<div>Hi everyone, </div><div><br></div><div>I'm glad that the number of active sailors is increasing and here is a few tips on how to keep up and running as many boats as possible and also make them last longer such that more club members could enjoy the sailing activities.</div>
<div><br></div><div>There are two crucial points that should be followed by anyone who uses club's equipment. </div><div><br></div><div>1. SIGN OUT ON THE COMPUTER LOGBOOK.</div><div>It's important for your own safety (case of emergency) and also you have a big chance to be locked out of the shed, if you did not sign out. </div>
<div>I WANT TO POINT EVERYONE'S ATTENTION AND ESPECIALLY KAYAKERS!!!</div><div>Since we don't have an unlimited access to the shed, please, DO NOT LOCK THE SHED GATE IF THE LOGBOOK SAYS THAT SOMEONE IS OUT THERE. You may put down the gate but do not lock it. It is a really unpleasant to be locked out and I promise a lot of troubles (most probable an instant loss of membership) to a person who will let this happening.</div>
<div>I encourage committee members to check whether other sailors use the logbook every time you are in the shed and issue warnings to those who neglects it. </div><div><br></div><div>2. REPORT ALL THE DAMAGE. </div><div>
Damaged boats or boats which have problems with rig must be marked. A paper with a notification "Do not use" and problem description must be put on the deck and I or Adam should be notified about the damage (verbally, e-mail, phone call). It is for the safety of other club members such that no one takes out an unmarked damaged boat and finds it out in the middle of the lake. PEOPLE WHO DID NOT REPORT DAMAGE WILL BE BANNED FROM THE USAGE OF CLUB"S EQUIPMENT.</div>
<div><br></div><div><br></div><div>FLEET MAINTENANCE.</div><div>Unlike non student (adult) sailing clubs where substantial members fees + boat or place rent fees can be used to employ staff who maintain their fleet and club houses, in our student club all the maintainable ought to be done by the joint members' efforts. That is why, I encourage people, especially those who undertook intermediate training, to spend a bit of their time looking after the boat you are taking out when you come back after a sail. I don't insist to do it on weekdays when the races finish late, but I'd definitely like people to do it on weekends. I think everyone is capable on such simple things like replacing a worn out line, burning fluffy rope ends, replacing retaining pins, teeing pieces of ropes to rudder heads to prevent the blades falling down when a boat is carried on a dolly, and wiping or rinsing boats if they are dirty. </div>
<div>I keep a lot or spare lines, rope bits, a lighter, shackles, some other spare parts in the gray cupboard behind the sharpies (it is written there). Tools and other needed things can be given to you by me or Adam at request. The most of lines are tied to boats by a bowline knot. I'll put a scheme how to tie it on the cupboard door. </div>
<div><br></div><div>BOAT USAGE.</div><div>There are a few simple directions which help you to avoid unnecessary breakages and make our fleet to last a bit longer.</div><div>1. Do not sail in heavy winds. Do not take boats out if the gusts are more than 50 km/h (you should be concerned starting from 45 km/h). </div>
<div>2. Lift up foils (rudder and centerboard) when you are close to the coast.</div><div>3. Help each other to launch the boats and when you return back. It's better to do it in pairs. One person holds the bows of the boats another brings the boats, put the rudders and centerboards in and so on. </div>
<div>4. If there is eastern wind, take off boom before you put your boat on a dolly.</div><div>5. Do not race if you don't know Right of Way. You don't drive a car, if you don't know rules. People who damage a boat because of the Right of Way violation won't be allowed to use any club's equipment till they fix the broken vessel under my supervision. </div>
<div>6. When you bring a boat inside the shed tip it at the ramp to let the water out. No water must be left in the cockpit either. </div><div><br></div><div>Remember, the less repairs we need to do the more time we can spend on water. </div>
<div>-- <br></div>Sincerely, <br>Alex Minovich.<br>Postdoctoral Fellow,<br>Nonlinear Physics Centre<br>Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering<br>Le Couteur Building, Building 60<br>Mills Road, ANU, 0200 Australia<br>
T: 6125 9076<br>F: 6125 8588<br>