Rear Admiral Roy Clare CBE DL

Afloat since early childhood, he now sails purely for pleasure having previously participated in many ocean races, including several Fastnets. He was Chief Mate in the Royal Navy's Nicholson 55 'Adventure' in the trans-Atlantic final leg of the first Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race (1973-1974), racing from Rio to Portsmouth and winning the leg by a margin of 24 hours from Swan 65 'Sayula', the overall race winner.
Elected as a Naval Member in 1994, Roy Clare was promoted to Commodore in 1997 and to Rear Admiral in 1999. During 30 years' service in the Royal Navy his commands included: HMS Bronington, HMS Birmingham, HMS York, Captain 3rd Destroyer Squadron, HMS Invincible and Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth.
Roy retired voluntarily from the Royal Navy in 2000 to become Director National Maritime Museum Greenwich (2000-2007), Chief Executive Museums Libraries and Archives Council (2007-2011) and Director Auckland War Memorial Museum, New Zealand (2011-2016).
He is currently Chair of Chelmsford Cultural Development Trust and a non-executive Director of Good Things Foundation, the UK's leading digital inclusion charity; and The Heritage Alliance, an advocacy charity on behalf of all forms of heritage. 
Starting in 2017 and spanning a number of seasons he is undertaking a maritime research sabbatical around the UK, accompanied by his wife Sarah, and at times by family (including a son, two daughters and two granddaughters) and friends.
In 2007 he was made CBE 'for services to museums'. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Essex in 2018.
His latest boat is ‘Piper’, a Fisher 25, which he and Sarah sail year-round from their home port of Tollesbury.