There is an enormous sense of pride for all of us whenever we read about another RQYS Member reaching the pinnacle of one of our many on-water sports. This sense of pride extends beyond the sporting achievements and to what being an RQYS Member really means and, in our most recent Member survey, 81.3% of Members confirmed they were proud of being a Squadron Member. In 2025, the Squadron was awarded the Marina Industry Association’s Yacht Club of the Year — that’s now two years in a row! And, in 2026, the Squadron was awarded Club of the Year – Non-Gaming by Clubs Queensland. These awards are not taken for granted and are the result of a combined effort from our Members, Volunteers and our Committees and staff. After a very hectic year in 2024 with all the major renovation work now behind us, 2025–26 has been a time of consolidation, observation and planning the next wave of improvements. In the past 12 months, one significant change was with our Hospitality operations when we resumed control from external contractors, with the objective of providing Members with better service, product and menu variety. It has taken a while to reach that goal — and there have been a few ‘road bumps’ along the way! — but we are very proud of what we have accomplished and the excellent feedback now being received. Another major improvement, in the past six months, has been the appointment of our amazing new caretakers at Canaipa: Erica and Peter Sorensen. They have brought new life and friendliness to our “jewel in the crown down the Bay” and a lovely sense of welcome and hospitality! We appreciate their work and the demonstrated respect of our Members very much. Our calendar of social activities has been ‘brimming’ with new ideas and some of these — including Opera on the Lawn, a Comedy Night, and other events like the Food & Wine Fair and the Get on Board Boat Expo — have continued to grow in popularity, as does the annual Canaipa Members’ Party in October, which celebrates the anniversary of the opening of our fabulous new Longhouse. As many of you know, whilst we are very focused on providing exceptional experiences for all our Members, there is a lot of effort behind the scenes to keep everything ‘ticking along’ and, sometimes, it is not always seen but it does happen. We are very fortunate in having a great team of people in all areas of our operation who are committed to these goals — ensuring that the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron is simply the best! Chief Executive Officer Karen Baldwin n … and an ‘all-pervading’ sense of pride! Multiple award-winning recognition of our Squadron underscores exceptional commitment to our Members. Our new RQYS Canaipa Caretakers Erica and Peter Sorensen, pictured with Brian Taylor from Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ). Pic: Supplied Queensland Awards Announced at RQYS, Friday 11 September 2026 Male Sailor of the Year Brendan Casey RQYS Female Sailor of the Year Stacey Jackson RQYS Youth Sailor of the Year Rory Meehan RQYS Congratulations also to: Sports Promotion Award Stuart Watson Australian Finn Association Coach of the Year Rafael Trujillo RQYS Lifetime Achievement Award Jim Close RQYS Adrian Finglas Queensland Sailing Community Each year, we seem to be sharing more amazing stories and results that our Members continue to achieve, both in our home state, nationally and also internationally, on different competitive stages; the same is equally true in our operations ‘at home’ for Members and our local community! Chief Executive Officer’s Report Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Yearbook Mainsheet 2026 9
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