David West, who joined in 1975, initially sailed Athene III, sail number 1843, and in 1994 started racing on his boat Whanau, a Compass 29, also sail number 1843. David successfully raced, Whanau winning his division for a number of years. During that time David serving as his race Division Representative.

David has a very long history of volunteering at RPAYC.  Starting in Race Management in the early 1990s, David initially volunteered with Jack Gale, and in the years that followed, up until the last few months, was Race Officer most in demand for many of the race days at the club. As the Race Officer for the Tuesday Women’s Twilight series for almost all of its 30-year history, David became an integral and much-valued part of the Series.

David West has been a National Race Officer, a National Judge-protest Committee Member, a State Level Equipment Auditor, and was also awarded Volunteer of the Year for 2013-2014

As the Club Archivist, appointed in 2017, David was a part of the Archive Committee, led by Rob Cole, and well supported by General Manager Suzanne Davies, which produced the club’s History Wall, launched to coincide with the Club’s Sesquicentenary in 2017. David continued to volunteer in the Archives, preserving and documenting the club’s archive until late 2025.