Iowa Sailing Club
Iowa Sailing Club Rules
Definitions
- Light-Weather conditions - steady winds under 15 mph (13
knots), with gusts up to 20 mph (17.4 knots).
- Heavy-Weather conditions - conditions more extreme than
Light-Weather conditions, with steady winds under 30 mph (26 knots), with
gusts up to 35 mph (30.4 knots). [As a guideline, if whitecaps are visible on
the water, Heavy-Weather conditions or above are present.]
- Light-Weather boat - any boat which has been deemed by
the ISC as fit for a Light-Weather Helmsman to sail, after being checked out
on that boat. [As a guideline, a Light-Weather boat must be simple to
rig/de-rig, simple to hand launch/recover, simple to sail and right from
capsize.]
- Heavy-Weather boat - any boat which is not a
Light-Weather boat.
Sailing Safety Rules
- Each boat must have at least a Helmsman aboard who has the proper rating
and has been checked out for that type of boat by a qualified member.
- Light-Weather Helmsmen and Advanced Light-Weather Helmsmen are limited to
sailing in Light-Weather conditions. Heavy-Weather Helmsman and above are
limited to sailing in Light-Weather or Heavy-Weather conditions. No member
shall take out a boat in more severe conditions.
- Members shall provide a life jacket for each person in the boat. Each member
or guest who has not taken the club's swim test shall wear their life jacket
while sailing.
- When the water temperature is below 55F (13C) all members and guests shall
wear life jackets while sailing. The wearing of life jackets is strongly recommended
when members and guests are sailing in Heavy-Weather conditions.
- When the water temperature is below 50F (10C), for members to sail, there
must be at least 2 boats on the water, and all boats must be within hailing
distance.
- Light-Weather Helmsmen should restrict their sailing to the South Arm of
the lake.
- Members rated Advanced Light-Weather Helmsmen and above may purchase a key
to the boathouse and sail at any time provided weather conditions are within
the defined limits of their rating.
- Light-Weather Helmsmen can sail only when supervised by other sailors of
a higher rating.
- No member shall sail after dark without proper boat lighting and authorization
of the Executive Council.
Equipment Policies
- There shall be no interchanging of parts between boats without
authorization from a member of the Executive Council.
- All lost and damaged equipment shall be reported to the Fleet Captain.
- If a boat is "Red-Tagged" or tagged "Hands-Off," it is not to be sailed.
- All Light-Weather boats shall be walked into and out of the lake during
the launching process. The tug is not to be used to launch these boats.
- No trailers are to be left below the top of the hill. The land below the
gate is state property and access cannot be blocked.
- Each member shall store equipment properly before leaving the boathouse
area (which includes sailing).
- Each member shall secure all locks before leaving the boathouse area.
- Only Helmsmen who have been checked out on the outboard motors shall
operate them.
- Only Helmsmen who have been checked out on the tug shall operate it.
Procedures
- To sail, a member must post their membership card on the boat check-out
board and sign out the boat, registering each person in the boat.
- There shall be no lending of keys or membership cards.
- Guests are limited to sailing twice.
- Regular instruction during Teaching Weekends and special racing days, as
designated by the Executive Council, shall take precedence over all other
sailing. No member shall sail a club boat for pleasure before 3:00 pm on Teaching
Weekends.
- During times of high boat demand members using the boats should check the
dock periodically for other members who may wish to sail.
- To administer a rating test, except for the Skipper rating, a member must
have at least one higher rating than that for which the test is being given.
The Vice Commodore shall administer the test for the Skipper rating.
- Members shall report gross rule infractions to the Executive Council.
- The Executive Council may suspend the sailing privileges or impose a fine
or other restrictions upon a violator of these rules, or upon persons responsible
for damage of club property.
- Members rated Advanced Light-Weather Helmsmen and above may purchase a key
to the boathouse and sail at any time provided weather conditions are within
the defined limits of the rating.
- Light-Weather Helmsmen can sail only when supervised by other sailors of
a higher rating.