Derek Lumb elected as President of the Cruising Association

Derek Lumb, President of the Cruising Association © The Cruising Association

The Cruising Association (CA) is delighted to announce that Derek Lumb has been elected as President of the Cruising Association at its Annual General Meeting at CA House, London on Wednesday 10 November 2021.

Derek Lumb becomes the thirty-third President of the Cruising Association and succeeds outgoing President Julian Dussek. A CA member since 2008 and an active volunteer, Derek steps up to the Presidency from his role as Council member (2013-2017) and Vice-President (2018-2021).

The position of President is primarily to act as an ambassador and flag bearer for the Cruising Association and ensure the interests of the yacht and motor cruising community are actively represented across the worldwide remit of the association.

"I am honoured to find myself President of this fabulous organisation," commented Derek. "Fabulous because it has such knowledgeable and capable members who are so willing to share their experience and knowledge. The Cruising Association is its members."

Derek has significant experience within the CA, as a member for thirteen years and has volunteered across a range of roles. Derek has been a member of the Cruising Information Development Group since 2016, where he has been closely involved in the upgrade of the renowned CAptain's Mate app, as well as being a member of the Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS), which provides expertise and advice on legislative issues impacting cruising. Derek has also been Secretary of the CA Celtic Section since 2018.

A volunteer with the RNLI, Derek served as Lifeboat Operations Manager for Beaumaris, North Wales in 2008-2009 and led a fundraising campaign for a replacement lifeboat in 2010.

A passionate volunteer, Derek considered but didn't follow his father's advice who, based on his service in WW2, advised him 'never to volunteer'. Derek reflected, "I have singularly failed to heed that advice, but my experience is that you get out of an organisation what you put in to it. My time as a volunteer has been and is enormously enriching."

Derek's lifelong love for sailing started in childhood, as he moved from dinghy sailing to yachting, enjoying time on friends' boats and stints with the Ocean Youth Club. After buying his first yacht in 1997, various adventures unfolded including sailing round Britain in 2005 and Scotland in 2006, which sealed a future of cruising. It was after joining the Westerly Owners Association, and attending a talk on the Baltic, that Derek was first introduced to the benefits and value of CA membership. Becoming a member in 2008, Derek utilized the CA resources, talks and lectures to plan for the first of several Baltic cruises, which triggered his involvement with the association.

Derek brings decades of cruising experience to his leadership of the CA, and is joined by the elected Officers and Council members:

President: Derek Lumb
Vice President/Chair of Council: Bob Garrett
Vice President: Ken Munn
Vice President: Ivan Andrews
Council: Caroline Milmo
Council: Peta Stuart-Hunt
Council: Martin Sutcliffe
Council: Nick Nottingham
Council: Simon Hampton-Matthews
Honorary Treasurer: Richard Sherwood
Honorary Solicitor: Peter Gray