Duties and Volunteering
The club is a non-commercial organisation and has no staff. Therefore, one commitment of your membership is to help run the club itself through duties & volunteering.
Sailing Season
During the sailing season you will be allocated a duty up to 4 times a year to run or assist the activities on that day. The club is not able to function without you, and this is also a great opportunity to get to know other members much better (as well as pick up sailing knowledge). Duties minimise membership costs, encourage everyone to get involved, and engender a club spirit. A successful sailing club is the result of the willing participation of its members.
Although the idea of a duty can appear daunting, especially to a new member, the duty calendar is constructed such that inexperienced members are partnered with experienced members to assist you. All members are happy to provide advice or assist you if you are unsure. The Duty Guide Book in the galley or duty instructions on the club documents page are a good starting point for new members, as it includes expected tasks and a break down of the role. It also provides a step by step guide on being a duty officer. With a little bit of preparation by reading the guide, the session will run smoothly and everyone at the club will appreciate your efforts.
Duty crew should aim to arrive at the sailing club 30 minutes before opening time, in order to setup the galley, unlock doors/gates, and launch the rescue boat (if a qualified powerboat driver).
Assistant Officers are there to provide assistance to the Officer of the Day and Rescue Driver. It would be a good idea to read not just the Assistant section of the duty guide, but also the Officer of the Day and the Rescue Driver sections to help you understand what your fellow duty crew's roles are and how you can assist.
Winter Work Parties
When the sailing season ends, there is still lots to be done around the club as this is when the majority of maintence gets done. On Sundays in the winter, we get together to get the clubhouse, boats and grounds ready for the next season. Hot drinks and bacon sandwiches are provided for all the happy workers,
Volunteering
As well as duties the club relies on it's members to volunteer in order to keep it running. Here's just a few suggestion on how you could help:
- Serving behind the bar when it is open
- Participating in Winter Working Parties helping to prepare your club for the new season
- Helping to organise social events such as the Christmas Dinner, Laying Up Supper and summer BBQs
- Serving in the galley at events such as the Youth League
Last updated 17:01 on 10 December 2024