Now that the sailing season is underway, I thought I would get in touch with you all with a quick reminder of the rules which help to keep our club running smoothly. Boats on our moorings should be visited at least once every three weeks to check on their security and the condition of their strops. While this may be challenging for those mooring holders who live further from the club, perhaps liking up with other further afield mooring holders to check each-others boats may ensure that this is more easily achievable. The issue of regular inspections particularly relevant at the moment as there are several boats in deteriorating condition within our patch. One of these was deemed to be abandoned just prior to Christmas, it has now just been sold by the club for a nominal fee, and was finally towed to a nearby yard yesterday. There is currently another yacht in a similar condition which has recently been deemed to be abandoned and may be sold or scrapped in due course in accordance with our abandoned boat policy. At the start of the season is perhaps a good time to reflect on some of the dangers inherent to our sport, and the need for safety equipment including kill cords. The link below is a recording by Cattewater Harbour Commissioners of an incident which occurred late last year at Oreston Quay slipway. It was purely luck that the individual or any other boaters were not killed, it is not discussed what injuries were sustained but it is clear from the video that they would have been quite serious. Watching the video is a sobering reminder of how quickly things can go wrong. https://plymouthport.org.uk/oreston-quay-slipway-incident-safety-reminder/ Also please note that any canoe, dinghy, tender, launching trolley, or outboard motor must be clearly marked with either your name or your boats name. Tenders on the foreshore or in the toast racks should be marked with "T T your yachts name". The name must be the same one you used when you completed your membership details online. Permanent marker often rubs off within a short period but enamel paint on the transom will last for many years. Ensuring that everything is named will allow us to identify any boats, canoes or outboards which do not belong to members or have been abandoned. It will also enable us to contact you if there are any problems with your boat. Any unmarked boats, dinghies, canoes, or outboard motors are liable to be moved to the top field and in due course will be deemed abandoned. They will ultimately be disposed of in accordance with our abandoned boats policy. If your boat or canoe has been moved to the top field, please ensure you mark it appropriately before you move it back to the foreshore or canoe rack. If you have any doubt as to whether your boat markings are adequate, contact our Foreshore Manager. Please ensure that when you secure your tender on the foreshore you only connect to the mooring chain. Do not lock anything to any mooring blocks which are temporarily stored there as these will need to be moved by the barge crew. As a final note, there are a number of committee positions which are currently vacant. If you would be prepared to help run the club either as a club officer or as an assistant please get in touch with a member of the committee. Have a great season and I wish you fair winds. Best Regards Ross Dyter Commodore Cargreen Yacht Club | 
