Dear Member

Thank you for your support as we have sought to open up the Club as we gradually move out of lockdown. The pace of change is slower now than it was previously, and we wanted to outline our plans over the next few months.

We are very conscious that the opening up of schools, local hotspots and potential second waves may mean that these plans have to be amended, but with that ‘health warning’:

1. Opening Hours: As from 1^st September we will move to our normal opening hours – i.e. the water will open at 10am each day and the closing time will gradually get earlier as the light fades. The opening times can be found HERE.

2. Sunday Racing: As from 1^st September we will move to the usual two races on Sundays. We will carry on with the reduced 3 starts per race for September and October. These races will continue to be run by the staff (and what a grand job they have been doing!). For the Winter Series (from 1^st November) we will move to the starting sequence decided by the GC following the input from the Fleet Captains’ Meeting as usual. Racing sailors will then also take back the running of the racing from the staff. Between now and then we will sort out how this will work on Dutyman. (The new starting system will allow us to operate with only two people in the Committee Boat and will allow them to be socially distant.)

3. Wednesday Evening Racing: Because of the lost days at the start of the series, we will be extending Wednesday evening racing for two more Wednesdays: 9^th and 16^th September with the first warning signal at 6pm.

4. Changing Rooms: While we await any change in the government guidelines, our best guess is that it is unlikely that this will allow us to open the changing rooms this year. In correspondence with the RYA it has been stressed to us that “the intent of the government is clear – changing rooms are a higher risk location”. Obviously if this position changes, we will respond to it, but it is out of our hands and is fair to advise you of our opinion as to what is likely to happen. We are exploring provision of outdoor changing areas.

5. Sailing Kit: Without changing rooms, as we move towards colder temperatures it is absolutely vital that all our members ensure that they are adequately kitted out for the conditions – both on the water and between / after being on the water. We strongly recommend the use of dry suits, even in those boats where wet suits are more traditionally the ‘gear of choice’. However, please be aware that dry suits are already in fairly short supply and, if you don’t have one, we recommend that you source one soon. But, whatever you wear, please make sure your kit is up to the conditions at this time when you can’t immediately warm up in a hot shower.

6. Patio: Because most people will have to be outside when at the Club to maintain social distancing, we have used the money we will earn from upcoming open meetings to purchase a marquee to cover a substantial part of the patio to provide more covered outside area.

7. Maintaining Vigilance: It remains important that social distancing is observed, the one-way system is kept to and the limit of 2 at a time in the toilets and no changing in the toilets are maintained. We have purchased additional signage to reinforce this and are grateful to XG-Graphics and Jon Hughes for providing some of this for us free of charge.

Thank you for your support.

A separate e-mail will follow about a General Meeting of the Club on Wednesday 23^rd September.

The Committee