Committee

Gary Cameron - Chairman
Ian Salmons - Vice Chairman
Jill Salmons - Treasurer
Darren Rigg - Secretary
Dan Graf - Events Coordinator
Rod Swales - Chief Shorebased Instructor
Peter Richardson - Safeguarding Officer
Maggie Morris - Committee Member

Gary Cameron - Chairman

Gary started SCUBA diving many years ago and qualified as an Open Water Instructor with BSAC. Gary progressed through to BSAC Boat Handling Instructor and Diver Coxswain assessor. He realized that he needed to advance his theory knowledge and enrolled with YCTC to do Day Skipper theory.

A few years late he decided to actually have a go at some sailing and really enjoyed it. It is more enjoyable than powerboating. He enrolled for the Day Skipper practical and subsequently did the Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster theory.

Gary has been on most of the YCTC summer cruises. Love sailing abroad and in Scotland. Gary is also an RYA powerboat Instructor, SRC Assessor, First Aid Instructor and RADAR Instructor.

Ian Salmons - Vice Chairman

Information about Ian.

Jill Salmons - Treasurer

Jill's interest in sailing started when her sister and brother-in-law bought an ex-Sunsail Beneteau 36 around the same time as her husband Ian did the RYA Day Skipper Theory course with YCTC.

Jill's first trip with YCTC was to Croatia, and Greece the following year.
She enjoyed them so much that she decided to take a more 'hands-on' approach, and completed the RYA Day Skipper Theory course with YCTC.

Jill has been on YCTC trips to Croatia, Greece and Majorca as well as sailing in Scotland with her sister and brother-in-law.

Jill's other interests are cycling in France in the summer months, and hill walking.

Darren Rigg - Secretary

Darren is the Secretary of the York Cruiser Training Centre. He is a Yachtmaster (Offshore) with nearly 10,000 sailing miles gained in the Caribbean, the Med, UK, South Africa, Asia, Greenland and Iceland

Having passed the Yachtmaster Coastal in Thailand and Offshore in South Africa, Darren is an advocate of training and gathering a wide sailing experience.

Darren is also a Dinghy sailing instructor at Yorkshire Ouse Sailing Club, and thoroughly recommends Dinghy sailing to all Yachties. Small boats are so much fun, and really teach you how to use sails efficiently and safely.

Professionally, Darren is an IT Cloud Consultant and although not his normal field, is responsible for this website..

Rod Swales - Cheif Shorebased Instructor

Rod is a retired Electronics Design engineer, and his interest in sailing started when he was holidaying in the Greek Islands, which started him thinking, “What a lovely way to visit the many otherwise inaccessible bays and beaches”.

Realising that it would be sensible to learn how to sail safely, he attended the YCTC shore-based theory courses commencing in 1985 and culminating in 1988 with an Ocean Yachtmaster Certificate. He always calls this certificate “Ocean Yachtmaster – brackets desk” since, at the time, he had only one cruise under his belt – Poole to Weymouth and back, and he has never completed the associated “Ocean” practical examination. He then backed up much of the theory with practical certificates up to the level of Coastal Skipper and also holds a Certificate of Competence issued by the U.K Maritime and Coastguard Agency. He is also a qualified RYA shore-based Day Skipper instructor and holds certificates for Small Craft Basic Sea Survival (twice), First Aid and Maritime Radio Operator.

His has logged well over 17,000 miles at sea and unforgettable cruises that include Iceland, the South Coast of Ireland, Clyde to Solent, Portugal to Las Palmas, D-Day landing beaches/Baie de Seine, North Brittany, several visits to the Channel Islands, Scilly Islands and West Country.

Peter Richardson - Safeguarding Officer

Peter has owned and operated power boats since the age of 16 and keeps his current vessel, a Beneteau Flyer, in Bridlington harbour.

Peter is chairman of Wetwheels Yorkshire CIC, the northern operator for the Wetwheels Foundation (UK Charity 1148600), which enables people with disabilities to access the sea on a specially adapted, fully accessible power catamaran from its homeport of Whitby. Peter is a commercially qualified skipper and underwent his shore-based training at YCTC.

Maggie Morris

Maggie's introduction to sailing was with the York Cruiser Training Centre in 2008. Within days of attending her first YCTC Monthly Social at the York Brewery, she was crewing a 36' Bavaria in the Clyde, sailing in company with the crew of a 40' Bavaria alongside the 2008 Fife Regatta.

Having studied RYA Day Skipper Theory with YCTC in 2008-09 and RYA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Theory with YCTC in 2009-10, she completed the Coastal Skipper Practical in the Outer Hebrides that summer. She has since sailed in the Mediterranean, North Atlantic, English Channel and Caribbean. Also on the River Ouse in York for RYA Dinghy Levels 1 and 2, Race and Powerboat training.

After an 18-year career in national museums, Maggie is now self-employed, undertaking various projects in the UK and overseas. She took over as Chairman of YCTC in 2012, and is very proud to lead the operations and advancement of this shorebased training centre established in 1975. Promoting safety on the water through shorebased study and practical experience is Maggie's main aim, alongside development of YCTC's range of courses and social activities to ensure a continued presence in York, serving potential and longstanding Members with a common interest in sail or motor cruising.