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28th August 2020

Responsible Re-opening

Measures and Procedures for the Incremental Opening of Llangorse Sailing Club in a Covid-19 Environment

The Trustees and Executive Committee of Llangorse Sailing Club (the club) have established safe procedures for the incremental opening of the club in a Covid-19 Environment. This will be undertaken in a phased manner and is based on the Regulations and guidance laid down by the Welsh Government and with the advice of the RYA-CW.  This advice changed on 17 August 2020 and has given rise to Phase Two responsible reopening.

Measures and Procedures for the Incremental Opening of Llangorse Sailing Club in a Covid-19 Environment

1. The RYA-CW. advice changed on 17 August 2020 in regards to mixed crews with an easement of restrictions and has given rise to these amended LSC Phase Two responsible reopening protocols
2. “Events” [as defined by statutory bodies] will be organised by the club according to the current RYA guidelines and the law in Wales (30 max etc. as at August 2020)
3. Events at LSC may be either Racing or Supported Sailing only (no training courses)
4. The situation regards training will be kept under review and the likely demand for courses, especially more advanced courses, assessed for the 2021 programme
5. Events will have one safety boat present with two persons from the same household
6. For racing events the committee boat will be a dory and double up as a Safety Boat
7. Rescue where life may be in danger will take precedence over Covid19 precautions
8. Events will be kept separate and not overlap in time and preferably be organised on different dates altogether
9. Two dories will be available in the wet shed and sanitised by the crew prior to use unless known to not have been used >72hrs.
10. “Casual sailing” cannot be “organised” by its very nature because members may attend at any time, therefore casual sailing will not be regarded as an event and those sailing casually must remain completely separate from all others.  The club will not attempt to control casual sailing beyond reminding members of the need to socially distance and obey the site rules.  NB No safety boats, club boats or club safety equipment including buoyancy aids will be available during casual sailing
11. Club boats will not be available for daily hire (as we cannot supervise sanitising, storage and condition post use).  Arrangements for long-term loans may be agreed subject to Exec approval
12. The hardstanding between the flagpole area and the launching ramp on the west creek is not to be used for mooring.  Mooring may take place on the metal part of jetty only
13. The gate and lock should be treated as “C-19 contaminated” and members must disinfect their hands after entry/exit using their own materials
14. All members attending the site must complete the signing-in book which will be located in the entrance to the toilet block.  Only membership number, date and time of entry and purpose of visit is required – so no other personal information. Members must clearly state whether they are Casual Sailing or taking part in an Event
15. The female toilets will be accessible as unisex toilets and must be used by one person at a time unless they are from the same household.  Members are asked to provide their own toilet paper as the club will not be doing so.  A traffic cone positioned at the doorway should be moved to the centre of the walkway to indicate that the toilet is ‘engaged
16. Double-handed sailing: The Club recommends sailing with members of your own household only but as of 17 August 2020 it is now permitted by the RYA to sail with others.  Members must assess the risk of sailing with another member from a different household taking into account their age and other vulnerabilities.  The risk increases with duration of contact less than 2m.  The club advises restricting sailing with crew from one other nominated household only
17. Launch and recovery of keelboats may also be achieved using a rope long enough to allow members to assist others whilst remaining 2m apart.

Supported Sailing

1. Supported sailing with safety boat cover (i.e. one or two safety boats) for less experienced sailors can be provided for boat owners only. The number of participants will be limited, so booking in advance will be necessary
2. Some coaching from the safety boat(s) may be provided at Supported Sailing events
3. It will be the decision of the ‘Organiser’ of the day to decide if the weather conditions are suitable for the activity to go ahead.  However ultimate responsibility remains with each individual (or parent/guardian) as to their competence to take part.  These will be supported sailing sessions – not training courses – coaching will be given on the water if needed but sailors should be capable to sail out of the creek and back
4. A minimum of RYA Level 1 /Stage 1 preferably L2 /Stage 2 is required to take part in Supported Sailing sessions.

RACING

• No signing-on other than an entry in the site book will be required, the recorder will do that at the start line and based on the signing-in book entries labelled “Event”.
• Racing will then take place according to World Sailing Rules but with a simplified starting arrangements (still 5,4,1,0)
• NB “Room” is defined in WSR as “The space a boat needs in the existing conditions” (which now includes C-19) and therefore members must give sufficient room so that social distancing is maintained between crews racing
• Other club boats (i.e. those casual sailing) must keep clear of those racing and in particular keep clear of the committee boat and start/finish area.

Safety and Committee Boat Protocols

(for organised events – i.e. Supported Sailing and Racing)

• Assume all touch surfaces to be contaminated and wash hands often (after opening shed, fuel filling etc.)
• Radios will not be issued and thus the occupants of the safety boat shall have access to at least one and preferably two operable water-resistant or covered mobile phones.
• During racing the committee boat will double as a safety boat
• Safety boats shall have a crew of people, only from same household – Helm must be minimum PB2 qualified.  Mixed households are not permitted due to the continued separation <2m and the need to work closely during rescue.
• Use the Dories from the wet-shed only.
• For the duration of the Covid-19 situation the safety box /throw bag is to be kept on board.  Anything used from the box must be replaced at the end of the day (spares in the clubhouse).
• The date the last time the boat was used is noted on a laminated card on the boat – please complete on the day used.
• Providing the boat has not been used in the previous 72 hours there is no need to clean control surfaces. If it has been used within the previous 72 hours, the Helm should wipe down all control and frequent touch surfaces with anti-viral wipes – these can be disposed of in the bin in the toilet block entrance using the gloves provided.
• Rescue intervention is to be limited to where absolutely necessary.  In situations where life may be in danger then this takes precedence over Covid-19 precautions.
• Rescue of craft to be by towing the rescued boat astern from the strop where possible
• If the sailor unable to get back on their dinghy, the sailor is to be taken ashore/jetty and their boat recovered later.
• On rescue, the casualty should face away from the powerboat and not face-to-face with rescuer(s)
• Walking up from mast tip is the preferred method of assisting righting. 
  Light single handers (eg Toppers etc.) with their mast stuck in the mud are best freed by towing in a reverse sweep using their painter.  This should be less frequent with the use of masthead floats.
• Ladder or strop to be used to allow self-rescue into the safety boat
• Mask to be given to the rescued sailor (unless in respiratory difficulty) and to be worn by crew unless 2 m distance can be achieved.
• A Covid bag containing face mask, sanitising gel (>=70% alcohol) and gloves shall be kept aboard.

Weather Station at Llangorse Sailing Club

It is with great sadness to hear of the passing of long-standing member, Keith Morgan

Read the article

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Llangorse Sailing Club is a friendly dinghy sailing club based in the heart of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

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