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James Eaton
Executive Director
James was appointed Hon Director in 2025 having retired from insurance underwriting. He grew up in and around boats; buying his first yacht in 2001. Since then he has cruised around UK and European Atlantic waters, the Med, N.E. USA and the Caribbean. In 2015 he bought his current yacht, Wild Goose, an Oyster 485.
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Emily Winter
Editor in Chief
Emily has wide experience in publishing and maritime fields including at the National Maritime Museum and recently as administrator for the Ocean Cruising Club.
Recently her sailing has been limited to dinghy sailing on the north Norfolk coast, but in the past she has undertaken ocean passages and various channel crossings with her parents.
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John Lancaster-Smith
Feedback Coordinator
Raised as crew for the gaff cutter Marlin RCC, raced dinghies at Pangbourne, chartered in Turkey, Seychelles & California. All prior to purchasing a CO32 and now a S&S yawl, exploring from Baiona to Trondheim. Now enjoying a Shetland home port whilst employed as an airline pilot in West Sussex.
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Nick Charman
Market Development
Nick Charman is a former Treasurer of the Royal Cruising Club, and has been sailing since the age of 14. He now owns a Tanton 43, an un-stayed cat-ketch rigged yacht, on which he has undertaken cruises between Corunna, Scotland and Helsinki, and in future plans sailing further afield as time permits.
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Katie Schuster
Webmaster, Data Protection Officer & Social Media
Katie has a dual role looking after both the Foundation's social media and website management. She is a former Cadet Captain at the Royal Cruising Club. She grew up sailing dinghies on Frensham Pond & Salcombe, and has cruised extensively with family and friends. Katie freelances in communications and PR.
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Paul Bryans
Chairman, Trustee
Paul became a trustee in 2018 and took over as Chair in 2023. He started sailing at an early age - racing dinghies at school and university before moving on to yacht racing, often as navigator. His parallel interest in cruising was crystallised in 2001when he bought his cruiser, using it to explore the coasts of Ireland, S England and Brittany with his family. For more extensive trips he has joined friends for Atlantic crossings as well as Scottish, Spanish, Baltic and Mediterranean cruises, where the Pilotage Foundation publications have been invaluable. Paul is also chairman of the Small Craft Group of the Royal Institute of Navigation and an RYA Yachtmaster Examiner.
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Anthony Fawcett
Hon Treasurer, Trustee
Anthony is a retired Chartered Accountant and banker. He has sailed all his life, both in dinghies and cruising yachts. After he retired, he bought a Swan 411 in which he completed a three year Atlantic Circuit in 2007. Since then he has been cruising around the British Isles, Scandinavia, the Atlantic coasts of France and Spain and has re-visited the Azores. More recently, he has been a part owner of a Sun Odyssey 49 based in the Ionian.
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Belinda Vernon
Hon Secretary
Following a career in engineering, consulting and finance, Belinda moved to the charity sector to establish the charity National Numeracy. Belinda developed her passion for sailing whilst growing up in Cyprus and Bermuda and has since cruised extensively with her husband Peter around Europe and the Mediterranean. She and Peter own a Malo 47 based in Scotland
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Giles Harrison-Hall
Trustee
A barrister and past Vice Commodore of the Royal Cruising Club. Owner of 'Gaivota' a 43ft gaff yawl built in 1927 which he keeps in Falmouth.
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Janet Spinlove
Trustee
Janet Spinlove was publisher of Adlard Coles Nautical for 33 years, and a director of Bloomsbury Publishing. Now retired, she sails her Beneteau Oceanis around the UK south coast, to the Channel Islands, and around the Brittany and French Atlantic coasts each summer. She is a member of the RCC and lives in Chalfont St Giles.
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Antony Wells
Trustee
Antony was former Hon Director, serving from October 2015 - January 2025. He also served as Foundation Treasurer since 2008. He is a Chartered Accountant and retired from a career in aircraft financing. Antony has a share in a 12m offshore cruising yacht which he sails extensively. He has RYA dinghy instructor and Yachtmaster qualifications.
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Nigel Wollen
Trustee
Nigel Wollen is a past Commodore of the Royal Cruising Club. He is a retired solicitor who specialised in Charity Law. He has sailed all his life, starting in a variety of dinghies, then a Freedom 35 (in which he competed in two 2-handed Round Britain and Ireland Races) and has crewed in 5 Fastnet Races. He has cruised extensively with his family and friends on the West Coast of Scotland, Ireland, the Atlantic coast of France and Spain, the Azores, Iceland, the Baltic and Norway.