News | Troon Cruising Club | Closer to the wind…

Lift In Cancellation

Posted on 20th June 2020 by JohnHastonJune 20, 2020

Dear Members,

We trust you are all safe and well, and we would like to thank our members for their patience and diligence in support of our safety measures which have allowed us to reopen and return a semblance of normality to our club.

After considering numerous scenarios, and taking account of feedback from our recent consultation email to our members with boats on the hard standing,

Troon Cruising Club’s Council has unanimously come to the decision not to conduct a lift- in this year.

We fully understand that this must be frustrating for many – including Council members – hoping to get afloat and enjoy the outstanding weather we have had recently.

Membership safety is of paramount importance and TCC Council cannot condone any actions that might jeopardise this.

We hope that the clarity provided by this decision should give members confidence to now undertake any more major projects they may have been contemplating, secure in the knowledge that a lift-in will not suddenly be sprung upon them.

We also fully appreciate that this has a knock-on effect on members currently afloat that were hoping to lift out in the autumn.

Considering that, it is proposed that it may be feasible to do a lift-in and lift-out in the same weekend in early spring of 2021, allowing the boats lifted out to remain on the hard standing for, say, 6 weeks before lifting back in.

The rationale behind this is that, if we do lift-out late March / early April you would have 6 weeks of potentially good weather, which is more productive than 6 months of bad weather and lifting back in early to mid-May still leaves most of the sailing season available.

Although it is quite early to decide if this would work for our membership, I would be very pleased to have your feedback on this matter.

If it had been your intention to lift-out this Autumn, what are your thoughts, as we require a minimum number of boats to make a lift- out viable?

Please reply in the first instance to Kyle Stewart so we might gauge your support for the above.

Kind regards Kyle Stewart,
Compound convenor/ Compound committee
on behalf of Troon Cruising Club’s council.

RETURN TO SAILING GUIDANCE – SCOTGOV PHASE 1

Posted on 30th May 2020 by JohnHastonMay 30, 2020

Dear members,

We are re-opening for limited activity from 30^th May. The Scottish Government has announced a relaxation of the lock down restrictions. The rules now allow sailing with limitations.

The lockdown relaxation is an extension to exercise options, not a carte blanche return to boating.

All existing social distancing and hygiene measures remain in place.

The club is therefore open for independent sailing and boat maintenance from 30^th May. The club house and toilets will remain closed with no access. There will be no organised activity. To assist compliance with social distancing there are a number of measures that have now been undertaken on the club premises and the works are now complete.

Additionally no parking is permitted within the club compound.

It will be more important than ever that we are vigilant in ensuring our safety onshore and afloat and we have introduced some restrictions that must be adhered to in addition to the normal safety procedures:

You will all have received an email on Thursday 28^th May (just in case you missed it, see attached documents) with details of the new procedures to be adhered to within the club premises. Please ensure you have read and familiarised yourself with these as they are for your benefit and safety ~ in doing so you are agreeing to abide by the new procedures and you have fully understood the content. Thank you to those members who have already replied.

Avoid placing extra strain on the RNLI and other emergency services.

Undertake sailing only within your competency. If unsure, do not go out.
Check your boat thoroughly before going out.
Let someone know you are going afloat and tell them when you expect to be back ashore. Confirm when you are ashore on return.
Remain inshore, day time sailing only and return to your club mooring

Stop the spread of the virus, Social Distancing and Personal Hygiene

The current advice remains stay local to your primary residence to undertake leisure activities.
Any member who themselves, or anyone in their household are displaying a new persistent cough, fever or loss of smell or taste should adhere to self isolation guidance and should under no circumstances attend the club
Comply with 2 metre social distancing at all times
No access to club house or toilets
Single handed, (if competent) and single household groups only on any one vessel.
Strict adherence to the new club policy with respect to hygiene within the premises (see attached documents)
Be aware of social distancing from the public at club entrance.
Be respectful and patient of fellow members at boarding points such as the island gangway and landing pontoon/slipway

If you are not a member presently you may not use the club during this phase of re-opening.

When you do venture down to the club, please remember to bring your own gloves and disinfectant spray if you possibly can. Enjoy your limited opportunity to get back on the water ~ it has been some time coming!

Continue to stay safe,

Carolyn Voisey
Commodore on behalf of Troon Cruising Club Committee

Reminder of TCC COVID RESTRICTIONS 220520

TCC COVID-19 Risk Assessment 23 May 2020 Compound Boats Moorings

Newsletter May 2020

Posted on 19th May 2020 by JohnHastonMay 19, 2020

TROON CRUISING CLUB – NEWSLETTER – MAY 2020

Introduction

Hello everyone, and we hope you are enduring the lock-down positively and using the time constructively to do all those jobs at home you’ve been putting off for years. At least, when things ease you’ll be able to go sailing with a clear conscience in the knowledge that everything back at home is ship shape!

In view of the circumstances outlined below please accept what is a shorter than usual, but hopefully relevant and informative, newsletter. Hopefully announcements from Government over the next few weeks will allow us in Scotland to sail again, as has been permitted in England of late.

A Word from the Commodore

Welcome to TCC’s first Newsletter of 2020. What an extraordinary year this is turning out to be? Following the AGM in January, a new Council was formed. However, on account of the social distancing guidelines put in place by the Government in March to combat the spread of the Coronavirus, this new committee has only met as a group once in the flesh, in late February.

Club business continues to be addressed and processed but in a new way. Committee meetings are currently being conducted remotely. We have used Skype and more recently, Zoom, to achieve this safe way of “coming together” for joint discussion.

Sadly, both Jamie Allen and Val Hughes have retired from their posts as Club Treasurer and Minute Secretary respectively. They have both worked hard over the past few years and I’m sure you would like to join me in acknowledging their contributions to the Club, thanking them for their service and wishing them all the very best for the future.

In March, a few weeks before our scheduled lift-in date, the Government announced a nationwide lock-down. This changed everything. The compound, which had been buzzing with members getting to grips with preparations for the lift-in event, suddenly emptied as we were all advised to stay at home and save lives. Preparatory work on boats was suspended and all the plans and arrangements for the lift-in were put on hold.

Exactly how long this situation will go on for, and how and when we start to return to our more usual seasonal activities is unclear at the moment. It’s been a difficult time for everyone for many different reasons. Let’s hope that the glorious weather that we have enjoyed over the past few weeks continues well into the summer and that lock-down days soon turn into sail-away days!

Be assured we will reopen our Club once it is legal and just as soon as we are reassured that it is safe for us to do so. When the time comes, and the Club opens its gates again, we ask for your support by behaving in a thoughtful manner with respect to social distancing, hand washing etc. and to follow any new guidelines that may have been introduced around the Club, the Clubhouse or on the pontoons. It’s for everyone’s safety.

Entry to Club Premises and Ongoing Security

Both compound and Moorings committees are jointly carrying out regular checks on both compound and all moorings.

If any issues are found that cannot be addressed members will be informed to effect a suitable remedy.

Could we please ask members NOT to attend TCC premises unnecessarily as you would potentially be putting at risk the small group of volunteers who have been appointed to carry out essential safety checks on behalf of all members.

If members have any particular requests e.g. bilges need pumped etc, then please contact Moorings/Compound Convenor to discuss.

We hope we can rely on your cooperation during this period.

Kind regards ……..Compound/Moorings Committees