[ANU Sailing Club] Important information on fleet usage

[Alexander Minovich]

Hi everyone,

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.

There are two crucial points that should be followed by anyone who uses
club's equipment.

1. SIGN OUT ON THE COMPUTER LOGBOOK.
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.
I WANT TO POINT EVERYONE'S ATTENTION AND ESPECIALLY KAYAKERS!!!
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.
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.

2. REPORT ALL THE DAMAGE.
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.


FLEET MAINTENANCE.
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.
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.

BOAT USAGE.
There are a few simple directions which help you to avoid unnecessary
breakages and make our fleet to last a bit longer.
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).
2. Lift up foils (rudder and centerboard) when you are close to the coast.
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.
4. If there is eastern wind, take off boom before you put your boat on a
dolly.
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.
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.

Remember, the less repairs we need to do the more time we can spend on
water.
-- 
Sincerely,
Alex Minovich.
Postdoctoral Fellow,
Nonlinear Physics Centre
Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering
Le Couteur Building, Building 60
Mills Road, ANU, 0200  Australia
T:  6125 9076
F:  6125 8588
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