Code Of Conduct

14. Insurance and Safety

  • Members of the Club, their guests and visitors, use the Club facilities entirely at their own risk, and the Club will not accept any liability for any damage to or loss of property belonging to members, their guests or visitors to the Club.
  • The Club will not accept any liability for personal injury arising out of the use of the Club facilities, or out of the participation in any event organized by the Club, whether sustained by members, guests or visitors, whether or not such damage or injury could have been attributed to or was occasioned by the neglect, default or negligence of any of the officers, committee or servants of the Club.
  • It shall be the responsibility of all boat owners or skipper to ensure that any boat in their charge shall be seaworthy in accordance with class rules and/or Club bye-laws and shall obey any local harbour bye-laws.
  • Sailors and persons afloat in RIBs or other boats shall wear personal flotation devices at all times.
  • Windsurfers and kitesurfers shall wear personal flotation devices according to the rules of the Irish Windsurfing Association or the Irish Kitesurfing Association as appropriate.
  • All persons taking part in any Club event shall obey the instructions of the Officer of the Day and his/her assistants at all times.
  • It shall be the responsibility of each boat owner or skipper to ensure that his/her boat has adequate third party risk insurance, and to be able to provide proof of such insurance if asked. The executive committee shall set in place the necessary insurances for the Club as a whole.

Other Notes

  • Members should look out for the safety and wellbeing of other members; always go to the assistance of any one in trouble.
  • Members should respect others equipment and the club equipment returning it in the condition in which they found it or better.
  • Report any breakages or faulty equipment to the relevant officer.
  • Dinghy Park is for the convenience of active sailing members participating in club activities. Galway City Sailing Club is unable to accommodate boat storage and similar requests. The club reserves the right to move any boat in the dinghy park at our discretion to facilitate club sessions, other boats etc. The club reserves the right to suspend and cancel dinghy parking. Boat owners are responsible to secure their boats and will be held responsible for any damage they cause in the dinghy park. Boat owners are required to have appropriate boat insurance.
  • Members are expected to participate in and facilitate club sailing activities, joining safety rota, shore officer etc.
Conduct On The Water
  • Always wear suitable clothing for the conditions – it is always colder at sea, and wetsuits in summer and drysuits in winter are recommended. The onset of hyperthermia can be very rapid if you are not adequately clad. Parents/guardians must ensure their children have the right equipment.
  • The duty officer can warn you not to go sailing if he/she considers you are not suitably equipped.
  • Donʼt take out a boat that you are not capable of righting in the case of a capsize – dinghies do capsize, be prepared. Practice capsizing but tell the safety boat and the duty officer that you intend to do this beforehand.
  • Check that all rigging is sound, and sheets/ropes are not frayed and are rigged properly.
  • Be sure you know how the centreboard/daggerboard is operated and check it is easily operated. The same for the rudder.
  • If you are unsure of your ability to control the boat with full sail up, reef the sail if possible, if not donʼt sail.
  • Know where the hazards are : the rocks on either side of the beach ; the shipping channel – keep clear and never cross it when a ship is entering or leaving the docks – they go much faster than you think; the submerged causeway to Hare Island – stay to the west of this.
  • Know what the wind direction is: where will you be blown if you lose control? donʼt sail too close to a lee shore.
  • Know what the tide is doing – donʼt leave trolleys or equipment below the high tide line.
  • Donʼt go afloat until the safety boat is on station.
  • For club sailing: stay within the designated sailing area – ie. north of line Hare Island to Mutton Island – east of channel – west of Hare Island causeway.
  • Keep clear of other boats and know the basic rules of sailing.
  • Donʼt go afloat if it is too windy!! The duty officer can cancel club sailing if conditions are not suitable.

Children And Vulnerable Adults

Galway City Sailing Club wishes to provide the best possible environment for all young people involved in the sport. Young people deserve to be given enjoyable, safe sporting opportunities, free of abuse of any kind. These participants have rights, which must be respected, and responsibilities that they must accept. Young people should be encouraged to realise that they have responsibilities to treat other participants and sports leaders with fairness and respect.

Young participants are entitled to:

  • Be safe and to feel safe
  • Be listened to
  • Be believed
  • Be treated with dignity, sensitivity and respect
  • Have a voice in the club.
  • Participate on an equal basis
  • Be happy, have fun and enjoy sport
  • Experience competition at a level at which they feel comfortable
  •  Make complaints and have them dealt with
  • Get help against bullies
  • Say no
  • To protect their own bodies
  • Confidentiality

Code of Conduct for Young People

Young participants should always:

  • Treat instructors, coaches and other leaders and organisers with respect
  • Play fairly at all times, do their best
  • Respect fellow participant, even when things go wrong
  • Respect opponents, be gracious in defeat
  • Abide by the rules set down by team managers when travelling to away events.
  • Behave in a manner that avoids bringing the sport of sailing into disrepute
  • Talk to children’s officer if they have any problems.

Young players should never:

  • Cheat
  • Use violence or physical contact
  • Shout or argue with officials, team mates or opponents
  • Harm team members, opponents or their property
  • Bully or use bullying tactics to isolate another
  • Use unfair or bullying tactics to gain advantage
  • Take banned substances
  • Keep secrets, especially if they have been caused harm
  • Tell lies about adults / young people
  • Spread rumours

Membership and Course Participation
The Club reserves its right to rescind membership, boat parking and or access to sailing courses.

Photographic Images
Members, Guests and course participants grant the club / organisers the absolute right to use the images resulting from photography at the activity mentioned above. This includes any reproductions or adaptations of the images for general publicity purposes.

Liability
ISA/RYA Instructors, ISA/RYA senior instructors or ISA/RYA coaches do not accept responsibility for any loss, damage or injury suffered by persons and/or their property arising out of or during the course of their activities whilst training and/or coaching and/or instructing unless such injury loss or damage was caused by, or resulted from negligence or deliberate act.

Updates

This is the latest version of our code of conduct, other copies, PDFs, downloads etc are for reference. We reserve the right to update and amend at our sole discretion.