Club Byelaws

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1. Hours of Usage of Club Premises

The Club premises shall be open to members at such times as the Committee, under the terms of the Club License Agreement with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (herein referred to as RMBC), shall direct.

The present allocated hours of usage are:

(a)  Throughout the Year: Wednesdays: 18.30 hours until 23.30 hours. 

(b)  April 1 or Good Friday, whichever is earlier, until 31 October: Saturdays and Sundays: 10.00 hours until 23.30 hours.  

(c)  November 1st until December 31st: Sundays up to and including Boxing Day: 10.00 until 23.30 hours.

Permitted Hours for Sailing

Sailing is permitted within the above times during daylight hours except that no sailing is allowed from 1 January until Easter Saturday, or 1 April, whichever is earlier.

2. Permitted Hours For The Sale Of Intoxicating Liquor

The permitted hours for the sale of intoxicating liquor are as follows:

Monday – Saturday: 11.00 until 23.00 hours

Sundays and Good Friday: 12.00 until 22.30 hours

Christmas Day: 12.00 until 15.00 and 19.00 until 22.30 hours

The bar may be open at these hours or at such other hours as may be decided by the Committee, subject to any restrictions imposed from time to time by the Licensing Authorities.

3. Permitted Sailing Area

Members must observe the permitted area within the Ulley Country Park granted to the Club and when on the water should make every effort to observe an exclusion zone of five metres from the bank of the reservoir within the designated fishing area as defined in the Club License Agreement with RMBC.

4. Safety Afloat

Adequate personal buoyancy must be worn when afloat and on the floating pontoon. Wet suits are not considered adequate.

5. Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

(a)  The Club adopts the current guidance on the protection of children and vulnerable adults issued by the Royal Yachting Association.

(b)  Parents or guardians are responsible for the conduct and safety of their children at all times when on station. No person under the age of 16 years is allowed on station unless accompanied by a parent or a guardian or other adult who has agreed to act “in loco parentis”. 

(c)  Non-members of the Club shall enjoy the privileges of Associate Membership while acting as the accompanying adult for a junior member.

(d)  It is strongly advised that smaller children should wear personal buoyancy for all unsupervised activities near the water.  

6. Safety Boat Cover

(a)  No sailing is permitted unless safety-boat cover is available and it is the responsibility of each individual helm to ensure that safety boat cover is operative before commencing sailing.

(b)  The crew of a safety-boat shall include at least one able-bodied adult at all times that a sailing boat is on the water.

(c)  The Rescue Officer shall ensure that safety boat cover is available at all times that a sailing boat is on the water.

7. Members' Duty Rota

All classes of Club membership, except Associate and Temporary, carry a responsibility to perform "Officer of the Day" (OoD) and/or Rescue duties in rotation as organised by the committee.

8. Insurance Cover

As required by Rule 35 in the Club Rule Book, all boats that are brought or kept on station (whether sailed or not) must be covered against third party liability by a policy of insurance.

(a)  This policy of insurance must provide indemnity cover of at least £1,000,000 (one million pounds sterling).

(b)  At the start of each sailing season, or when a boat is first brought on station, the owner or custodian of each boat shall sign a declaration that the boat is currently covered by such an insurance policy and that the boat will remain so covered at all times that the boat is on station.  A boat must not be sailed until this declaration has been signed. 

9. Maintenance of Boats

All boats that are brought or kept on station (whether sailed or not) must be maintained in seaworthy condition.

(a)  All members’ boats must pass a buoyancy test in accordance with the relevant class rules before they are first sailed in each new sailing season.  Any member of the Committee or of the Sailing Committee is empowered to validate a satisfactory test. 

(b)  Any Duty Officer or any Member of the Management Committee can prevent any boat from sailing that is suspected to be unseaworthy, and can require that any such boat be assessed by appropriate means, which may include a buoyancy test, stress test, and/or visual inspection.  Any boat failing such test shall not be sailed until the fault is remedied and may be required to be removed from station.

10. Recording Accidents

OoDs should ensure that all accidents involving personal injury are recorded in the Club's Logbook, referred to as the 'OoD Book', which should usually be kept in the galley.

11. Reservoir Health Hazards

Members' attention is drawn to the fact that the Reservoir may from time to time be affected by factors such as blue-green algae which may cause health problems if the water is swallowed or allowed in contact with open wounds.  Sensible and appropriate personal hygiene should be observed at all times.

12. Swimming

Recreational bathing in any area of the reservoir is not allowed at any time.

13. Car Parking

Cars may only be parked in areas designated for such parking so as not to cause an obstruction to other cars or to the approaches to the Club premises.  When parking fees are applicable, members must clearly display a current Parking Pass in their vehicle.  Road trailers should not be left anywhere in the car park at any time.

14. Berth Allocation

The Bosun may at any time request a member to re-locate their boat within the boatyard.  If the boat in question has not been moved as requested within seven days, the Bosun may relocate said boat at the owner's risk.

15. Clarification of Rule 7

Family membership shall include the person applying for membership, the spouse or partner of that person and any of their offspring that are under eighteen years of age at the beginning of the membership year or are in full-time education.