Officer of the Day Duties

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General

The normal complement of Duty Officers at any time is Three: Safety Officer; Officer of the Day; and Canteen Duty.   The Safety Officer must be a person qualified to helm the powered safety  boats.  When taking the safety boat he/she must be accompanied by a competent crew member who will normally be the Officer of the Day, but by arrangement could be any other Club member present.  Separate instruction sheets describe the other duties; this sheet outlines the duties of the Officer of the Day.

Duties of the Officer of the Day

The Officer of the Day (OOD) has full responsibility for the running of the Club and the safety of its members.  In particular, the OOD must be satisfied that anyone sailing who is under 18 years old can cope with the prevailing conditions.     He must also ensure that no racing or general sailing takes place without a safety boat and crew being available.     He/she must be prepared to crew the safety boat at any time and be dressed accordingly and wearing his/her buoyancy aid.

The OOD should welcome and advise any visitors to the Club, but ensure that animals are not allowed to enter the Club House.    Advice and assistance can be requested from any club member present if any problems arise. A list (and photographs) of club officers can be found above the canteen counter.

The Week Before

Telephone those who are on Safety and Canteen Duty to remind them to appear at the due time. (The OOD is given/sent a reminder of their duty date approx four weeks before the duty(if two duties are close together, both reminders may be sent at the same time). On the reminder is the address where to collect the club keys and the name and telephone numbers of the Safety Officer and the Canteen Officer).

Saturday Opening

The Club is open for sailing from 2pm to 5.30 pm, but the OOD should be there by 1.30 pm, or by 1.45 pm at the latest.  The location of the club keys (for address see para 3 above) can be found in the TTSC box on the house side of the front garden wall. The box can be accessed from the pavement and there should be no need to ring the door bell. The box should be found locked with the club’s combination lock.

Opening sequence:

  1. Main Gate (1st key) - remove inside padlock and replace with combination lock, keep the padlock safe to be replaced at the end of the day
  2. Second Gate (1st key) - unlock and leave open
  3. Compound Gates (2nd key) - unlock both gates and secure open
  4. Container No 2 (2nd key) - fold back the doors and release gates to upstairs
  5. Containers No 1 and No 3 (2nd key) - fold doors all the way back (no 3) but just one door for container no1
  6. Club House (3rd key) - open door and windows (2 person job)
  7. Toilets/storage shed/club boats - keys can be found in key cabinet in kitchen (storage shed should remain locked with access only by permission of the OOD)
  8. Open tap on main gas cylinder - (just to the left of Gents changing room)
Ensure the padlocks are locked back in place so that they do not get lost or mixed up.   (The canteen is opened from the door nearest to the kitchen.   The door at the other side is fastened by means of a bolt).   Check that the water is flowing to the kitchen and toilets, and also that the toilets are clean and fully supplied.

Assist the Safety Officer to launch the appropriate Safety Boat.    This must always be on the water before any sailing can take place.    The petrol store must be closed and locked at all times. Key for petrol store on OOD’s key ring. Ensure the life buoy is on its stand in front of the Club House.             

Check that the Canteen officer knows what to do; hygiene in the kitchen area is paramount. The Club Flag and canteen cash box can be found in the micro wave oven. The OOD has the key on his key ring to open the cash box.

Communication with the Safety Boat

It is recommended that one of the two way radios should be given to the Safety officer and the other one should be in the possession of the OOD to be able to contact the safety officer if required. Should the OOD need to go in the safety boat it is recommended that the second radio be left in the canteen so that the OOD or Safety Officer can still be contacted from the shore. If Canteen Officer needs to contact the Safety Officer/OOD in an emergency and they are both in the Safety boat then the Canteen Officer should use the radio or push the race starter hooter button (located on the side of the race hut towards the top), and or use the megaphone which is in the clubhouse to attract their attention.

As soon as the OOD is satisfied that everything is ready and that the Safety boat is operational hoist the club flag to show that the club is open for business, ensure that all people intending to sail are wearing a buoyancy aid and boats on the water have current TTSC stickers, and that all members and guests have signed the logbook. You should be prepared to go out at any time with the Safety Officer in an emergency.   (In such circumstances the Canteen Officer should be responsible for welcoming visitors.)    If you have the opportunity, a very helpful task is to sweep the jetty (bosun’s point) clear of bird dropping and weather permitting cut the grass.

Sunday Opening (and Bank Holidays)

Sunday morning is usually devoted to racing.   The OOD must arrive by 8.45 am to open up the club facilities, though some key-holders may be found to have arrived first. Opening up is the same as for Saturday. The OOD must ensure that the Safety Boat is crewed (normally the OOD is the crew).  If the conditions suggest that more than one Safety Boat is necessary, each should be allocated a helm with the required qualifications and a crew.

Sunday Lunchtime

Sailing may be allowed to continue during the lunch period, but this must be subject to the provision of suitable Safety Boat facilities.

Club Equipment

The following Club boats are available for use by members and are located as follows:

  • Pacer / Enterprise / Skipper - in boat park
  • Toppers (3) - on racks
  • Optimists (4) - between the containers

The gear for these boats is held in the container No 3 (Oppy gear is in the boats).  If anyone requests the use of these boats, explain that there is a charge of £15 for each hire, of which £5 is returnable at the end of the hire period at the OOD's discretion.  Give them the appropriate key (which can be found on the canteen wall), get them to sign the log-book, and then show them where the equipment is.  When hirers have finished, check that they have returned boats, keys and equipment, and that any problems have been noted in the logbook.  If all is well, £5 of the deposit can then be returned.

Please note that the club’s buoyancy aids are for training use only.The cedar shed should be locked at all times.

Closing

 

Sailing is terminated by lowering the club flag and requesting the safety boat to ask sailors to come ashore. All boats should be off the water by 5.30 pm, and the Club should be closed by 6 pm.   This time may be brought forward if there are no club members present, or if the weather is cold, dark or windless.  The closing sequence is the reverse of opening, but please check the following points:

 

  1. Is the gas bottle turned off?
  2. Are the toilets clean, and locked up, and any used towels removed?
  3. Are the outboard engines secure?    (please leave them as you found them - ensure petrol store is   locked using the Alun Key on the OOD’s key ring.
  4. Has the flag been taken down? The flag and canteen cash box (locked) should then be left in the microwave.
  5. Return two way radios to the club house.
  6. Have all the Club House windows been closed?
  7. Have the gates and doors been secured with the correct padlocks?
  8. Have the rubbish bags been emptied and replaced?  These need to be taken home with you.

 

The keys should be returned to the location they were obtained from and locked in the TTSC box   with the combination lock, unless you are also on duty on the following day.  (Keyholders may be left behind to pack up, as long they have signed the book, but the Club House must always be left locked). 

 

 

 

Please remember to take any rubbish home with you.  Finally, spend five minutes congratulating yourself on a job well done. Thanks!