Operating Procedures for the centre

Sailing area and hazards

Both main and training lakes can be used for training, the plan of the lake shows potential hazards.

SOP 1 – General Instructor responsibility and water safety

1. Senior Instructor / Powerboat Instructors must assess conditions and weather forecast and discuss with instructors recording any deviations from the SOP or course plan.
2. RYA instructors are responsible for students. RYA teaching principles and syllabus should be used, including student / instructor ratios. Instructors shall be trained in accordance with RYA requirements and have appropriate in date certification, along with undertaking relevant updates. 
3. Consider moving rig components, ropes & sheets, and mitigate risks from them. Consider trapping of participants’ hands, feet etc on shore and on water.
4. All should comply with club rules, instructions and policies.
5. Conditions: Instructors must recognise the risk caused by prevailing weather conditions and mitigate the risk as far as reasonable by using appropriate equipment and teaching methods in consultation with Senior Instructor (where applicable). Teach signal for help early in course.
6. Clothing: The Instructor must ensure all participants, instructors and safety crew have correctly fitting buoyancy aids. Safety crew should be dressed for entering the water. Advise participants before course about suitable gear, check clothing is appropriate to  the syllabus being delivered, including footwear. Participants should be advised on availability of helmets.  Candidates in unsuitable clothing should not be allowed afloat. 
7. On water training activity must have safety cover in line with the current RYA recommendations as a minimum. 
8. Any injuries or near misses must be assessed and treated in line with current RYA and Club protocols, and First Aid training see SOP 3.
9. Ensure breakages are reported to SI/Bosun and ‘quarantine’ labels are tied to damaged equipment. 
10. Any participant with additional needs should be risk assessed and appropriate techniques used with regard to tuition, communication, assistance and adaptation.

Additional Windsurfing:

11. Windsurfing Rigs & boards should be secured when not in use, where possible attached to a board, or in the cage. 
12. Teach correct RYA method to raise windsurf sail and set off to reduce risk of back injury, use appropriately sized sail for student.
13. Explain how to tension rig to reduce potential injury risk. Instructor/ experienced helper to rig sails on first session.

Additional HANSA

14. A trained SI must  check the centreboard pin on the HANSA when centreboard is in down position before sailing. The HANSA boats to be used in accordance with NCSC HANSA SOP which can be found here:RYA centre HANSA SOP and rigging V1 

Additional masthead floats 

15. A mast with float is strongly advised when Stage 1 or 2 or Level 1 or 2 sailors are on the water, and when towing or water confidence exercises are taking place.

SOP 2 –  Lifting and handling

1. All participants, helpers and trainers should follow NCSC Safety Policy and appendix on lifting and handling. The instructor should consider the appropriate number of people needed for launching and recovering, especially for the larger trolley launched boats and the power craft. Trailer launched power craft would normally be launched using a vehicle.

SOP 3 – First Aid

1. Near miss and accidents to be reported on forms in accordance with club safety policy.
2. First Aid cover must be present in line with current Club and RYA policy
3. All use of First Aid equipment must be recorded on an incident form and such use reported to the person responsible for restocking of single use equipment by the person administering the First Aid.
4. SI to communicate any relevant medical information as appropriate to safety cover and the relevant instructor(s).

SOP 4 – Contaminants on CraftIf Blue Green Algae or other contaminated water is known to be present the course must be run in accordance with current NCSC policy and in line with current RYA guidance.

1. Craft should be cleaned of any contaminants prior to the course commencement.
2. All participants should be advised regarding regular hand-washing and in particular before the ingestion of drinks or food.

SOP 5 –  Clubhouse and Hub use

1. The clubhouse and Hub should be used for shelter as necessary.
2. Suitable hot drinks should be available as necessary. If the galley is not open all participants should be informed of the fact and the need to bring their own beverages and food, other wise food is available from the galley.

SOP 6 – Slipway and shore

1. Warn of dangers of slippery slipways and shore.
2. Participants should wear appropriate footwear.
3. Minimise shoreline hazards by removal of trolleys and equipment to the bank. For inexperienced sailors on-shore catchers should be available where appropriate.

SOP 7 –  Safeguarding

1. All must follow the current NCSC Safeguarding policy, which is available online with an expectation that this is read.
2. All involved in RYA training of youngsters and Vulnerable adults should be encouraged to undertake the RYA Safe and Fun course.

SOP 8 – On shore instruction

1. When instructing onshore the Instructor should take appropriate actions including positioning of participants and use of equipment to minimise hazards.
2. On First Aid courses, one CPR manakin should be used per person. Which should be cleaned and “lungs” replaced as necessary.

SOP 9 – Sailing Tuition

1. The RYA method should be used for all RYA courses, ask the SI if you need help. See SOP1.
2. Areas of sailing should be agreed between SI/PBI/Trainer and other users before starting a training session and communicated to both students,safety cover and instructors.
3. Radios see SOP 12
4. To promote confidence and impart appropriate skills consider teaching the principles of capsizing as early as feasible in the course. Instructors must consider using masthead flotation when training to minimise the risk of inversions.
5. In the event of a incident all powerboats must respond in line with the principles of the RYA Safety boat course.
6. Reefing should be considered, along with selection of suitable craft and sail size for conditions and participants.

SOP 10 – Windsurfing Tuition

1. Ensure simulator is carried correctly, set up on a level surface, and only used when supervised by a windsurf instructor. Check tension device and straps. A rope should be used on the front to control movement.
2. See also SOP 1.

SOP 11 – Sailability

1. Hoists must only be used by appropriately trained adults. See also SOP 1 & 2.
2. Use of HANSA Craft is through Sailability co-ordinator

SOP 12 – Power Craft

1. Kill cords must be used at all times in line with RYA guidance. 
2. No on water activity should take place during a course without appropriate on-water safety cover. RYA safety boat ratios should be used (below), and crewed in accordance with club policy.
3. All power craft drivers must be aware of the propeller position and rotation with regard to persons in the water at all times. On contact with any person in the water the engine should be turned off if it is safe to do so or in neutral..
4. Only qualified drivers may use the  powerboats. On an RYA sailing courses all drivers are expected to hold RYA Powerboat 2 certificate as a minimum.
5. A safety boat should on the water and appropriately crewed, for most RYA training this would be by a driver and crew. Instructor courses with experienced sailors should be at discretion of the RYA Trainer.
6. All craft are safety craft, their secondary purpose is teaching / coaching and all users should keep a lookout for danger at all times. 
7. On larger courses, particularly those involving children, an observer onshore in radio contact and a person available to catch incoming children is advisable. There should be a suitable person on shore to ‘receive’ children.
8. Radios should be carried by the SI/Shore team, all instructor teams and the safety boat tuned to the designated channel which will be determined at the pre-course briefing – normally channel 37 A/ 1037, unless asked to change to a specific channel by SI.
9. All boat users must check all the safety equipment, spares, anchor, first aid, fuel and spare kill cords on the boat before use. 
10. All refuelling must take place immediately outside of the fuel store and a fire extinguisher to be outside the store before starting, use trolley as necessary for moving fuel. (SOP 2). No naked flames in the vicinity.
    

    RYA Training Activity	Ratio students to safety boat (2022)
    Windsurfing	12:1
    Dinghy (single or double handed) & keelboats	Up to 6 craft – 1 safety boat,  7-15 craft – 2 safety boats More than 15 craft – 3 safety boats