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Home > News > Update from the Commodore

Update from the Commodore

Published 12:41 on 14 May 2020

Following the recent announcements from the Government, we are pleased to be able to announce that we can begin to ease restrictions on our club and the site around it.

We will be able to open the site for limited use on Sunday 17th May.

Members will appreciate that a huge amount of work has taken place to get to this point. I am grateful to Stuart O'Rourke and John Shirtliff for their considerable efforts in bringing together risk assessments and forming up with me on our COVID-19 management group. All of our committee members have been working hard on reviewing documents, guidance and procedures - most of this while working in their regular jobs as well. We are extremely lucky to have such a dedicated team working for the benefit of our membership.

I am as keen as all of you to get back on the water, but our emphasis will be on a respectful, conservative and considerate return to the water, in line with the RYA guidance and we will be placing restrictions on the site, as well as the activities we can undertake in a phased plan. Our focus will remain on the national effort to reduce the likelihood of transmitting COVID-19.

Reducing the risk of transmission at Ripon Sailing Club

Members who are showing signs of COVID-19, or live in the same household as someone who is, should not attend site for at least 14 days. Please cover your mouth and nose if sneezing or coughing and avoid touching your face. Members should maintain a 2 metre social distance whilst on site at all times.

Ripon Sailing Club Management Plan

Committee have produced a phased management plan for returning to activities at the club and we will be moving to phase B of that plan between 16th May and 31st May 2020. The plan will be made available via the members portal shortly. I would stress to you all that the plan is a working document and as such, we will be responsive to changes in guidance from HM Government, RYA and Local Authority representatives.

What does this mean for members?

Essentially it means that;

- Access to the site will be reinstated from 17th May 2020. This will be via your key card. The gate will not be scheduled to open or close so you need to have your key card with you. If you have lost or damaged your key card, you will need to contact Stuart via the systems@ email address to obtain a replacement.

- Parking restrictions will be in place. You must park in a socially distant manner leaving a minimum of 2 metres between vehicles.

- Hand sanitiser will be provided in the car park, as well as on the boat house and club house walls, you must use these as you enter and leave the site.

- Access to the boat park will be allowed under correct social distancing

- Access to the slipways and jetties will be allowed under correct social distancing. Only one member or a family group of members will be allowed on a jetty at once and boats are not permitted to be tied on and left, unless for the purposes of making a trolley ready.

- Access to the disabled toilet will be permitted under correct social distancing. Only one member or a family group will be allowed into the clubhouse at once and we will be implementing a one in, one out system at the door. The main club room, changing rooms, main toilets, bar and galley will be out of bounds. Hand sanitiser will be provided inside the building as well as additional cleaning materials for members use in the disabled toilet.

- The area immediately around the clubhouse consisting of the deck, race hut, front lawn, rear lawn and rear patio will be out of bounds.

- There is no access to the surrounding lake and paths.

- Informal sailing will be permitted. In phase B, no safety cover will be provided. It is vital that members make use of the self check list below before setting sail - it is incumbent on all of us in these times to minimise our pull on emergency services and other resources;

1. Have you sailed at RSC in the prevailing conditions before?

2. Do you have the correct equipment and have you checked it is water worthy?

3. Have you made checks to your boat to ensure it is water worthy?

4. Does someone know where you are and when you should be home?

5. Have you made yourself aware of the prevailing weather forecast?

6. Consider buddy sailing where possible, and within guidance.

Whilst we are allowing informal sailing to facilitate exercise, I should stress that this must be undertaken within the guidelines of social distancing, by yourself or within your family group. The guidelines allow for exercise with one other person outside of your family group, however committee can not foresee a way that a boat can be sailed by two people from different households whilst maintaining social distance, and therefore ask that any time spent afloat exercising, is by yourself or within your family group.

Members should, where possible, arrive changed and ready to sail and where this isn't possible, members should change discreetly in their vehicle.

Our current proposal allows members to come and go as they please but members should note that if numbers on site become unmanageable, committee will implement further controls to keep numbers at an acceptable level.

I hope you find this email useful and that it clearly lays out what we can do on site in the coming weeks. I will update everyone when the management plan becomes live in the members portal and I look forward to working with everyone to manage a safe, considered and conservative approach to returning to sailing - I am sure I am not alone in missing our sport and club terribly.

Jamie Kerslake

Commodore

Last updated 16:53 on 27 March 2024

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