JOHN BARNETT has come full circle as he retires from his role as North Devon Yacht Club secretary.

Still a keen sailor and powerboat enthusiast, he will take charge of the club's rescue boats — a job he filled when he first joined in 1971.

Having been the Instow club's secretary since 1991, Mr Barnett has now handed the reins to Thom Flaxman who is charged with keeping records and organising the boating activities.

Mr Barnett, from Northam, said: "In the early days it was a half-time job.

"The club has grown considerably in the last 19 years and the job has grown with it. Now I would say it is three-quarter time.

"There have been terrific changes, particularly in the cadet sections where training is a lot more professional. That is partly due to regulation through new rules and health and safety.

"When I first started the club had three dinghies. Now it has 18 of its own boats for teaching."

Mr Barnett was attracted to the club when he moved to North Devon 39 years ago, having given up a job in the powerboat industry to join his family's mail-order business.

"I was always interested in sailing," he said. "We moved down here in 1971 and I looked out the yacht club and wandered over.

"I had a background in the powerboat industry and they were looking for someone to take on the rescue boat, which was highly unreliable.

"Within weeks I was put in charge of it.

"It was a very good way of learning about the estuary and meeting people.

"In 1974 I became honorary secretary and between 1973 and 1991 I did virtually every job on the committee, including commodore." Having just sold the family business to its main competitor, who was a friend, Mr Barnett suddenly had the time to devote to the newly-created club secretary role.

Now his retirement will give him more time to get out on the water.

"Hopefully this year I am going to buy another boat and do more sailing, but anno domini has a lot to do with it," said Mr Barnett.

"Powerboats are my second love and I am back looking after the rescue boats.

"We have had a succession of bad summers, so it would be lovely to have a nice, warm, sunny summer."