CHAIRMAN: Because geographically the officers of the Association are spread across the country, committee meetings in the accepted sense seldom take place. It is necessary to sample the opinions of the officers of the Association however from time to time when matters arise. The President does this by letter or telephone.

TROUBLE-SHOOTER: As the DCA has many specialist officers, he seldom has to help directly with the supply of the facilities enjoyed by the members. He has, however, to be available should any officer need help. He should review established procedures from time to time to ensure that the jobs of the voluntary committee are made as easy as possible.

SOUNDING BOARD: Members may like to express an opinion or grouse, but feel that a letter in the Bulletin is inappropriate. They should be able to write to the President in the certainty that he will deal with it in a sympathetic way.

The National Secretary’s role is to handle enquiries from non-members, provide information about the DCA and operate the enrolment process. Information concerning the new members and their initial subscriptions are passed to the Membership Secretary by the National Secretary and Treasurer respectively. The National Secretary despatches the quarterly Bulletins to members and keeps stocks of back numbers, which are used to provide specimen copies to enquirers and to form part of the ‘initial pack’ provided to new members.

The Membership Secretary holds a card index file containing details of each individual member. His/her prime duty being to update these records on an ongoing basis with changes of address, vessel owned, waters cruised etc. These details are subsequently forwarded to other officers as appropriate.

In reality, the above duties involve only a few hours work each year. However, following distribution of the subscription renewals form with the spring Bulletin, one is flooded — in the space of 6 to 8 weeks — with some 350+ cheques. Each one of these represents a member whose card must be correctly amended as ‘paid’ for that year. Cheques are forwarded, in bulk, to the Treasurer and a list of non-payers send to President and Bulletin Distributor. Interesting letters/photos regularly received from members make it all well worthwhile.