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Copied comments

I saw your post on the news section of the club website, my comments for what it's worth, a one day club champs and a one day Don Howard would be fine, not likely to affect the outcomes. I also think the scrapping of the Saturday Autumn series would be no hardship, Sundays are always more popular. But I do like Thursday evenings, very sociable on a summer's evening. I would probably do another Thursday galley if needed and the racing could be self administered of safety crew can be found. Just my 2 pennies worth!

Laura

Don't worry I am not going to make comment on every comment. Just looking at this season's Summer Saturday Series - so far 44 separate (individual) boats took part (up to race 13), with an average attendance of 11 boats per Saturday. Thursday's, up to last Thursday (race 12) 61 seperate boats with an average Thursday having 14.75 boats. Actually, probably more as the hire boats do not always have the same people.
Stewart

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When we checked the number of duties against members at the beginning of the year it was tight, the problem now is that we have quite a few members that have not renewed as yet and some that have told us that they are not renewing. Again as Stewart says it is the DO ∓ BO that are the main issue and that is always difficult to determine at the beginning of the year. Duty gaps happen every year, it just seems that they are worse this year. They are then generally covered by the usual members that do more than their fair share every year.

Nicky

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Why not make the duty obligation 2 and 1/2 days as alot of us do that and more. I understand not all people have signed up for duties. Name and shame is the only way. What are we scared of? They are not doing any duties so no loss if they leave!

Anthony

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Currently can't commit to anything due to upcoming operation on 20th August . Wasn't my intention ... Happy to do more when I can and don't mind doing extra. Not entirely sure if Scott and I have fulfilled our duty requirements. Tbh I was a bit unclear of how many we were supposed to do and what counted as a duty or not.

Sally

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We may want to consider switching from volunteer days to volunteer hours. You can do a Tuesday or Thursday evening duty (3hrs) vs a Saturday (5hrs). In addition something like a Thursday evening in the galley can often mean cooking for a larger number of people than a Sunday which can deter people from signing up.

We should also consider training hours into volunteering time. A person on a powerboat providing safety cover is considered but not the trainers. I think we need to look at all aspects of volunteering & not just those focused on racing. We are a sailing club not a racing club.

(Melissa)I’ll sign up as DO for the club championships for both days, I’d rather not sail them then they be taken down to the 1 days. Sam Wilford if you wanted to sail the Saturday and Sunday of the championships, I’ll take the Sunday

(Sam) Melissa happy to stay on, although looks like we need someone on for the safety boat. We can always do a swap around.

Sam

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1. Sailing clubs die without regular organised racing. It's happened to other clubs all over. I would suggest that we have got to this situation by not concentrating on the core mission which is organising sailing dinghy racing. That's not to say that free sailing isn't completely welcome as I use the club in that way now. However I'm willing and able to do DO duties as I know that is necessary for the club to exist.

2. You won't plug many gaps that way, not all if any of the Sat duties will transfer Sundays and Saturday folk are very different to Sunday folk in what they want from the club. Reducing the Don Howard and Club Championships to one day will ruin them...conditions can be very different over 2 days. My suggestion would be to incentivise doing duties. Why not disconnect opening/closing the club from the duty officer role so the DO/ADO can go home when the races finish. Or give people who do duties a discount on their boat storage fee or next year's subs. Or even just a nice duties volunteers dinner/barbecue a couple of times a year.....maybe funded by fining people who always complain about the course 😀

3. It could be a requirement of participation in a race series to have done a duty in that series....no results to count until duty done. That would make racing more self supporting.

4.We could put up a list of members in the entrance hall with the duties that each has signed up for. Not name and shame, but just putting it out there.

Barny

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Clubs also die without the training, coaching & new members coming in after those leaving. Racing help to maintain a consistency of core member that come every week but we should focus on safety first then if we have enough volunteers racing especially if we cannot fill the DO slot.

Sam

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I have just volunteered for the last 2 tea bars in August, and I will have to ask Melissa about being a DO but she will be a late arrival if this can an be accommodated, Thursday nights are the best night at the club, it will be sad to see them finish early.

I too have said I will do an extra Thursday galley as I like the social evening at the club. But Thursday galley is very stressful! Everyone is going home and DO wants to close up and you are still trying to get tidied up and everything through the dishwasher! Sundays are much more chilled, you have all afternoon to tidy up while the sailors are out on the water!

True Hollowell style people are always so ready to pitch in and help you get cleared away, and even more so if they know your doing an extra duty !

Elaine

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We signed up for tonights duties, because we really like the vibes of a Thursday night....they are extras for us, but are they? Hollowell is exceptionally good at training the younger members and they go on to sail and compete elsewhere, and their wo nderful dedicated parents have to take them! Thus we become depleted in all areas DO, BO, ABO Galley etc

I love the club, always have, but seems as though its a few members always doing doing. I experienced a moment with a lovely male member the other evening as he tried to leave his used cup on the side. I suggested he popped it into the dish washer( he was not in sailing wear) I was behind the counter at the time and he assumed I was on duty... NO GALLEY DUTY that day. Anyway with a little persuasion he emptied the dishwasher, and reloaded it, and set it off on it's cycle! He admitted to feeling very humble about the whole process as it was not something he had thought about when there was no one on duty.....I really don't think many people do THINK

Annie

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I think the Club Championship should stay as a two day event. It is a serious event and folks, if they want to win it, will commit to the two days. I understand that by the time we rig in sunday that the event could inly be win by those who attended the day before and in the last few years it has meant three to five contenders. But to those it is important that the Championship is nit just another Sunday race day. Not withstanding the fact that two days can give two totaly different sailing conditions thus testing the potential Club Champion more thoroughly.

Pete

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We managed some good self done Thursday races in Covid. Rescue boat blowing a whistle every minute for the start sequence and again at end time and us all working out where we were at the end. Might be a bit of banter about the results, but there often is! Are those who don’t sign up for Duties contacted? I know that is a difficult job.

Carol

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I know that this has been an issue for years, or for at least as long as I’ve been doing my own duties and not kindly volunteered Elaine Coulton in place of me, and every year every member has inputted their 2 cents but it seems as though nothing changes.
There’s an abundance of fantastic ideas here, it would be amazing to see something implemented next year. If it doesn’t work then we try something else until we find a system that does work. If attending the AGM will ensure these comments are put forward, then sign me up.
I personally don’t believe it’s fair to rely on those who consistently step in at the last minute and go well above and beyond, sacrificing their own sailing season.
Not trying to be a negative Nancy and we are so lucky to have the club that we have! This just seems to be a consistent issue and it’s about how we move forwards as a club, apposed to finger pointing and playing the blame game.

Melissa

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Sounds to me that we may need a club EGM early in the Autumn. Sundays are not the days I can personally make often, though I know that's a minority situation.
I entirely get the rationale for these proposals, but feel that a well publicised EGM, with clearly explained consequences would be good before major changes are implemented.

Tim

Whether you are new to the club or are an old timer, we have updated the galley procedures and forms to comply with Food Safety Agency guidelines. We have tried to comply with the guidance whilst not making it too onerous.
The details can be found on the website pages Galley Guide This guide also in the Galley Folder in the kitchen.

The main changes are:
1.    Aprons to be worn when doing galley duty
2.    When food is being prepared you may not enter the galley wearing outdoor clothing, including wetsuits!
3.    The dishwasher must be used for EVERYTHING - All plates, bar glasses, utensils and cookware must be washed in the dishwasher. It may be necessary to do a hand prewash to remove stubborn dirt, but then there must be a final wash in the dishwasher to sterilise in order to kill bacteria. Mugs and bar glasses must not just be swilled out in cool water and left on the draining rack to dry. If the dishwasher is not on, then rinse and leave on the dishwasher tray to go through the dishwasher when it is next on.
4.    The fridge allocation has changed to clearly separate cooked and uncooked food, they are clearly labelled. The members fridge is now the fridge under the hot water urn.
5.     Allergens labels to be used for all prepared food to be stored in both fridges and freezer

Thanks, Rachel

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