Location, Parking & facilties
The Safety and Committee boats are moored at Royal Quays Marina. The Marina is at NE29 6DU. Follow signs for Royal Quays and the North Sea ferry. Leave the car ferry terminal to your right and carry on down Coble Dene to the Tyne Anew sculpture (orange crane). Turn left at the sculpture into the parking area for the Royal Quays Marina.
Royal Quays Marina have now introduced parking charges for which berth holders (including TSC) are exempt providing members’ car registration numbers are recorded to avoid charges being automatically levied. A parking management company now operate cameras which read registration numbers and instigate automatic fines for unauthorised parked cars. It is therefore essential that, upon arrival, you visit marina reception to record your car registration number by entering same onto an ‘I-pad’ which stands on its pedestal in the marina office. This will negate the necessity of purchasing a ticket at the machine in the car park and will avoid you being fined for non payment.
There is a changing room (and toilets) at the marina and the office staff will advise you of the security password to access these.
Keys / radios & pontoon Access
The TSC Committee Boat “Buoy Racer” is moored on Row A of the Royal Quays Marina NE29 6EU.; at berth No A2.
TSC Safety Ribs “Daphne” and “Doris” sit on their ‘Tetradocks’ on berths A4 and A6 adjacent. Row ‘A’ is closest to the river to the left of the marina entrance gangway. See here for satellite picture with boats marked
. To gain access to the pontoon you need to obtain keys for the boats you will use from the royal quays office (upstairs). The keys have a fob giving access to the pontoons. You will need to sign for keys.
Committee Boat “Buoy Racer” and safety rib “Daphne” (larger rib) have marine VHF radios fitted on board. VHF radios are kept at marina reception for use in safety rib “Doris” (smaller rib) or as a ‘back-up’ on “Buoy Racer” or “Daphne”. All hand held VHF radios must be signed for & returned to Reception after use.
Equipment & fuel checks
Apart from the radio and key for the RIB, all items required by the Race Officer and Safety Crew will be found on the boats, including a spare tank of fuel. However, sometimes equipment is misplaced, so it is good practice to check the equipment before locking out. Check fuel before launching – let Quays know on Channel 80 if you need fuel
tetradocks & locking out
An instruction video on use of the club’s Tetradocks is here
Individual tuition on use of the Tetradocks can be arranged by contacting the Sailing Secretary.
Exit the Marina via the lock. Use Channel 80 to request lock opening. Entry to the lock is controlled by traffic lights at each end of the lock. Dead slow in the lock and moor as far forward on pontoon as possible using breast lines. Listen for lockmaster’s instructions and stay aboard.
The river is tidal, but the Marina is not so it is necessary to use the lock to gain access to the river at lower tide. It takes approximately 10 minutes to get the boat ready and get to the lock. Royal Quays will lock in/out on request. Tune the radio to channel 80 to contact them & ask for lockout and listen for instructions.
- Traffic lights: RED – lock gate closed. Please wait.
- Traffic lights: GREEN – proceed into lock.
In the lock, moor to the pontoon as far forward as possible. If the pontoon is full then raft up to the forward vessel. All vessels in the lock are to be secured with breast lines. Be prepared to take instructions from the lockmaster. Do not leave the vessel during the lock cycle.
Speed Limit
Dead slow in the marina, 6-knot speed limit to the Groyne (G on the Estuary diagram), then 10 knots are allowed. It takes about 10 minutes to get from the outer lock gate to our sailing area in the estuary.
Fuel
There will normally be at least one full tank in each boat. Petrol for the RIBs and Committee Boat is obtainable from the pontoon just outside the lock. Call Royal Quays and ask for fuel and moor up next to the fuel pumps. Only Royal Quays staff can operate the fuel pumps. Sign the form Royal Quays personnel give you. Note that the new committee boat red tanks are filled with 100% neat petrol. The engine is a 2 stroke but the 2 stroke oil is fed from a separate tank in the top of the motor. The oil will normally be topped up by the Sailing Secretary and does not need to be touched.
Contacting the Marina
This can be done on VHF channel 80 – Call sign “Royal Quays Marina”. Also by phone on (0191) 272 8282.
The whole cycle of going to the marina, picking up the boats and travelling to TSC sailing area will probably take an hour, make sure that you are aware of this so that the racing / sail training begins on time
return to the Marina
Stick to speed limit on the right side of river and use Channel 80 to request lock in. Mount the tetradock, secure rib, and flush engine using TSC collapsible ‘X-hose’ (hanging on tap) which screws directly to engine coolant hose on side of engine. Do not run engine during flush (2 minutes min) & re-attach coolant hose to engine on completion of flush.
Isolate battery on Daphne (Knob in bottom locker)
Replace cover to Buoy Racer and “Daphne”, & please, return keys & handheld VHF to Marina Reception before you leave.