Open days will operate in accordance with the club’s Training Operating Procedures and Risk Assessments. This document outlines the organisation of the day as an aide-memoir to those helping to run the event.
The Training Principal will decide the number of available “slots” for visitors to go afloat ensuring that the necessary dinghies, instructors and safety boats and crew will be available and arrange for these to be booked “on-line”. Slots will normally be 40 minutes.
The Training Principal will carry out the daily risk assessment/ session plan and will decide go/no go, the number of dinghies to be launched, for single handers the number under supervision of each safety boat and the level of reefing (for 2000s) and appropriate size of rig (for ILCA / Toppers). RYA RTC levels of instructors per participant and safety boat to dingy ratios will be observed.
Visitors will be welcomed on arrival and their application forms and medical assessment forms checked. They will be asked if they are confident in water (i.e. will they be OK in the event of a capsize) which will be taken into account when allocating them to 2000 dinghies with an instructor on board or to singlehanders.
They will be provided with wetsuits and buoyancy aids and if possible wet boots. When they have changed the fit of their buoyancy aids will be checked and adjusted as necessary. Visitors will then be asked to carry out steering / tacking land drills ashore. During the land drills an instructor nominated by the Training Principal will assess their aptitude and agility. Dependent on the assessment and their size they will then be assigned to an appropriate dinghy.
N.B. If a visitor is of such a size or lacks agility to such an extent that they are likely to cause a capsize and serious retrieval problems and as such pose an unacceptable risk to themselves and others, the Training Principal has the right to exclude them from sailing. They may be given a ride in a Safety Boat and encouraged to seek sailing experience at a venue which has larger boats available ( Wayfarers, RS ????) or advised that yacht sailing experience would be more appropriate.
Visitors will be told the “Golden Rule” ; stay with the boat. Except for the first sessions they will normally be picked up from the beach by RIB and transferred to dinghies clear of the Pier/Spanish Battery. Afloat experience will normally take place in the training area on the north side of the fairway.
If visitors suffer from injury, cold or distress they will be brought ashore as soon as possible consistent with maintaining safety cover and their condition. A qualified First Aider / assistants of both sexes will be available to care for them in case of need. (e.g. warm (not hot) shower for hypothermia.)
Visitors will be verbally de-briefed and may wish to apply for RYA1 and 2 courses. Instructors will report their aptitude to the Training Principal at the close of the morning and afternoon sessions.