T15 Parents/Guardians info

Membership Requirements

At least one parent or guardian must be a member of BCYC. This person can be a non-watersports member.

Sign-on

Your child needs to be signed on in advance for every Thursday. See the Weekly administration section on how to do this.

Parental attendance and responsibility on site

A parent/guardian must remain on site while a child is sailing. The coaches are responsible for the safety of your child on the water, but you are responsible for them on land. If there is a reason that they need to leave the water early (tiredness, broken kit, injury etc.) then a parent or guardian must meet them at the shore and help them with the kit.

If you have to leave the site while your child remains you must arrange for another adult (not a coach) to be in loco-parentis. Please check that they are happy with this and that another on-site adult is aware of the arrangement.

Risks

Water is dangerous.

• Aside from the usual dangers of water, it should be remembered that the reservoir is filled from a freshwater stream and can be cold, even in summer. The club has wetsuits if your child does not have their own.
• Weed is a problem later in the season.
• All U18 must wear a bouyancy aid when on, or near, the water. Helmets and footwear are mandatory for foiling.
• Wash hands after contact with water or wet kit to prevent infections.
• Bristol Water restrictions prevent swimming in the water. This includes jumping off the pontoon.

There is public access to the reservoir shore. This brings additional risks to both your child, their kit and the public.

• Please watch out when transporting kit across the path.
• Don't leave items unattended.
• Watch out for dogs when laying out sails on the ground, a sail can quickly be shredded by an enthusiatic dog.
• If you have a dog please keep it under control and out of the way of children and the public. Please be aware that some children are scared by any dog, however quiet and well-behaved yours is.
• The clubhouse is for club members only. If you feel comfortable doing so, challenge people you do not recognise entering the clubhouse, and do not hand out the changing room code.
• Despite the best efforts of Bristol Water security, there have been incidents of local youth partying on the foreshore and breaking glass. Encourage your child to always wear wetsuit shoes/boots.

Insurance

While taking part in club activities your child is insured by the RYA for personal accident. This includes race events held at BCYC. If you take part in racing at other venues then you need to obtain other insurance. Membership of the RYA or the UKWA covers this. Of primary importance is the 3rd party personal accident insurance; windsurfers and big, hard and can be fast, foils are even faster and sharper. However, insurance may also cover 3rd party accidents relating to kit; if it is your childs' fault that someone else's kit is damaged then the expectation is that you cover the damage. A new Techno293 sail is close to £1000. We highly recommend that you obtain RYA, UKWA or alternative insurance even if you don't intend for your child to sail elsewhere.

Adult assistance

This year we are trying to get the youth to take on more of the responsibilities of running Thursday evenings. Realistically though, we need adult assistance in running the nights. If you can, please help out, particularly with the heavy items like getting boats out of the water and helping smaller kids with kit. At least two adults on shore need to have a radio to handle any queries and concerns from the coaches.

Windsurfers which are blown onto the north shore need to be walked back to the pontoon. Don't forget to wear a buoyancy aid! You can find them in the shed if needed.

If you are interested in coaching please let one of the existing coaches know.

And last but not least. Please feel free to help yourself to tea/coffee/hot chocolate for a small fee but please keep things tidy and clean up after