Use of Training Boats

It will normally be the case that the use of Training Boats will cover one of three situations

1. Use in Learn to Sail

This is the primary purpose of the club owning the boats

Normally damage caused to the boat during a learn to sail course will be repaired at the expense and effort of the club. The only exception to this might be where the damage is cause by a malicious or deliberate act, rather than one occurring through inexperience or inability

Participants in a learn to sail class are generally required to be members and may in addition be charged a learn to sail fee.

2. Use in Transitional training

This is also a significant purpose of the club owning the boats

Transitional Training is basically 'practice sailing' undertaken under the supervision of an instructor in a motor boat

Experience has show the Transitional Training fleet may be divided into a number of catagories

• Those graduating from a learn to sail class wanting more experience

• Those who have sailed in the past, but want to get some more experience or practice before returning to the sport

• Those who might be fairly experienced sailors but who want to teach other members of their family or a friend how to sail

Normally damage caused to the boat during Transitional Training will be repaired at the expense and effort of the club. The only exception to this might be where the damage is cause by a malicious or deliberate act, rather than one occurring through inexperience or inability

Participants in Transitional Training must normally be members. However, a temporary exception can at the discretion of the Trainer be made for a new potential sailor who wants to try out the experience before joining the club. Normally this exception would only be for one, or two at the most, weeks and they must use a Sail Pass to do so.

A training fee may be charged to both members and non-members for participation in this training. The fee may be charged per person or per participating boat and (to encourage members to eventually own their own boat) may differ between club owned and privately-owned boats.

3. Use in a race

An incidental use of the boats is to fill out our race fleet by encouraging their use in races on appropriate days by appropriate persons

Where the boat is being used by a graduate of transitional training under encouragement of the club then normally damage caused to the boat during a learn to sail course will be repaired at the expense and effort of the club. The only exception to this might be where the damage is cause by a malicious or deliberate act, rather than one occurring through inexperience or in ability

However, if the boat is being used by an experienced sailor (perhaps in the temporary absence of his own boat or for a similar reason), then that sailor would be expected to cover any cost of repairs for damage caused, over insurance recovery, and organise the repairs.

Membership requirements are as for Transitional Training (including the introductory period). However, Australian Sailing (AS) rules regarding membership of a club or use of a Sail Pass must also be satisfied.

A racing fee is payable by those using the boat and this may be greater than is charged to boat owners.

4. Other Uses

Club boats must generally only be used with a rescue boat present in one of the above three situations.

An occasional exception may be made in the limited circumstances described below. This is where an experienced sailor (being one who has owned and regularly sailed a boat for at least 3 whole seasons) uses the boat. Such use has traditionally been covered by the following situations

• A member uses a club boat in a social or other sail as being more convenient that the use of his own boat

• A visitor to the area joins the club to sail the boats during a holiday

• A member, who also holds a motor boat licence, uses one or more training boats and the club's inflatable to provide instruction and experience to his own children. This may only occur with the consent of the club's sail training officer.

Where a boat is used in these circumstances, the member must cover any cost of repairs for damage caused, over insurance recovery, and organise the repairs

Where such an exception is made, the following rules apply

1. 1. In seeking such a use of the boat the member is representing that he is sufficiently experienced to handle any situation that may develop (including gear failure) without assistance from a club rescue boat and the club is not responsible for determining the correctness of that representation

   2. The user is solely responsible for ensuring the boat is in a suitable condition for sailing and free from any known or discoverable defect which may render the boat unsafe for sailing on that occasion

   3. The club is not responsible for any defect which is not discoverable

   4. Without limiting the foregoing, the user accepts that he or she is in the same position as that of an owner of the boat and thus entirely responsible for its safe use.

Normally an additional fee of $15 is payable for the above uses of the boat, bearing in mind the user is solely responsible for making good any damage.