FROM THE HELM

By Mike Benjamin, SV Exodus, President SDSA

Note:  These remarks were first delivered during the Annapolis Rendezvous Dinner on October 10, 2024

A NEW PRESIDENT TAKES THE HELM!

I am truly honored to accept the position of becoming only the 4^th President of the Salty Dawgs.  In 2011, Bill Knowles, founded the organization and served as its first President.  Hank George took over from Bill, grew the organization and spearheaded the Covid Rally back to the USA.  Hank actually gave me my first volunteer job as a SD van driver in 2019.  Now that’s a lesson in how easy it is to get sucked in!  Then, Bob served brilliantly for 3 years, further growing the organization and the management team. In particular, Bob handled several serious crises that we faced this past year with amazing empathy and grace.   I have quite a legacy to live up to and will work my hardest to continue to make this organization vital, by helping more and more sailors achieve their Bluewater dreams.   

I’d like to share some information about myself.  I was a real estate and healthcare attorney in Boston for over 35 years. (A profession I came to learn was probably the least useful out on the water.)  I also served for many years as the President and Board Chair of one of the largest conservative synagogues in the northeast.  I’m a lifelong sailor who was saved by the Salty Dawgs in 2017, when I thought it would be a really good idea to sail directly from Palm Beach to Antigua and I’ve been learning from fellow sailors ever since…and I continue to learn every day from this group.  My wife Ronna and I have been full time live aboard cruisers for almost 8 years and while we are dedicated monohull sailors, I have to say some of our best parties have been aboard cats.  This life is at times exhilarating, frustrating, terrifying, exhausting and really hard on my liver, but I can’t see myself doing anything more rewarding.  If you see our boat Exodus, please feel free to stop by so I can get to know you.

For my first area of focus, I plan to move this organization from being transactional in the eyes of many members (who join only for a rally and then resign), to a valued year-round membership that provides benefits 24/7, 365 days a year through (i) educational seminars, (ii) numerous rendezvous, and (iii) effortless member communications, all made available through our brand new members-only phone app, which makes all our benefits easily accessible.  (At the current price of $75/year membership is a really good bargain.)  I believe that improved interaction among our members will foster more camaraderie, give more meaning to full time membership and, as the veteran members keep their memberships and stick around to help the newbies, further our mission of Sailors helping Sailors.

My second area of focus will be to promote volunteer opportunities for our members to help this organization thrive.  I don’t just mean occasional work on rallies, which is certainly important, but involvement by more members on our policy making groups, to bring in new fresh ideas and creativity to our mission.  I encourage each of you to explore openings in our ongoing working groups and be a part of helping us do an even better job.  Go to our website or app and follow the links to volunteer.  Its enjoyable, rewarding and you will become part of a great group of dedicated sailors, helping us to build community.  

Promoting sailing education and developing others is a very rewarding mission and together we have so much more to do and grow.