OOD Checklist
Please confirm your duty within a week of the due day and check with your team that they are available for their duties because their availability might have changed since their original confirmation.
The time stated is the time that you need to be at the club as this will give the team enough time to prepare properly for the racing.
The Clubhouse door is alarmed so must not be opened unless you have a fob to unset the burglar alarm.
The Changing rooms should be opened for use of the changing areas and the toilets.
Everything the OOD/Box needs should be either in the upper steel cupboard in the boatshed or in the Smithy (the starter's box). Access to the boathouse is through the small boathouse door using the 'old' Clubhouse key but if you don't have an 'old' clubhouse key there is one in the keysafe on the wall in the undercroft under the Ladies changing room which may be opened with the usual combination.
The flags for the Club flagpole are in the upper steel cabinet in the boathouse. The Red Ensign should be hoisted to the yard and the Club triangular burgee should be hoisted to the masthead (unless you have time to find the flag of most senior Flag Officer present on the day which should be in the blue box at the back of the boatshed).
Those on OOD/Box duty should agree 'who does what' between themselves. Please note that the combined Orange and Blue flag should be hoisted to the top of the transit mast rather than on the Smithy mast. However, for pursuit races the Orange flag on its own should be hoisted to the top of the transit mast.
The Hooter should be used as the sound signal for all Start Sequence signals and for Shortening Course whereas the Alert sound should be used for finishing signals.
Specific points to note:
SUNDAY START SEQUENCES
For Sunday Series races there are now 6 starts:
BLUE Races
10:30 All classes start except N18s
10:35 N18s start
Blue races complete by ~11:15 (30 mins lead boat) and note that there is an overall time limit of 50 minutes just for Blue races
WHITE Races
11:30 Merlin race start
11:35 Laser race start
11:40 Enterprise & Handicap race start
11.45 N18 race start
White races to be completed by ~12:30 (45 mins lead boat or a little longer depending on conditions)
THURSDAY EVENING START SEQUENCE
For Thursday evening races there are 2 starts with all classes recorded on the same race sheet:
19:15 for all except N18s
19.17 for N18s
PLEASE NOTE:
- Separate race sheets are required for each start
- Boat finishing times must be recorded
- For safety please ensure the jetties are cleared of goose droppings
- Completed race-sheets should be photographed and distributed on the Tamesis Club Sailing WhatsApp group. The paper originals should be left in the appropriate pigeonhole in the race sheet cabinet in the Smithy.
Full OOD duties are as below and in the Green OOD's folder:
Week before
- Confirm your duty on SCM at least a week before race day
- Phone members on box and patrol boat duty to remind them to turn up.
- At home, refresh memory on Racing Rules, Sailing Instructions.
- Get weather forecast.
- Take waterproofs, wellies, warm clothing if cold.
- Make sure you have the boatshed key or know how to access it. If in doubt ask a Flag Officer or the Secretary.
On the Day
Wind Guru
Tamesis III Instructions
- Safety is your prime concern so you must complete the Risk Assessment on the back of race-sheets and be prepared to re-evaluate the risks if there are subsequent significant changes in the weather and/or flow.
- Assess the weather and your choice of course, and decide early whether two patrol boats are required. If so, ensure that a second crew is found and both boats are on the water and suitably deployed through the racing.
- Tamesis IV (the Dory) should be the primary patrol boat, Tamesis III is the secondary boat and also ideal for mark laying.
At club
- Open main gate, changing rooms and boatshed.
- Collect flags, workboat keys, Smithy keys and VHF handsets from the upper steel cabinet in the boatshed
- Hoist Red Ensign first to club flagpole yard (sloping arm), then club burgee to topmast.
- At the Smithy, hoist combined orange/blue flag to top of transit pole except for pursuit race where the orange flag alone should be flown
- If personal buoyancy is required to be worn hoist flag Y to top of Smithy flagpole, except in Winter when personal buoyancy is mandatory.
- Bend on answering pennant (postponement), flag X (individual recall), first substitute (general recall), flag S (shorten), flag P (preparatory), pennant No1 and relevant class flags.
- Check hooter and loudhailer system work.
- If running a Pursuit race make sure the air horn is working. Pump it up if necessary.
- Prepare race entry forms and complete risk assessment on the reverse of race entry form.
- Ensure that Patrol boat crew clear the jetties of goose droppings.
- Brief patrol boat crew.
- Bail out bilges.
- Check enough fuel in tank, tow ropes, ladder (secured to boat), boathook, anchor, bucket, fire extinguishers, and oars on board.
- Check radios, confirm call signs.
- Load course marks from blue trolley in boathouse.
- Take entries.
- Welcome visitors. Introduce potential members to available officers, class captains.
- Try to find places for spare crews.
- Choose course from Blue Recommended Courses folder.
- Always try for nearest to windward start.
- Put up course letters, mark rounding symbols, and number of rounds (too many rather than too few because you can always shorten).
- Get Patrol boat crew to set marks ensuring that inner distance mark (IDM) leaves enough room for a rowing eight to pass through; go out with them if necessary.
- Keep check on time.
Race
- Follow starting schedule in Green OOD's folder.
- Start first Blue race sequence at 10.30 and finish by 11.10 to start White races at 11.30.
- Give first signal 5 minutes before start.
- On Thursday evenings start all-in handicap at 19.15, National 18s at 19.17; finish leading boat soon after 20.00.
- Check all boats on water are entered.
- If boat(s) are over the line at start, make second sound signal and display flag X (individual recalls).
- Hail sail number(s) of boat(s) if possible.
- Hail when clear.
- If too many boats are over line, hoist first substitute with two sound signals for general recall and restart the race sequence 1 minute after removal of first substitute. The starts for other classes will be delayed and scheduled after this restart.
- On race sheet enter position of each boat at end of each lap and, if possible, also record each boat's lap time.
- Mark retirements against boat number.
- Decide in good time when to shorten course. Make two sound signals and hoist flag S when class leader has rounded last mark.
- Finish all boats when they cross line in same direction whether lapped or not.
- Boats can finish either side of the inner distance mark.
- Record finishing order and times in final column of race sheet (NB. this sequence is different from the race entry sequence).
- Make sure all boats are in.
Protests
- Ask protester to fill in protest form.
- Notify flag officer.
- Co-opt protest committee of three.
- Arrange hearing.
- Mark result on race sheet and give details to Sailing Secretary.
Clearing up
- Tidy box, secure halyards, put flags away, lock starting box door.
- Return Patrol boat keys and VHF handsets to upper steel cabinet in boatshed ensuring all VHF handsets are switched off and the charging cables are attached.
- When members have left club, take down flags and return them to upper steel cabinet in the boatshed, lock boatshed doors, lock all club windows and doors, re-arm security system if you have an alarm fob . Ensure changing room outer doors are closed.
- Make sure car park is empty.
- Lock main gate.
Last updated 18:47 on 20 October 2024