Rules Governing Use of Club Boats

Additional Rules:

• Club Membership Rules
• Emergency Procedures

The following rules govern the use of club boats and should be read by all members.

1. Overview of Skipper Membership

Operating a sailboat in New York Harbor is an important responsibility which must be handled carefully in order to ensure the safety of all sailors. In addition, club boats are the facilities of all members and no member should use the boats in a manner which might impinge upon the use of other members. To help ensure that clubs boats are operated properly, the club has a "Skipper Membership." Members applying to be Skippers must demonstrate their knowledge, ability and safety consciousness. Club boats are only permitted to go sailing when a member with Skipper Privileges is onboard. When taking a club boat sailing, the skipper is responsible for everything that happens. This includes any damage, actions made by the boat and conduct of the crew.

2. Responsibility of all Crew

Every person on a boat has a responsibility to know the weather forecast and to make decisions regarding safety, such as when it is prudent to shorten sail or return to dock. In addition, if anything unusual happens during a sail, the correct and proper reporting of the incident is the responsibility of all people onboard. If the Skipper does not properly record the incident, it is the responsibility of the crew to ensure that he or she does.

3. Boat Operation

How members operate the club boats determines what type of club we have. Members who operate the boats in good nautical tradition reflect well upon the club. Members who do not operate the boats in proper manner reflect badly upon the club and can lead to reduced opportunities for the club as a whole.

4. Sailing Equipment

The club encourages members to invest in high quality equipment in order to create as safe an environment as possible. In Manhattan there is one marine store, West Marine on West 37th Street between 5th & 6th Avenues. Another way to shop is on line or by catalog. We recommend calling these companies and getting on their catalog mailing lists: West Marine, 800-538-0775.

5. VHF Handheld Radios

A good piece of equipment to have is a handheld VHF radio. Radios are required of all Skippers and encouraged for Regular Members as well. Radios allow you to get the latest weather forecasts. In the event of an emergency on your boat, a VHF radio will allow you to communicate with the US Coast Guard or Marine Police. In the event of an emergency broadcast from another boat, a radio will enable you to render assistance. Members are encouraged to keep their radios in top working condition and to acquire spare battery packs. While sailing in the harbor, members are encouraged to keep their radios tuned to VHF CH 16 for emergency broadcasts.

6. Choosing Your Sailing Partners

Choosing your crew can be of great importance. There should always be at least two people who know how to operate the boat. If one person falls overboard, the other person will need to rescue him or her. In pleasant weather and light wind, few people think about rescuing someone. But when you go sailing, especially in stormy weather or in winds above 12 knots, you should always ask yourself what would happen if you fell overboard. Could the people left on the boat retrieve you quickly? Would you feel safe bobbing up and down in the water while the rest of the crew tried to control the boat and sail back to pick you up? If not, should you be going out in those conditions with that crew? Choose the people you sail with carefully and when conditions get windy and stormy, be wary of people who say the conditions are "exciting" because these are often the types who do not understand risk until it is too late.

7. The Club J/24 Fleet

The club fleet of J/24s is available for use by members 7 days per week during the sailing season from 9 a.m. until dusk, except for days when special events are scheduled.

8. Additional Club Boats

The club owns additional boats, including a Sonar, Hobie-33, Soverel-33 and Lasers.   Rules governing the use of these boats will be established by the club.

9. Reservation Policy

The club has a reservation policy which applies to J/24s and to the Fleet Captain Program.  Members should read and unsertand the policy prior to making a reservation.

10. Signing In and Out

Before going sailing, the Skipper must complete a record of the sail which shall include the full names of all crew, their membership status and the intended float plan. At the end of the sail, the Skipper shall complete the log entry of the sail, including anything unusual that happened or anything that needs repair.

11. Weather Forecasts

It is the responsibility of the Skipper to know and understand the weather forecast, to inform the crew of the forecast and to monitor the forecast on an on-going basis if the possibility of inclement weather exists.

12. Departing and Entering North Cove

If sailing from the North Cove facility, the Skipper must receive clearance from the North Cove Dock Master on VHF CH 69 before pulling away from the dock. When returning, the Skipper shall receive clearance prior to reaching the cove entrance. This is to ensure a safe traffic pattern in the limited space of the cove. Failure to properly receive clearance may result in the North Cove Dock Master requesting that Skipper’s privileges be suspended.

13. Where to Sail in the Harbor

Certain areas of the harbor are shallow and can cause a sailboat to run aground. Members shall study a chart of the harbor and not sail a J/24 in any location which is shown on the chart to have less than 5 feet of water. This rule is applicable at high as well as low tide. While it may be possible to sail over dangerous locations at high tide, doing so could false impressions of adequate water depth in some sailors. A skipper shall not sail a boat into any location without first checking the depth on a chart.

14. Running Aground

Running aground can severely damage the keel-hull joint on a boat. This damage cannot be seen without hauling the boat. If a boat runs aground, it must be reported in writing on the Boat Use Form.

15. Commercial Traffic

Commercial traffic shall have right-of-way over all club boats and any Skipper found to have interfered with any type of commercial traffic may have their privileges suspended.

16. Anchoring and Docking

Club boats shall not anchor anywhere in the harbor unless in an extreme emergency. Anchoring can put a boat at risk of being run over by a tug or barge. Club boats shall not dock at any other location in the harbor than their correct berth.

17. Alcohol and Drugs

No member should be on a boat after consuming more than a moderate amount of alcohol. Alcohol seriously impairs a person’s judgement and ability to operate a boat safely. Like car driving, alcohol plays a part in most boating-related fatalities. Not only does drinking and boating put yourself in danger, but it can jeopardize the lives of your crew.

18. Cleaning the Boat After Use

After each use, the Skipper shall ensure that:

• All sails are properly folded and stored in the designated manner.
• All garbage is removed from the boat.
• The exterior of the boat is washed with fresh water.

19. Obtaining Skipper Membership

All members must first join the club as Regular Members. Members with enough knowledge and experience can apply for Skipper Membership after gaining enough experience about harbor conditions and how the club operates. How to Become a Club Skipper.

20. Suspension of Skipper Privileges

A member’s Skipper Privileges will be suspended by the Flag Officers if: