The club is run and maintained by its members.
All members commit to a number of sailing and non-sailing duties throughout the year dependent on the Membership Grade.
An electronic sign-up sheet has allowed Members to choose the dates for their Sailing Duties. DutyMan is used to record and manage these Sailing Duties and this platform allows Members to request and arrange swaps with other Members should their plans change or an alternative date be required.
There are also maintenance activities during the closed season of January and February and at various times throughout the year when help is required.
Full training and support is available for anyone undertaking a duty for the first time. Any concerns about capability to carry out a duty can be discussed with a committee member.
Sailing Duties
Wednesday and Sunday racing is managed by four “Race Officers”. Each club member takes a turn at being on duty. The Race Officer is normally an experienced dinghy racer, who will organise themselves and the three other duty crews to arrange the day’s events. Inexperienced duty crew will be able to obtain advice and guidance from the Race Officer. The Club Rules state that Club members must execute their duties or find a named substitute in order to ensure the safety of other members during sailing activities. If there is insufficient duty cover, racing will be abandoned. Dutyman will notify members by e-mail of forthcoming duties and can also be used to arrange swaps. Members are sent a login e-mail at the start of the season to access their duties. Members’ telephone numbers are also listed at the back of the yearbook. If any member cannot attend on any of the dates shown as their duty in the yearbook then they are responsible for organising a substitute and informing the Rear Commodore – Sailing. A duty crew consists of a RO and three other named persons. They are responsible for organising the racing and safety cover under the guidance of the RO.
- Race Officer
Is in overall control of the duty crew and the days activities. They set the courses and ensure that the races are run safely. Indeed they have overall responsibility for the safe running of a race. If the weather conditions are such that the RO considers that sailing is not advisable (e.g. very high winds or a thunderstorm) then they should, and have the authority to, postpone the race until conditions improve or abandon racing for the day. - Timekeeper
Assists the Race Officer with timekeeping / raising flags/ recording and race management. - Safety Boat Helm (SBH)
Is someone who must have satisfied the Rear Commodore Sailing that they are capable of handling the boat safely and normally would hold an RYA recognised powerboat qualification. The SBH will liaise closely with the Race Officer as the race progresses. - Safety Boat Crew
Acts as safety boat crew assisting the Safety Boat Helm with rescue and recovery duties in the powerboat.
Club Rules
A copy of the club rules can be found here.