The Royal Malta Yacht Club has a deep commitment to yachting and organises a full programme of racing and social activities throughout the year.
Located right on the water in Ta’ Xbiex Marina the club offers extraordinary facilities which include a lounge bar and dining area with outdoor terraces, roof top terrace, conference rooms, a fitness room with changing rooms, waterfront facilities for small boats and a seasonal marina for larger boats.
Malta with its wonderful weather has a great lifestyle with plenty of opportunities for sport and the club is an ideal base for yachtsmen whether for racing or cruising at any time of year. It is a favourite port of call for members of renowned yacht clubs from all over the world with which the club has reciprocal agreements.
The club is run by a committee elected by the full members of the club. The members vary in age and profession but share a common passion for, yachting and the social life that is generated around the club. It is not necessary to own a boat to be a member of the club and enjoy the benefits of a yacht club in a beautiful waterfront location.
The Royal Malta Yacht Club depends heavily through the voluntary contribution of its membership to govern and operate its programmes. The Club Committee, made up of nine members, is elected by the Club’s members at the Annual General Meeting, conducts areas of management which falls within their remit.
Commodore
David Cremona has been a full member of the RMYC since 2001. This is his fourth term in office. In 2020 he served in the role of Rear Commodore House.
He has taken part in various races organised by the Club with his boat Breezer both in IRC rated races as well as the Cruiser Class. He also participated as a crew in the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
David is presently a property sales negotiator, having worked in the real estate industry for the past 17 years. This followed years as a General Manager / Director with a leading pharmaceutical distributor and importer of baby foods , foodstuffs and medical equipment.
He is an active member of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. This will be David’s fourth year as the Club Commodore.
Vice Commodore & Hon. Secretary
Mark Napier has been an active member of the Royal Malta Yacht Club ever since being introduced to the club at the age of 12. He has participated in many Club races and has assisted in race management on many occasions.
He has been continuously elected to serve on committee since 1998 where he has served the Club as Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer, Rear Commodore Cruising, Rear Commodore House and as Vice Commodore. He was one of the key members involved in relocating and rebuilding the Club house and was deeply involved in the setting up and shaping the organisation of the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
Mark has held various directorships and worked in senior management all his professional life, starting off in textiles, then moving on to producing equestrian and marine related products, and in recent years has been managing a foreign owned Pharmaceutical Company.
In 2020 Mark was one again elected to the Committee retained his role of Honorary Secretary. In 2023, he also took on the role of Vice-Commodore, a role he retains in 2024.
He is married to Nadine and has two children – John and Elena.
Hon. Treasurer
Unlike most of his Committee member colleagues Mark started sailing at a much more mature age even if in 1968 when a very young kid he scrupulously followed the first Middle Sea Race via the local media and vouched that one day he would do this race.
Mark became a member of the RMYC in 1999 when the late Arthur Podesta was Commodore. This was a life transformation move as he eventually started sailing with Arthur and family, participating in most local races and 7 Rolex Middle Sea Races between 2004 and 2010. There was a great deal of success and satisfaction and Mark got elected onto the RMYC Committee on several occasions since then serving as Treasurer and Secretary. Mark chaired a COVID-19 task force during last years’ RMSR which was crucial in making the race happen.
In 2024, Mark will retain his role as Hon. Treasurer, a post he has held for the past four years.
Rear Commodore (Special Events)
Georges has served as a committee member of the Royal Malta Yacht Club between 1997 to 2012. He was elected Commodore of the Club in January 2000, a post he held until February 2012.
Throughout his tenure, Georges drove a program of change and re-energised the RMYC from a traditional ageing colonial social club to a dynamic, energised and recognised entity turning it from a local outlook into an internationally recognised establishment that has a place within the top rankings of clubs around the world. He focused on increasing corporate level sponsorship participation through the introduction of a number of new events in which companies were given exposure to affiliate their brand with the boating fraternity. Enticed companies such as BMW, Vodafone, Rolex SA, Bank of Valletta, AirMalta together with the Malta Tourism and Maritime Authorities amongst others.
He was influential and the main driving force in securing the Rolex sponsorship for the Middle Sea Race and place it in the world rankings of international yachting to a position of significance and status as one of the “must do” races for every yachtsman, professional or Corinthian. He was responsible in successfully negotiating with Government and private stakeholders the reallocation of the RMYC to suitable location. He also spearheaded the new Clubhouse built in Ta’ Xbiex and in 2021 was responsible for the refurbishment and maintenance programme undertaken by the Club.
In 2024 Georges will retain his role of Special Events, particularly focusing on the Rolex Middle Sea Race.
Georges is a very keen yachtsman and regularly raced shorthanded offshore races on board Escape. Georges enjoys cruising extensively.
Rear Commodore (House)
Mario Debono has been sailing from a very young age. He took his first steps on the water at the tender age of 3 years old, on his grandfather’s sailing luzzu at that time. His passion was and still is sailing, and he cruises and races extensively with the Club.
Mario’s interests are anything to do with the sea. He believes very much that the older generation should encourage the younger generation to sail. He is married to Jackie Drury and has two children, with a son who sails with the Jarhead Foundation and has just done his first Middle Sea Race and with a daughter who trains at the club’s sailing school.
In business, Mario runs several companies ranging from Pharmaceuticals, construction and IT Services. He is also President of the Pharmacy Section of the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises and a Council member, and is involved in running the Pharmacy Of Your Choice Scheme, of which he was the creator and promoter. Mario is offering his long experience in business to the Club, so that it can develop further and grow.
Mario Debono is passionate about the promotion of Malta as a yachting destination and centre of excellence, not just in sailing but also all types of activities on the water.
This is Mario’s fourth year as Rear Commodore (House).
Rear Commodore (Sailing)
Following his father’s footsteps Adrian is a very keen sailor who started sailing at the age of 18 on the laser now known as the ILCA7 class. Adrian was part of the national team in the Laser class until 2003 Small Nations Games held in Malta. An experience he defines as UNIQUE, having sailed multiple times abroad including Mediterranean games, World Championships, European circuit and Olympic qualifying events.
Adrian was also involved in Match racing held by RMYC and racing in the J/70 one design sport boat class. He is also the co-founder of the SB20 one design class in Malta having set the Association, affiliated the class with Malta’s Sailing Authority and the SB20 World council. The class consists of 8 boats locally has been established in 2017. The last few years have seen Adrian progress from round the cans and coastal races to fully blown offshore racing, previously on Maltese Falcon 2 and more recently on Be Free.
Nowadays, Adrian is very much involved in race organization, and voluntarily dedicates his time to dinghy ranking events, international races organized by local Clubs. Although the move to race organisation is not easy, with the right help and mentorship it is possible.
“Sailing is a sport for young and old to enjoy in any form, whether it is sailing, socially, volunteering we all form part of the same family”
This year, 2024 will be Adrian’s second year in the role of Rear Commodore (Sailing)
Member
Edgar Warrington first joined the RMYC Committee in the late 1990s and since then occupied a number of roles, particularly relating to the role of House due to his background in Catering. He has also, since 1996 contributed his time during the Middle Sea Race. Edgar spent many years racing on the yacht Moondance and has a Rolex Middle Sea Race participation under his belt.
Member
James Villette has been a family member of the RMYC since 2017. James started sailing dinghies from a young age in the UK. He raced Toppers and GP14s before racing Lasers and 420s as part of the British Youth Squad.
In Malta James races on the Ice 52RS Otra Vez.
James works as a manager for one of the Big Four accounting firms.
James’ children, Sophie and George race for the RMYC in the ILCA 4 and Optimist classes.
Member
Amata’s early career path saw her work in the healthcare sector, spending three years working as a nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital. Following that, she spent a year as a Claims Assistant with a local insurance company, gaining insights into the administrative side of healthcare. Transitioning into pharmacy management, she dedicated 15 years to overseeing operations in two pharmacies, honing further her organisational and managerial skills. In 2002, still in the healthcare sector, I ventured into human resources in a private hospital.
For over two decades, she has worked with the Assocjazzjoni Volontarja Lourdes, of which she was president for twenty years. During this time she tirelessly coordinated volunteers and resources, ensuring that individuals facing illness receives the support and care they deserved.
Alongside my commitment to healthcare, she has also been an active member of the Royal Malta Yacht Club, offering my assistance for more than twenty editions of the Rolex Middle Sea Race (RMSR).
The Commodore is elected annually by the Committee from amongst its members at a meeting chaired by the person having obtained the majority of votes during the election of the Committee, or otherwise by the most senior officer of the previous Committee present.
The elected Commodore nominates Officers to be approved by election amongst the members of the Committee.
All Officers with the exception of the Commodore may or may not be appointed at the discretion of the Committee.
Mr John Ripard Sr is the Honorary President of the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
David Cremona | 2021 - present |
Godwin Zammit | 2012–2020 |
Georges Bonello DuPuis | 2002–2011 |
Arthur Podesta | 1998–2001 |
George Cachia | 1996–1997 |
John Ripard Sr | 1988–1995 |
Colonel G.Z.Tabona OBE RMA | 1984–1987 |
John Ripard Sr | 1977–1981 |
Colonel G.Z.Tabona OBE RMA | 1972–1976 |
Sir Maurice Dorman GCNG GCVD | 1962–1971 |
H.E.Admiral Sir Guy Grantham GCBC BE DSO RN | 1960–1961 |
H.E. Sir Robert Laycock KCMG CB | 1955–1959 |
H.E. Sir Gerald Creasy | 1950–1954 |
H.E. Sir Francis Douglas | 1948–1949 |
War Years - No records held | 1938–1947 |
H.E. General Sir David G.M. Campbell GCBA DC | 1935–1937 |