Eight Group Captains are to be directly elected by the club membership each year prior to the AGM and announced at the AGM. They may represent an individual class or a group of classes with similar interests. For instance they may wish to represent all Catamarans or just the Fireballs or Laser 4000. This should give the club membership an opportunity to decide whether it uses this mechanism to promote individual classes or groups of classes.

The mechanism for election shall be as follows: -

1. Each candidate for Group Captain will submit a nomination form to the Club Secretary no later than six weeks before the AGM, stating which class or grouping they wish to represent, with the signatures of a proposer and seconder along with their signed consent to stand.
2. These forms will be displayed on an official notice board where members will be allowed to vote for a candidate by entering their name and signature (we may wish to allow the candidates to collect these votes in other ways than forcing everyone to use the notice board). No member will be entitled to vote for more than one candidate. The initial voting period will be closed four weeks before the AGM.
3. After this initial period of voting candidates may review their position based on the votes received. For instance they may wish to change the group they wish to represent from Laser 4000’s to all Asymmetric or the Laser 2 fleet may wish to change their allegiance to the Fireball Class Captain on condition they will now represent a fast handicap fleet as a Group Captain.
4. Any revised nomination forms will then be displayed for the remaining four weeks. During this period members will be able to amend their votes although they may still only vote for one of the current nominees.
5. At the AGM the eight nominees with the most votes will be appointed as Group Captains and the groupings they represent may become the club classes and/or fleets and/or starts.

The Class/Group Captains will have much the same role as the Fleet Representative's had in the past (Helen Beecham produced a document on this a few years ago) although more of them may have to represent more than one class. Along with attending the Race Management Committee meetings they will be expected to promote the sailing of the classes they represent at Datchet and to encourage new members into their sailing group. They should have access to club funds in order to fulfil these goals. The Race Management Committee annual budget will include a "Promotion Budget" line item. The Class/Group Captains will submit specific requests for finance to the Race Management Committee for consideration. No expenditure can be incurred before approval has been granted by the Race Management Committee.

Note:-

Class Captain applies when an individual represents a single class of boat, e.g. Fireball.

Group Captain applies when an individual represents more than one class of boat, e.g. they represent classes which have an asymmetric spinnaker or multiple hulls.