COVID 19

Sailing Programme and Covid 19
13th September 2020

Let’s get sailing and racing!

By now we are all familiar with Government advice with respect to Coronavirus. So please do NOT come to the lake if you or any member of your household have symptoms. (You would have thought this was obvious!!!)

To get out on the water you need to

    • be a member of the SWLT before you arrive at the lake – see Join the Club
    • comply with the SWLT Launch Code
      (near the bottom of the page) – read this before every visit as the rules may have changed
    • be completely comfortable in your ability in the prevailing conditions (the club recommends a masthead float)

In order for you to assess your own risk in coming to the lake you need to know

  • There is a safety boat on Wednesdays and Sundays
  • There are 3 toilets available – assume all are open to the general public & campers
  • There is a hand sanitiser unit on the wall outside the accessible toilet
  • There is a sanitising kit in the race hut (only available on race days) – so you might find it easier to bring your own

When you are at the club:

  • Sign in.    Please ask Vicki to sign you in. This is so we have a record for Track & Trace.
  • Race Hut
  • Rigging, Launching & Retrieval
    • Ascertain whether the boat to be launched has been handled by others in the previous three days. If so, sanitise thoroughly.
      • sanitise your hands
      • before & after wipe down with disposable disinfected wipes or disinfectant spray and paper towels and put them in the black bag provided
    • Observe current government social distancing when taking the boat to and from the boat park and up and down the slipway.
    • Do not launch or retrieve when other boats are being launched or retrieved. Only one boat at a time is permitted on the slipway.
    • Helms launching from the shore should maintain spacing in line with current social distancing guidelines between themselves and other sailors, choosing locations to left and right of the pontoon and making use of the ‘beach’ nearer the dam.
    • To assist the safety boat righting lines, masthead floats and long painters are advised.
    • On returning to shore helms should ensure a landing with suitable social distancing which may require waiting until a space on the shore or pontoon has been cleared.
    • Sailors already ashore need to be aware of other helms wanting to come ashore and position their boat on allowing provision for others to come ashore.
    • Where helms may need assistance to retrieve their boats to launch or pull them up the slipway. Helpers should ask if help is required and if so, the helm should indicate how assistance can be given.  Helper’s hands should be sanitised before and after giving assistance.
    • In some situations, it may be safer to use a vehicle to pull boats up the slipway.
  • Onshore 
    • Maintain current government social distancing on site
    • Frequent washing or sanitising of hands using available SWLT sanitisers and UTLSC sanitiser
    • Only enter race hut if permitted user for the day – ideally one person per day
    • Clean club equipment before and after use with the disposable disinfected wipes or disinfectant spray & paper towels provided  e.g. chairs, hand shears etc
    • Three suggested areas for socially distanced groups of MAX 6 people:
      1. grassy area at top of boat park behind racehut
      2. bench tarmac area.
      3. tarmac in front of racehut
    • On wet days use your own car

    Frostbite & Icicle Series start 20th September

    See Sailing Programme – Covid-19 2020 for details

    The advice given in this and related pages will be reviewed regularly and updated appropriately. Risk Assessment documents can be found on the Useful Information > Downloads page.

    Related information

    RYA Covid-19 Hub

    Government cleaning guidance

    Government - What you can and can’t do