Albert Sailing Club is run on a volunteer basis.

The Committee consists of the Flag Officers (as defined in the Club Rules) and General Committee members.   The Committee is elected for a term of one year commencing from the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting.

The Committee for the 2022-2023  year is set out in the table below.   A brief profile of each committee member can be found below the table.

Position Person Contact
Commodore Rod Thomas commodore@albertsc.org.au
Vice-Commodore Greg Ryan vice-commodore@albertsc.org.au
Club Captain Paul Farrell  
Secretary Tim Falkiner secretary@albertsc.org.au
Treasurer Joe Chircop treasurer@albertsc.org.au
General Committee member Peter Bennell  
General Committee member Steve Dunn  
General Committee member Madeline Paul  
General Committee member Don McKenzie  
General Committee member Graham Blunt  
General Committee member Bettina Azoppardi  
Immediate Past Commodore Cindy Tilbrook admin@albertsc.org.au

Committee Member Profiles

Rod Thomas:  Commodore

  • Place of birth: AdelaideRod Thomas.jpg
  • First sail:  Holdfast Trainer junior class boat as a crew in Adelaide
  • First boat: Mirror "Bushfire", which I sailed with my wife Mandy
  • Now sailing: Laser Radial at ASC and in Laser Association events
  • Joined ASC: late 1978, when Mirrors were the Class on the Lake (and throughout Australia).
  • Work: Retired, after 30 years in Human Resources

Cindy Tilbrook:  Immediate Past Commodore

  • Place of birth: Port Augusta, SA
  • First sail: As a young teenager staying at Lake Menindee, NSW First boat: SabreCindy.jpg
  • Current Boat:   Laser, though I don't sail it much.  Have done lots of Tall Ship sailing, crewed for a racing keelboat in Western Port, and owned a 29 foot keelboat for a few years.  Mainly do Race Management these days.
  • Joined ASC; March 1998
  • Work:   Now retired. Previously Senior Management in the NFP sector.  But still seem to work as hard --- I just don't get paid any longer.

Steve Dunn

  • Place of birth: Hindmarsh, Adelaide
  • First sail:  Crewing as an eight year old on the Port River Adelaide, SA. In the years since, Hartley TS16, Heron, and Impulse.Steve Dunn 1.jpg
  • First boat: Holdfast Trainer (basically a Sabot with a bowsprit, jib and thwart that could be sailed two up).
  • Now sailing: Impulse, “Grumpy Boy”
  • Joined ASC: 2000
  • Work:  Communications Technologist, now retired.

Paul Farrell 

  • Place of birth: Hospital, (No I'm not an illegal alien.)
  • First sail: Corsair, 1 time only as a 12yo.Paul.jpg
  • First boat: 125
  • Now sailing: Impulse. I also have a Furmula 15 Skiff but it very rarely gets wet. 
  • Joined ASC: 1988 as a winter member, never left but had a couple of breaks for a few years but maintained associate membership. Haven't had a break from the lake since 2003 when I sailed a Mosquito Cat at Altona after we had to stop sailing at the lake due to low water.
  • Work: Jack of all trades, Telecomunications Tech. by trade.

Tim Falkiner

  • Place of birth: Melbourne
  • First sail: about 1985Tim Falkiner photo compressed.jpg
  • First boat: Mirror
  • Now sailing: Sabre
  • Joined ASC: about 1985
  • Work: Hypnotherapist

Joe Chircop

  • Place of birth: St Pauls Bay, Malta
  • First sail: 1980 at Albert Park Lake. Only for a few months, did not sail again until late 2019.photo (002).jpg
  • First boat: Mirror
  • Now sailing: Sabre
  • Joined ASC: 2020
  • Work: Senior maths/physics teacher. Now retired.

Peter Bennell

  • Place of birth: Melbourne VictoriaPeter.png
  • First sail: 1979 Sorrento Sailing Club
  • First boat: Mirror
  • Joined ASC; October 2018
  • Background ; 
  • Career: Currently business consultant,  previously CEO of large retail group: furniture manufacturer
  • and management consultant US, Canada and Australia.
  • Qualifications: B Civil Eng. Prof Engineer Ohio (US)
  • Previously Board member public companies, Government agencies

Graeme Blunt

  • Place of Birth - Altona Melbourne/ VicG Blunt.jpg
  • First Sail - Grew up in Seaholme opposite Altona Yacht Club. Built a Timber Heron in our garage with my father [Clem Blunt].Huon Pine and Cedar timbers all supplied by my grandfather C Blunt Boatbuilders Williamstown
  • First Boat - Heron [Kayos] followed by a 2nd Heron, 125, Sabre, Mirror and also spent time crewing on a Keel Boat.
  • Now Sailing - Timber Sabre U B - Ripper 1009.
  • Joined ASC -  In 2017 made a return to sailing with a move away from the Bay to the safer/protected waters of Albert Park Lake.
  • Work - Retired from an Executive Management position in the Banking and Finance Industry followed by Real Estate and Property Consultant role. 

Don McKenzieDon.jpg

  • Born: Bright Victoria
  • First Sailed:  1975
  • First Boat:  Red Witch
  • Current Boat:  Sabre, Impulse
  • Joined A S C 1993
  • Work history: Human Resources, Industrial Relations, director.

Bettina Azzopardi

  • Place of Birth:  Echuca
  • First Sail: Training with ASC
  • Current Boat: :(
  • Joined ASC: 2021
  • Work: Royal Freemasons Aged Care Head Office 

Maddy Paul