander, Kenneth A. Findlay was elected District Membership Officer.
First Lieutenant John T. Woolsey, AP, MAREP Officer and Historian of the Britannia Squadron was appointed a Staff Commander at the April meeting of the Governing Board of Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons, a position which he held for a number of years. His duties are to proctor the students in Eastern Ontario taking the Boating Course by correspondence.
The Annual General Meeting was held in the lower lounge of the Britannia Yacht Club at 1800 on Thursday, 1st May, 1986. Thirty-three members were present.
At this meeting a resolution was passed to change the name of the Squadron from "Britannia Power Squadron" to "Britannia Power and Sail Squadron".
A resolution was passed also increasing the number of First Lieutenants from four to eight in addition to the Secretary and Treasurer. In accordance with an amendment to Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons Regulations three of the First Lieutenants were elected to the specific positions of Membership Secretary, MAREP Officer and Public Relations Officer.
In compliance with another amendment to the National Regulations the rank and position of Lieutenant Commander and Training Officer became an elected position in place of an appointment by the Squadron Executive Committee.
The officers elected for 1986/1987 were as follows:
| Commander | Stuart K. McNeely, S |
| Lieut. Commander and Executive Officer |
K. Joan Feltham, AP |
| Lieut. Commander and Training Officer |
Howard Peck, AP |
| First Lieut. and Secretary | Donald King, S |
| First Lieut. and Treasurer | Alex C. Falkner, AP |
| First Lieutenants | |
| Membership Officer | R. Bruce Ware |
| Public Relations Officer | Dorothy McCelland, S |
| MAREP Officer/Historian | John T. Woolsey, AP |
On the recommendation of the Nominating Committee the following were elected also to the rank of First Lieutenant with the duties listed against their names.
| Supply Officer | Norman R. Grover, AP |
| Deputy Training Officer | Edward B. MacLatchy, S |
| Youth and Information Programs | Robert W. Stedman, S |
| Activities Officer | Robin E. Dingwell |
The Annual Graduation Dinner was held at the Britannia Yacht Club on the evening of Thursday, 22nd May. Before dinner drinks were available from the cash bar in the lower lounge from 1800 to 1900 and a delicious buffet dinner was provided by the Yacht Club Staff in the large upstairs lounge. One hundred and thirty-two members and guests were present.
The distinguished guests at the head table were Chief Commander John D. Richards, N, and Mrs. Richards, District Commander Ralph C. Smith, JN, and Mrs. Smith, Commander Albert Hopkins, AP, of the Ottawa Power Squadron and Mrs. Hopkins and Commodore Ian H. Anderson of the Britannia Yacht Club and Mrs. Anderson.
Out of the 110 graduates from the 1985/1986 Boating Course 78 joined the Britannia Squadron and 51 of them were present at the Graduation Dinner.
Past Rear Commander Paul LaDelpha received his twentieth Merit Mark. Thus he became a Life Member of Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons and will receive this membership certificate at the National Convention in October. He is the first member of the Britannia Squadron to receive this honour.
At the Annual General Meeting the Treasurer reported another satisfactory year with a surplus of $1,984.34 for the period 1st April, 1985 to 31st March, 1986.
The Training Officer reported a successful year for 1985/1986 with a total of 299 students registered for eight different courses. Of these 204 wrote the examinations. The large number of drop-outs from the Boating courses continues to be a problem. Of the students who registered for the Boating courses 36 percent of them did not write the examination. Of those who wrote the examination the pass rate was 83 percent. The results were better on the seven week Super Accelerated Boating Course following the Sportsman's Show when the percentage of drop-outs was 30 percent and the pass rate on the examination was 86 percent.
The MAREP Officer reported that during the past year three members of the Squadron participated in the MAREP Program with four reports submitted to the date of the AGM. This compares with no reports during the previous full year and one only for each of the preceding three years.
The other officers of the Squadron summarized their activities for the year. The reports of all officers are filed with the Squadron historical documents.
The first CPS "Let's be Boatwise" course in the Ottawa area commenced on 10th June at H.M.C.S. Carleton. The course was requested by the Navy League for the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and was conducted by the Britannia Power Squadron. Lectures were on one evening a week for five weeks. First Lieutenant Robert W. Stedman, S, coordinated the arrangements for the course with the Sea Cadet officers and was the Chief Instructor.
Unfortunately the course started much too late in the year. With the end of the school term the students were loosing interest in Sea Cadet activities. Of the nine young people who started the course only three passed the final examination. However the Sea Cadet officers were enthusiastic and want the course repeated during the winter of 1987.
The strength of the Britannia Squadron in summer 1986 was 320 full members, 37 family members, 34 lady associates and one junior member for a total membership of 392.
A recent amendment to the CPS regulations cancelled the term "Junior Associate" and substituted the name "Junior Member".
First Lieutenant Percy Hillier, AP, the Squadron Activities Officer, proved to be an outstanding organizer with the arrangements he made for the Rendez-vous, 1986, on Saturday, 6th September.
The location was the Britannia Yacht Club property at Baskin's Beach. In spite of heavy low clouds, a north west wind of twenty-two knots and ten degree temperature there were seven sailing yachts and one motor yacht anchored off the beach by early afternoon. Several other boats had turned back because of the weather. More Squadron members came by car than by boat for a total of forty competitors for the events of the afternoon.
It was a bring your own food and drink picnic. Bar-B-Q fires were available for those who favoured a cook-out lunch.
During the afternoon there were competitions for chart reading, recognition of knots, line tossing and MAREP Reports. Prizes were provided by M.M.O.S. and Canadian Tire.
There was no doubt that all who participated in the Rendez-vous spent a fun filled afternoon.
First Lieutenant Donald King, S, Secretary and Robert Steadman, S, Youth Program Co-ordinator resigned from the Bridge for personal considerations.
Lieutenant Commander K. Joan Feltham, AP, acted as secretary for two months. Then Margaret Macleod, AP, was appointed First Lieutenant and Secretary for the balance of the 1986/1987 Squadron Year.
There was a decrease in registrations for the Regular Boating Course, 103 this September compared to 119 a year ago. Registrations for the Accelerated Boating Course and for the Elective Courses was the same as in September, 1985. There was an increase in the number of students for Seamanship and Advanced Piloting. Nine members from the Ottawa Squadron, two from Outaouais and one from Cornwall are taking Britannia Power and Sail Squadron courses. Ten Britannia Squadron members are taking courses with the Ottawa Squadron.
For the 1986/1987 non-boating season the Squadron Executive planned for a social event each month except for the month of December. The first of these events was "Propulsion Night" on the evening of Wednesday, 29th October in the Lower Lounge of the Britannia Yacht Club. Forty-five members found this event to be both entertaining and useful.
The first speaker of the evening was Mr. Arthur Chisholm of Algonquin College who spoke for half an hour on the winterizing of marine engines and then answered questions. Almost everyone present had a good question on their power plant from small gasoline outboards to inboard diesels. The answers from the lecturer were concise and phrased to be of interest to all boat owners.
After a break for refreshments from the cash bar the second speaker was Squadron Member Desmond Moyles, AP, who makes a business of making and repairing sails. He spoke on the care and storage of sails for the winter, inspection and repairs and the correct locations and use of tell-tails to get maximum power from sails when underway. Like the first speaker Desmond Moyles is an experienced lecturer. His instructions were as interesting for powerboat operators as they were useful for the sailors.
At the end of October Squadron Commander Stuart K. McNeely, S, received a letter from Vice Commander A.G. Charles, JN, complimenting him on his comments in The Running Fix concerning District and National events. Also he complimented First Lieutenant Dorothy McCelland, S, on her good job as editor of our Squadron newsletter.
On the evening of Saturday, 22nd November the Squadron held a wine and cheese party in the lower lounge of the Britannia Yacht Club. It was a huge success. One hundred and twenty-three members, including a few students from the Boating Courses, were present. The charge was five dollars per person with the Squadron covering an expected small deficit on the event. Commodore Ian H. Anderson of the Britannia Yacht Club and Mrs. Anderson were guests of the Squadron.
The large attendance, twice the number at the similar party the previous year, was attributed to the choice of a Saturday evening for the event and telephone calls the previous week to all available members of the Squadron to remind them of this social evening.
Bill C75 died on the order paper when Parliament prorogued in December. The Council of Boating Organizations in Canada spent $45,000. contesting this bill. At the request of CPS National HQ the Rideau District Commander asked all Squadrons to contribute $25. towards a donation to the Council.
The unanimous decision of the Executive of Britannia Squadron was not to make a contribution. The reasons for this decision were (1) the Council is a lobby group and CPS policy is not to be a lobby organization, (2) the motivation of the Council is sales revenue and profits, not safety, and (3) many members of CPS want legislation that will inhibit the irresponsible operation of power boats.
On Sunday, 25th January the Britannia Squadron was host to an all day meeting of the Rideau District Council at the Britannia Yacht Club. Seven of the eight Squadrons in the District were represented by the Commander and at least one other officer for a total participation of twenty-seven CPS members. It was a very successful and pleasant meeting commencing at 1000, an excellent lunch and an afternoon session terminating shortly after 1600.
The first social event of the winter season was "Meteorological Night" at the Britannia Yacht Club on Monday, 26th January. Eighty-six members and guests assembled at 2000 for a talk by Mr. Nick Nickerson from the Environment Canada Weather Office at the Ottawa Airport. Mr. Nickerson gave an interesting address on the collection and recording of weather data and the distribution of weather forecasts to the public. A question period followed the somewhat informal and highly enjoyable presentation.
Film night was on Thursday, 11th February at the National Research Council Auditorium on Sussex Drive.
Three short films were screened before intermission. These were "Black Ice", an exciting film on racing iceboats, "Cold Weather the Silent Killer", an excellent educational film on the causes, prevention and treatment of hypothermia and "Origins of Weather", an illustration of off earth observations for an explanation of our weather systems.
After a break for coffee and donuts the films were "Adverse Conditions" and "Challenge of the North". The first of these was a repeat of the spectacular USPS educational film shown the previous February. The last item on the program was photographed during the trials for the 1983 America's Cup. It featured the 12 metre Canada I syndicate.
The attendance at this Film Night was a disappointment. About ninety members and guests were present. The reason was unfortunate delay in the mailing of about half of the copies of the February issue of The Running Fix.
This may have been the last Film Night at the National Research Council. The problem is very few new films on boating subjects. Almost all the new productions are on video tape and the N.R.C. Auditorium does not have the required projection facilities.
Again this year the Britannia Squadron assisted the Ottawa Power Squadron with the setting up and manning of the CPS Information Booth at the Ottawa Sportsman Show. The dates were 18th to 22nd February. The location of the Booth this year, at the entrance to the large exhibition hall, was a great improvement over previous years. On the spring Super Accelerated Boating Course, administered by the Ottawa Squadron with help from Britannia, many of the fifty-two registrations were the direct result of the publicity at the Boat Show.
The last social event of the winter was at the Britannia Yacht Club on the evening of Monday, 16th March. Mr. Peter Richards, the Acting Chief Training Officer of Canadian Hydrographic Services and Mr. John Cookson, a professional marine photographer and an instructor at Hydrographic Services made an interesting presentation on the making of charts. They spoke of the traditional survey methods and the application of present day technology to their work. Thirty-five members of the Squadron enjoyed this educational evening.
Year 24 – 1987 / 1988
Year 22 - 1985 / 1986