Safety Information

Club Safety Rules

These rules apply to and shall be binding on all ordinary and affiliate members of the Cambridge University Yachting and Cambridge University Cruising Club as defined in the club's constitution (hereafter referred to as 'members'). When you participate in Cambridge University Yachting activities you agree to be bound by these rules and any conditions contained in them. Please take the time to read them carefully.

A Liability & Responsibility

All members use any facilities of CUY entirely at their own risk and you accept that:
1. CUY will not accept any liability for any damage to or loss of property belonging to members, their guests or visitors to CUY facilities.
2. CUY will not accept any liability for personal injury arising out of the use of CUY facilities, or out of participation in any activity organized by CUY, whether sustained by members, their guests or visitors, or caused by the said members, guests or visitors (Before inviting any guests or visitors onto the premises or to participate in events organized by CUCrC, members will draw their attention to this rule.)
3. Nothing in these rules shall limit the liability of CUY for any personal injury or damage caused as a result of its negligence or fraud.
In ensuring safety members have the following responsibilities:
1. All members shall be personally responsible for deciding whether to start and continue sailing. They may receive advice from other members, particularly skippers and officers, but the ultimate responsibility for deciding to participate in an activity, which may be part or all of the scheduled event, lies with the member
2. All CUY Skippers shall be solely responsible for the safety and conduct of their vessel and crew. They may be advised by other CUY Skippers or CUY Officers, principally the Commodore, but the responsibility remains theirs alone.
3. The CUY Committee is responsible for ensuring that the risks for all planned events are assessed as acceptable and minimized as far as possible. This is achieved by the standard CUY Risk Assessment against which each trip is evaluated. The Commodore is the principal officer of the CUY Committee responsible for safety planning and promotion, supported by the CUY Safety Officer
4. The CUY Safety Officer is responsible for the maintenance of safety records, principally the acceptance forms, and for ensuring that all members understand, accept, and comply with the CUY Safety Rules and Regulations. They are also responsible for reviewing the CUY Safety Policy and the CUY Risk Assessment.

B Regulations

All members must complete a CUY Crew Register on joining the club and before participating in any CUY activity.
All members must sign an acceptance form of these CUY Safety Rules and Regulations before participating in any activity to demonstrate that they understand the risks involved in the sport of yachting and that they agree to comply with the CUY Safety Policy.
Definition of a CUY Trip/Event: CUY Trips and Events are only those that are organized by the CUY Committee (Skippers & Officers).
A Trip Leader must be appointed for all CUY trips. Your Trip Leader will be a suitably experienced member appointed by the CUY Committee. Trip Leaders are responsible for taking appropriate care of the other members on the trip. The Trip Leader will typically be the CUY Skipper, or, in the case of several yachts, the senior CUY Skipper present.

C Rules

The Trip Leader must ensure an e-mail is sent to all those taking part in the event warning them of the hasards of marinas including:
1. Risk of walking alone along pontoons, especially at night, due to slippery surfaces and other hazards such as ropes and cargo.
2. The care to be taken when boarding yachts for the first time.
The Trip Leader must ensure an e-mail is sent to the Senior Treasurer of CUCrC before the trip starts containing:
1. Registration of cars used for transport and their occupants
2. Name of Yacht
3. Area of Sailing
4. Full Crew List
5. Name, E-Mail and Telephone number of designated shore contact (ususally shore contact)
The Trip Leader must ensure the shore contact is made aware of any last-minute changes to the trip details.
CUY Skippers will ensure that they are aware of any restrictions placed on the use of the yacht by the charterer or by the charterer's or owner's insurance policy.
CUY Skippers will ensure that they comply at all times with SOLAS regulations by:
1. Making a careful assessment of any proposed voyage taking into account all relevant factors including:
2. All dangers to navigation,
3. Weather foreacsts,
4. Limitations of the vessel,
5. Tidal predictions,
6. Physical ability and experience of of the crew,
7. A contingency plan in case of unpredicted weather; injuries or equipment failure,
8. Making a shore contact aware of your plans.
9. Ensuring a Radar Reflector is hoisted.
10. Ensuring an illustrated table of life-saving signals is available to the First Mate and Watch Leaders.
11. Ensuring any navigational hazards encountered are reported to the Coastguard via Ch16 or telephone as soon as possible.
12. Respoinding to distress messages from any source.
13. Ensuring unintended distress messages are not sent from CUY vessels.
All members shall wear a 150N lifejacket at all times whilst underway at sea or in a yacht's tender. This rule may be relaxed occasionally but only with the consent of the trip leader who shall be either the senior CUY Skipper present or the Commodore.
All members shall wear a safety line either when:
1. In fog
2. At night
3. In rough weather
4. at any other time when directed by their CUY Skipper.
The CUY Skipper or CUY Mate shall be on deck supervising activities whilst underway at night.
The CUY Skipper shall ensure a responsibility attitude to safety at all items specially ensuring:
1. Hatches are closed whilst at sea,
2. Ropes, Lines and Halyards remind tidy at all times,
3. The operation of the anchor windlass is supervised directly by the Skipper,
4. Anybody ascending the mast uses two halyards and that this activity is supervised directly by the Skipper.
5. That sensible precautions are taken to guard against the risk of food poisioning such as checking sell-by-date of produce and refigeration instructions.
There shall be a minimum of two persons on deck at all times whilst at night. This will normally imply a minimum of three people involved in each watch. This applies both whilst underway at sea and where adjustments may be needed whilst at anchor/moored.
All members shall where clothing appropriate to the conditions, including waterproofs in necessary, and shall personally take steps to avoid hypothermia, hyperthermia (sun/heat stroke), dehydration, sun burn, and seasickness, in consultation with the CUY Skipper if advice is needed.
All members shall be capable of swimming at least 50m in ordinary clothing and keeping afloat for at least 5 minutes. Any member not able to do so shall notify the CUY Committee and CUY Skipper of their trip.
No alcohol shall be consumed whilst underway at sea. If alcohol is consumed whilst at anchor or moored the crew members concerned shall not be allowed on deck, except to sit in the cockpit.
No smoking shall occur except on the leeward side of the stern, away from the sails, cabin, fuel cans, and any other flammable items. If damage is caused to the yacht by smoking this will be charged in full to the member concerned.
All members shall follow all orders of their CUY Skipper, and other members of the crew such as the CUY Mate, who have been put in positions of responsibility. Before going afloat, your Trip Leader, or the Skipper, will give you a safety brief about the yacht and the type of sailing to be done, including the procedures to be followed while on the water and in case of emergency. You must comply with the instructions which your Trip Leader or Skipper give you for your own safety and for the safety of the group.
The full safety brief will be detailed in the CUY Manual
It is the Member's responsibility to check their personal equipment (e.g. lifejacket) to ensure it is in working order. They may receive advice if necessary from their CUY Skipper.
Members use all equipment provided by CUY at their own risk, and any damage to persons or equipment caused by negligent actions may be subject to disciplinarily action and or monetary fines.
Use of CUY equipment is limited to CUY events and trips, and all equipment must have been properly risk assessed before it is used. Use of equipment, including yachts and parts therein, which has been hired by CUY shall be fully checked by the CUY Skipper at the commencement of the event or trip and should not be used by any members if they believe it not to be safety. In addition all equipment shall be used in the manner instructed or sanctioned by CUY or the manufacturer. Any misuse shall be considered negligent.
All members must notify the Commodore and CUY Skipper of the event of any medical condition they have which cannot be controlled or requires continuing medication which must not be stopped or may be exacerbated by physical activity. This includes allergies, asthma, cardiac problems, diabetes, nervous problems, psychiatric illnesses, vision, and physical weaknesses. All information will be treated confidentially and only discussed with other CUY Skippers and/or Officers with the member's consent. No medical problem will, in itself, be a barrier to participating in CUY activities, and in accordance with RYA and University policy, all efforts will be made to assist the member where necessary.
If the Trip Leader or CUY Skipper deems the conditions are inappropriate for any or all of the members involved, they have the right to cancel or postpone the trip or part of it, or prevent certain members participating. If this happens, the trip costs already incurred will not be refunded.

D Manning Standards

All CUY Trips shall have a Trip Leader, who shall be a member of the CUY Committee.
Each yacht on all CUY Trips shall have an Afterguard, which shall constitute, as a minimum:
1. CUY Skipper, with the following qualifications:
  - at least the RYA/DoT Coastal Skipper Certificate of Competence.
  - valid first aid certificate.
2. CUY Mate, with the following qualifications:
  - at least the RYA Day Skipper Practical or equivalent experience.
  - VHF Licence.
  - valid first aid certificate.
3. At least one further crew member with some sailing experience.
In circumstances where these manning standards are not met (such as on some training trips when it is not possible to have a CUY Mate), the Commodore may allow the trip to continue, but with limitations on cruising limits, times, and winds.

E Breach of Rules or Conduct

If any member is in breach of the CUY Safety Rules and Regulations and a simple warning is not appropriate, they may be expelled from CUY, under the procedure outlined in the club constitution.
If any member's conduct is negligent or irresponsible and causes damage or other penalty to be imposed on CUY, the member shall be personally liable for the penalty.