CLUB SITE INFORMATION
If you or any member of your household have suspected Covid-19 symptoms – you MUST stay at home in line with government regulations and you must not visit the club during the self-isolation period.
Social distancing must be maintained at all times at MSC in line with the government’s regulations.
Social distancing also means that you cannot rely on other club members helping you with tasks in the way we would normally take for granted. So, consider what you want to get done whilst at the club and ensure you can safely do so on your own.
- Access Gate: be aware that this is a point of contact so members should take precautions e.g. wearing gloves to open, using your foot to open, using hand sanitiser/washing hands after using.
- Galley/Clubhouse lounge/Bar/Function Suite will remain closed and are not to be accessed.
- Changing Room Areas and Showers will remain closed and are not to be used.
- Refreshments/Drinks – members need to bring their own refreshments and drinks to the site.
- The ‘Hard’ is very slippery at the moment so please be very careful when using the hard.
- Club members only. To reduce the number of people on site visitors are not currently allowed on site.
- Under 18’s on site – parents/guardians are responsible for any under 18’s from their own household at all times, and that social distancing rules are adhered to. Visitors are not allowed to the club and this includes under 18’s from other households
TOILETS – FROM SATURDAY 23RD MAY – 9AM
TOILETS – will be open to members from Saturday 23rd May and members are asked to use the following protocol:
- Main entrance doors to the toilets will be wedged open to minimise contact with door plates
- We recommend that only 2 people at a time access the toilets and sink area.
- Follow the social distancing signage.
- Wash hands thoroughly/use your own hand sanitiser on entry and before using the toilet cubicles
- Use the disinfectant spray on the toilet seat, allow to dry and then use the toilet.
- Wash your hands thoroughly, on exit.
- Use hand towels to dry your hands and dispose of towels in bin provided.
- Use the one- way system to exit the toilet/sink area.
Additional professional cleaning has been organised for the toilets and sink areas but please consider other members and be aware that any surface you touch is potentially contaminated.
Changing Facilities – will remain closed
- As you will not be able to use the changing rooms, come up with an alternative plan. If you are staying shore based, you may not need to worry about this.
- But if you are planning on going afloat – you need to think about either travelling to/from the club in your sailing kit or getting changed by your car.
- If the latter, please bring the means to do so with decency for the sake of yourselves and other members (and from a safeguarding perspective if younger club members are on site).
- Consider investing in a changing robe – which will also help you keep warm too.
It is your responsibility to take adequate precautions.
Around The Club
- Beware the long grass – the grass has grown very long, and we are very fortunate that a club volunteer has cut the grass in the main fields. Be extra vigilant to the fire risk of the large quantity of cut grass that is now across the fields. If you are cutting your boat space – be sure to dispose of the cuttings somewhere safely out of the way. Also keep a sharp eye out for adders in the grass as it will be harder than normal to see them.
- Please take your rubbish home with you – it is difficult to get the skips emptied at the moment and the skips are currently full. It has never been fair to expect others to clear up rubbish you leave by the skips – now it is dangerous to pick up other people’s rubbish so please take it home.
- Camping is not allowed at MSC currently and members are not allowed to stay on site overnight. Camping fortnight will be reviewed at the end of June and members informed.
- Cadet Week: The Cadet Week team are working hard to explore options, to see if cadet week will be possible this year and what form it might take. Please hold onto your questions as we currently don’t know any more than this. More information will be published as soon as it’s available.
- Veranda workings on the seawall side of the clubhouse are off limits to all club members and will be cordoned off.
BOATING ACTIVITY AT MSC
- Government guidance permits boating activity as a daily exercise activity – but other key rules apply such as social distancing at all times (apart from with members of your own current household) and gatherings of more than two people from different households are prohibited.
- Members who choose to visit the club in this capacity and/or to go on the water do so at their own risk.
- We are all individually responsible for complying with the latest government regulations, so the onus is on you personally to ensure that you do so, regardless of the guidance below.
- Additionally, whilst the emergency services are operational and should still be called in an emergency – any call-out does, of course, put them at risk as it is difficult to socially distance when coming to someone’s assistance. Therefore, it is imperative that we all do everything in our power to keep ourselves safe and not put them as well as ourselves at risk.
- There are no club organised activities at the moment, which means there will be no OOD (officer of the day), support boat cover or other support for either land or water-based activity.
- Any ‘on the water activity’ will be entirely at your own risk and you should consider the weather conditions and your ability before going afloat.Please make sure that your boat/craft is fully seaworthy and that you are capable of self- rescue if anything breaks.
- Please ensure that you have either a VHF radio or mobile phone (in a waterproof case) with you on the water. Make sure you have fully charged them at home particularly anything that you will rely on for safety reasons.
- Weather – Take a good look at several forecasts and remember to check the conditions either side of when you plan to sail. For example, if you are planning an afternoon sail and a Force 6 is forecast in the evening, it is entirely possible that it will show up earlier than forecast and could catch you out. When you get to the club, spend a few minutes checking the conditions are consistent with the forecast and have a good look for any potential changes in weather on the horizon.
- Tides – Check the tide times – (available in your Yearbook) – and use this to plan your on-the water activity. Wherever possible, head up-tide when you set off so that if you do have a problem, you will drift back towards the club. Also think about the logistics of launching and recovery (see further notes below) depending on the state of the tide.
- Let someone ashore know that you are going afloat, where you will be going and when you expect to be back. Ideally, you will have someone either on the shore or possibly afloat at the same time so you can keep an eye out for each other and also look out for changing conditions.
- Club Boats – We are currently unable to let members use club boats.
Information For Cruiser Owners
- We are currently working on how we could safely organise both moorings to be checked/laid and cruisers to be launched.
- Please be patient whilst we continue to work on this as it is a complex area with higher potential of Covid 19 risk due to the need for more people to work together in close proximity.
- The timescale is outside of our control and is dependent on government guidelines.
- RYA advice is to be considerate and conservative in our approach to help mitigate the risk.
- The next review for this activity will be on 1st June 2020 and cruiser members will be informed of the next steps by separate email.