The following is taken from the Members' Handbook 2006
The Primary responsibility for safety in boating lies with the individual member. Every member is advised it is their responsibility to decide whether to start or to continue sailing in light of his or her competence, the ability of the crew, and the suitability of the craft for the conditions likely to be encountered.
SAILING SAFETY INFORMATION This section is to draw members' attention to safety related matters and to make members aware of sources of other safety information. The primary responsibility for safety in boating lies with the individual member and personal competence, developed through training and experience in a range of conditions, is the single most important factor in the achievement of adequate safety standards. Every member is advised it is their responsibility to decide whether to start or continue an event, in the light of his or her competence, the ability of the crew, and the suitability of the craft for the conditions likely to be encountered.
SAFETY REGULATIONS · Personal buoyancy aids should be well fitting and properly secured, must be worn by all members when afloat in small boats. It must be well fitting and properly secured, conforming to SBNNF or BSI standards.
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Your craft at sea should be fully seaworthy and well maintained. Always check your craft carefully before going afloat including standing rigging, rudder fittings and buoyancy. Adequate buoyancy in the form of built in tanks or properly secured bags will be fitted in all small craft.Your boat should conform to class rules, or at least be capable of supporting the crew's weight when fully swamped so that it can be bailed out efficiently without outside help. ·
Your craft on the beach must be securely tied down. The beach is exposed and in an easterly wind with a spring tide the sea can damage boats moored in the bay and sweep boats off the beach. ·
When sailing alone leave a note on the club notice board with your sail number, route and estimated time of return. Remember to remove it on your return. Be aware that Club safety boats only operate during organised Club races. Do not assume you are being watched. ·
Full Insurance cover is compulsory for all craft used or kept at the Club. This must include third party insurance liability for not less than £2,000.000.
SAFETY ADVICE AND INFORMATION ·
Tide tables are available in the Clubhouse. ·
Get a good weather forecast. Teletext page 158, Radio 4 shipping forecast, Met office inshore forecast 09068 500457 (for this area).
· Specific areas of danger in the bay are
o Rocks on right hand side leaving the Bucks Shore beach (exposed at low tide).
o Old pier - submerged uprights- do not pass through.
o New pier - beware fishing lines. Do not sail under pier.
o Peveril ledge - strong currents and sharp rocks- very dangerous particularly on an ebb tide. Avoid this area.
o Tanville ledges (beneath Grand Hotel) - submerged rocks.
o Ballard point - strong currents.
All these hazards are shown on the chart in the Clubhouse. In addition be aware of the overhead cables in the berthing area. ·
We recommend that you carry the following
o A suitable anchor
o Rope and fittings for towing
o Paddle or oars
o Bailing equipment
o A compass
o Some means of communication (flare, radio or mobile phone) ·
Juniors and beginners. Your attention is drawn to the Junior Sailing Racing and Safety Protocol document. · Safety cover is provided during Club races for entrants. See Safety Protocol document.
LIABILITY Members of the Club, their guests and visitors, may use the Club premises and any other facilities of the Club, entirely at their own risk and impliedly accept that:
The Club will not accept any liability for any damage to or loss of property belonging to members, their guests or visitors to the Club. ·
The Club will not accept any liability for personal injury arising out of the use of the Club premises, and any other facilities of the Club, or out of participation in any race organised by the Club, whether sustained by members, their guests or visitors, whether or not such damage or injury could have been attributed to or was occasioned by the neglect, default or negligence of any of the officers, committee or servants of the Club.
Before inviting guests or visitors onto the premises or to participate in events organised by the Club, members will draw their attention to this rule.
The race organiser shall not be liable for any loss, damage, death or personal injury howsoever caused to the owner/competitor, his skipper or crew, as a result of their taking part in the race or races. Moreover every owner/competitor warrants the suitability of his yacht for the race or races and undertakes to provide third party liability insurance as detailed above. Junior Members Parents and guardians are warned that the Club is only liable to provide rescue facilities during the hours of Club racing. Outside these hours, parents or guardians have full responsibility for their children or wards and must appreciate that the Club cannot be expected to exercise supervision or control. Even during Club racing the Club cannot accept responsibility for children, or any other persons, whether engaged in racing or general sailing.
RESPONSIBILITY OF MEMBERSHIP All members and their guests are expected to behave in a responsible way. Guidance and requirements are set out in this handbook, the Clubs Constitution and Rules and the Safety Protocol documents. In addition members are expected to support the Club where possible by sailing, taking part in racing and social activities, assisting when the Club is hosting other Clubs and running special events and by performing duties generally for the Club. Members should keep the Clubhouse, showers, changing rooms, clubroom, parking area and beach clean and tidy. All visitors must be signed in to the Club Visitors book, by the host member (Visitors book is at the entrance to the Club). Dogs are not allowed in or about the Club premises.
SECURITY When leaving the Clubhouse please make sure all doors and windows are closed behind you. If you are the last person to leave check lights are turned off and doors and windows are closed and locked. Bar and galley staff must ensure all doors are locked, gas turned off and monies put away prior to leaving. The Club cannot be held responsible for the loss of any personal items.
SAILING INSTRUCTIONS covering the racing season 2002
· Rules. Races will be governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing, the prescriptions of the RYA, the rules of any classes concerned, except if these are changed by these sailing instructions.
· Entries. Vessels owned and sailed by members of the Club and which have been awarded a handicap as noted below are eligible to enter any Club race. Helmsmen declare their boats seaworthy by sailing in the vicinity of the starting area.
· Junior members under the age of 16 on the day of the event shall not be eligible to enter as helmsman in races on courses not wholly within Swanage bay.
· Handicaps. All boats shall use the relevant Portsmouth Yardstick except as varied by the Sailing Committee at its absolute discretion.
· Notices to entrants will be posted on the notice board in the Sailing Club foyer. The Club sailing programme and any special instructions issued by the Club constitute the notice of race and sailing instructions. Average lap racing as prescribed by the RYA may be used for certain series races. Full details will be posted on the notice board.
· Changes in sailing instructions will be posted on the notice board before 10.00 hours on the day it will take effect, except any changes in the schedule of races which will be posted by 10.00 hours on the day before it will take effect.
· Signals made ashore will be displayed at the Swanage Sailing Club mast. Flag "AP" with two sound signals (one sound signal when lowered) means the race is postponed. The warning signal will be made not less than one minute after the flag "AP" is lowered.
· The racing area will be primarily within the confines of Swanage bay, although courses may be set further offshore as the race officer deems fit. · The course will be displayed by the race officer on the Club notice board as early as is practical on the day of the event.
· The start o Races will start using rule 26. A boat shall not start later than 10 minutes after her starting signal. The start line will normally be between the committee boat main mast and the nearby mark of the course. Exceptions to this rule will be drawn to competitors' attention on the Club notice board at the same time as the course detail and may include such variations as fixed lines terminating at the Clubhouse.
· A change of course after the start will be signalled before the lead boat has begun the leg, although the new mark may not then be in position. Any mark to be rounded after rounding the new mark may be relocated to maintain the original course configuration. When in a subsequent change of course a new mark is replaced, it will be replaced with a new mark
· The finishing line will normally be drawn between the committee boat main mast and nearby mark. Exceptions to this rule will be drawn to competitors attention on the Club notice board at the same time as the course and may include such variations as fixed lines terminating at the Clubhouse, or detailed by the rules of RYA average lap racing.
· The time limit will be 2 hours unless otherwise specified. Boats failing to finish within 30 minutes after the first boat finishes or after the time limit, whichever is later will be scored "did not finish".
· Protests.
Protests shall be written on forms available at the race office and delivered there within 2 hours after the time the last boat finishes the final race of the day.
The jury will hear protests in approximately the order of receipt as soon as possible.
Decisions of the jury will be final as provided by rule 70.4.
· Scoring
Scoring system. In series races, the low point scoring system, rule A2 will apply. Boats participating in a series and required to perform a race duty will be awarded average points for that race. Average points is the total number of points scored by the boat in the series divided by the number of races in the series, rounded to the nearest integer. Discards No of races in series No of discards allowed
4 or less 0 5 1 6 1 7 2 8 2 9 or more 3
· Liability.
Neither the Club nor any of its Officers shall have any liability in respect of any loss or damage, death or injury sustained by competitors or their boats or gear. Entry of any Sailing Club event shall be taken as acceptance of these conditions. · Safety. See the Club Safety Protocol document.
BERTHING RULES
· Boats berthed on Sailing Club land must be in a seaworthy condition.
· There must be an intention to use the boat regularly when applying for berthing space.
· Boats tenders and canoes are to be kept in their allocated space, unless moved with the permission of the berthing officer.
· Boats must be adequately secured against prevailing conditions. The sailing committee reserves the right to impose a £50 intervention fee for securing boats neglected by owners.
· Your allocated space and the vessel in it are your responsibility. Ensure that both are kept clean and tidy.
· The Club does not provide any storage space for road trailers.
· Berthing is not allowed without a current sticker prominently displayed on the boat. This rule is absolute.
· Abandoned boats will be dealt with in accordance with current RYA recommendations. From time to time we may need to secure boats to prevent them from being washed away or from damaging other boats or property. We are happy to continue to do so however reserve the right to charge boat owner where we feel that they have not complied with the above rules.