August 21, 2020
Dear Parents and Friends of AYC Junior Sailing Programs:
The AYC 2020 September Program Sailing Sessions begin on September 7! Sign Up Now.
NOTE: Programs are being scheduled on a month to month basis, due to uncertainty of times during Covid-19
A new training schedule, with the dates, times and fees for each category, is attached for both Optimist and Laser sailors. Registration must be completed in the AYC Office and payment must be made in full by the first day of the session. Returning sailors will be evaluated and may be promoted based on their work in the previous session they last attended. New participants must agree to and sign the AYC “Sailor and Parent Code of Conduct” forms before the first lesson. If you are unsure about which category to register your sailor, please come and discuss with me.
I want to remind you that all junior members must be part of a program in order to sail out of AYC. Having your own boat does not entitle you to sail out of the facility. This policy is a mandatory safety requirement and ensures that all young sailors are supervised properly.
New protocols for participation have been put into place by the AYC in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the Ministry of Sport for Antigua & Barbuda. It is very important that you make yourself aware of what these are. A full list will be posted at the club, on the website and is available from the office. Included in these rules are:
- All participants and sailors must wear a mask (can be a neck guard) at all times
- Hand hygiene must be observed when entering property. There is a new basin installed for this purpose at the entrance to Barbie’s.
- Use of hand sanitizer, located on site, is obligatory
- Maintaining social distance: minimum 2 persons in the dinghy shed and in the bathroom at any one time. Elsewhere in the Club area the 6 feet/2 metre rule is in effect especially in the boat park when rigging boats.
- No sharing of equipment – personal lifejacket must be brought with the sailor for exclusive use.
- All boats must be properly cleaned by the user following the session – this is a requirement for the boat to remain in the public area of the boat park, regardless if it is the sailor’s own boat/equipment or the club’s
- To eliminate having too many sailors in the boat park at one time, an arrival and launch system may be introduced
- Sailors must be dropped off and picked up promptly – no lingering at the club or in the restaurant either before or after lessons
Please note: In compliance with the new Covid-19 Safety Requirements, a new regime for disposing of all garbage at the site is being introduced and is mandatory to observe. All garbage must be put into the bin provided – do not drop your garbage on the ground, on the floor of the washrooms or in any other area of the Club or this will have to be understood as a breach in the guidelines and you will be sanctioned.
Thank you in advance for your efforts. The safety of all participants is our priority. As we progress forward, please note that some changes may be made to make the system work more efficiently.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact me directly either by email at events@yachtclub.ag or telephone 268-728-5045.
Regards,
Karl James, OLY, GOH, FMC, MBE
Manager of Dinghy Sailing and Youth Training Scheme, Antigua Yacht Club