New Member Introduction

New Member Introduction

October 20, 2023
From Page
Site Use Guide

The Cruising Club of America

New Member Introduction

 

Welcome as a new member of the CCA! 

This Introduction is intended to help you quickly begin getting the most benefit from your membership.

Your involvement with the Club and your Station and Post:

As with many things, you get out of it what you put into it.

  • The club has a long tradition of volunteerism. Members are encouraged/expected to get involved in activities that interest them.

  • You will hear from your Station Rear Commodore, Elected Governor, Station Membership Committee and/or your Proposer who will help you choose what involvement is right for you.

  • Many members feel that meeting other members in their Station and throughout the Club is the most valuable benefit of membership. Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call another member – expect a warm welcome. Their contact details can be found on the website under https://cruisingclub.org/member/search.

  • The Club Annual Meeting, Awards Presentations and Fall Meeting are excellent events for all members to meet other members and sit in on the many committee meetings that are open to all members, in person or via Zoom.

  • Station and Post events similarly offer the opportunity to meet your fellow Station and Post members. Some of these are also available via Zoom.

  • Proposing qualified candidates for membership is a great way to be involved.

 

Website: https://cruisingclub.org – Here you will find answers to most of your questions. “It’s on the website!”

  • You should have received initial log-in credentials from our Webmaster

  • Look yourself up under https://cruisingclub.org/member/search. Your biography will be posted on your page after it appears in the GAM (newsletter).

 

Events - see the https://cruisingclub.org/events tab on the website

  • Club events and cruises include the Annual Meeting (March, NYYC NYC), Awards Presentation (at the Annual Meeting), Fall Meeting (September or October, rotates among the Stations), Safety at Sea training and an annual cruise somewhere in the world. Volunteers are needed and welcomed at each of these.

  • The Club, with Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, runs the Newport Bermuda Race in even-numbered years. This is a major undertaking, and many volunteers are needed, with or without racing experience.

  • Station and Post events and cruises include Station annual meetings, luncheons, dinners, “gams,” online events and local cruises.

 

Proposing a new member – see https://cruisingclub.org/membership on the website

  • Now that you are a member, you may propose a qualified friend for membership

  • PLEASE follow the process as outlined on the website.

 

Ties, scarves and burgees - see https://cruisingclub.org/store on the website.

  • Members are diligent about flag etiquette. Please refer to “Flag Etiquette” in the Yearbook.

 

Name tags may be purchased at https://naagtag.com/product/cca18/

 

Publications – see https://cruisingclub.org/publications on the website

  • You will receive the Yearbook (June), Voyages magazine (February), GAM newsletter (December and June) and Waypoints (monthly via email).

  • The Club and members also publish cruising guides, books and articles, listed on the website.

 

Moorings – see https://cruisingclub.org/mo/resources/moorings on the website

  • Members offer for other members’ use dozens of moorings from Scotland to San Francisco

 

Organization and Governance – see https://cruisingclub.org/cca page

  • Club – The CCA has no physical location. It has ~1400 members.

  • Officers: Commodore, Vice Commodore, 11 Station Rear Commodores, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian. The Officers and Governors are elected by the members at the Annual Meeting.

  • Governing Board – the Officers plus 11 elected Governors and the chair of the Membership Committee

  • Club committees – there are 23 Club-level committees (e.g. Safety & Seamanship, Environment of the Sea), the members of which are members like you – you’ll be welcome! See https://cruisingclub.org/committees

  • Eleven Stations and three Posts across the US, Canada and Bermuda – no physical locations. In addition to being a member of the Club, you are also a member of one of the Stations and perhaps also of a Post. You may also join the mailing lists of other Stations and Posts.

  • Station and Post committees – Stations and some Posts have a Membership Committee, an Events, Program or Entertainment Committee, and/or a Nominating Committee

  • Constitution – dull reading, perhaps, but it’s how we run the Club

  • Our younger members, under 55, are also represented by a Club Next Watch Leader and a Next Watch Captain at most Stations and Posts.

  • Other Station and Post officers, as determined by each Station, such as secretary, treasurer and chairs of Station and Post committees

  • Each of the positions throughout the Club is filled by a volunteer member. There is no paid staff.

 

Your fellow CCA members look forward to meeting you, seeing you on the water and at events!

 

Ernie Godshalk, chair, Membership Committee, September 2023