*/
This year marks an unusual combination in the nautical world. The three oldest sailing clubs in Cowes all have Commodores who are members of the Bar Yacht Club, and indeed former Flag Officers of it. Sir James Holman, who retired from the High Court Bench in 2021 heads up the Royal Yacht Squadron; Shelagh Jones, until recently a member of Coram Chambers, is in charge at the Royal London Yacht Club and I am the Commodore of the Island Sailing Club. These clubs appeal to different segments of the sailing community. It is an honour for the Bar to be able to lead all three.
The Bar has its own Bar Yacht Club (BYC). Alex Charlton KC is the Commodore. It provides racing opportunities in the Solent and in the city throughout the year. The Bar v Bench match, usually closely contested, takes place each year. The BYC has no premises, and you don’t need a yacht to join. It meets in other clubs. Each year it reaches out to new members of the Bar to extend invitations to come sailing.
Members of the Bar Yacht Club tend to be invited to join other sailing clubs and the sailing calendar is pretty full, both in the UK and abroad. Since I joined the club, I have taken part in the Fastnet, North Sea, and transatlantic races, cruised in Scandinavia, the West Indies and elsewhere. In 2010 I bought a Contessa 32, and since then many other barristers have joined me to race and cruise.
During the lockdown in 2020 my wife and I went to stay in Cowes. I learned a lot more of the internal workings of the Island Sailing Club and joined its committee. The following year I was asked to be Vice Commodore, and in October 2022 I was elected Commodore.
Sailing attracts those who love to be out on the sea, and practical problem-solving. How do you make this boat go faster or get to a particular place at a particular time, and keep a crew working together while you do that? It calls for a level of fitness and courage, particularly offshore racing, as things can go wrong, weather can change, items break under strain and electrics, or engines fail from time to time. The worse the weather and the more experience you have the more you enjoy it in the future.
Having said that, nothing is nicer than to be out at sea on a breezy day, the sun shining and the sails full as you carve a course across the water. Words cannot describe the feeling of wellbeing. Even a storm in the Skagerrak at 3am is invigorating. Many happy memories result, and friendships across the spectrum, and across the world.
As a criminal barrister I find sailing an extremely relaxing alternative to my life at the Bar. It also gives you a sense of proportion. The feeling of water running along the rail certainly washes away the cares of the week.
Three Commodores: (L to R) Tim Devlin, Commodore of the Island Sailing Club; Sir James Holman heads up the Royal Yacht Squadron; and Shelagh Jones, until recently a member of Coram Chambers, is in charge at the Royal London Yacht Club.
Tim Devlin is a barrister at Furnival Chambers and 3PB Winchester. He is a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn, and a former Chair of the Bar Council EU Law Committee.
This year marks an unusual combination in the nautical world. The three oldest sailing clubs in Cowes all have Commodores who are members of the Bar Yacht Club, and indeed former Flag Officers of it. Sir James Holman, who retired from the High Court Bench in 2021 heads up the Royal Yacht Squadron; Shelagh Jones, until recently a member of Coram Chambers, is in charge at the Royal London Yacht Club and I am the Commodore of the Island Sailing Club. These clubs appeal to different segments of the sailing community. It is an honour for the Bar to be able to lead all three.
The Bar has its own Bar Yacht Club (BYC). Alex Charlton KC is the Commodore. It provides racing opportunities in the Solent and in the city throughout the year. The Bar v Bench match, usually closely contested, takes place each year. The BYC has no premises, and you don’t need a yacht to join. It meets in other clubs. Each year it reaches out to new members of the Bar to extend invitations to come sailing.
Members of the Bar Yacht Club tend to be invited to join other sailing clubs and the sailing calendar is pretty full, both in the UK and abroad. Since I joined the club, I have taken part in the Fastnet, North Sea, and transatlantic races, cruised in Scandinavia, the West Indies and elsewhere. In 2010 I bought a Contessa 32, and since then many other barristers have joined me to race and cruise.
During the lockdown in 2020 my wife and I went to stay in Cowes. I learned a lot more of the internal workings of the Island Sailing Club and joined its committee. The following year I was asked to be Vice Commodore, and in October 2022 I was elected Commodore.
Sailing attracts those who love to be out on the sea, and practical problem-solving. How do you make this boat go faster or get to a particular place at a particular time, and keep a crew working together while you do that? It calls for a level of fitness and courage, particularly offshore racing, as things can go wrong, weather can change, items break under strain and electrics, or engines fail from time to time. The worse the weather and the more experience you have the more you enjoy it in the future.
Having said that, nothing is nicer than to be out at sea on a breezy day, the sun shining and the sails full as you carve a course across the water. Words cannot describe the feeling of wellbeing. Even a storm in the Skagerrak at 3am is invigorating. Many happy memories result, and friendships across the spectrum, and across the world.
As a criminal barrister I find sailing an extremely relaxing alternative to my life at the Bar. It also gives you a sense of proportion. The feeling of water running along the rail certainly washes away the cares of the week.
Three Commodores: (L to R) Tim Devlin, Commodore of the Island Sailing Club; Sir James Holman heads up the Royal Yacht Squadron; and Shelagh Jones, until recently a member of Coram Chambers, is in charge at the Royal London Yacht Club.
The Chair of the Bar sets out how the new government can restore the justice system
In the first of a new series, Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth considers the fundamental need for financial protection
Unlocking your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step. By Philip N Bristow
Possibly, but many barristers are glad he did…
Mental health charity Mind BWW has received a £500 donation from drug, alcohol and DNA testing laboratory, AlphaBiolabs as part of its Giving Back campaign
The Institute of Neurotechnology & Law is thrilled to announce its inaugural essay competition
How to navigate open source evidence in an era of deepfakes. By Professor Yvonne McDermott Rees and Professor Alexa Koenig
Brie Stevens-Hoare KC and Lyndsey de Mestre KC take a look at the difficulties women encounter during the menopause, and offer some practical tips for individuals and chambers to make things easier
Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice since January 2021, is well known for his passion for access to justice and all things digital. Perhaps less widely known is the driven personality and wanderlust that lies behind this, as Anthony Inglese CB discovers
The Chair of the Bar sets out how the new government can restore the justice system
No-one should have to live in sub-standard accommodation, says Antony Hodari Solicitors. We are tackling the problem of bad housing with a two-pronged approach and act on behalf of tenants in both the civil and criminal courts
-(1)-(002).tmb-carlisting79eb.png){kind=logo}
