NIH Sailing Association

Guidebook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
Membership
Organization and Participation
Mailing Lists (Club News and Sailing Discussion)
Boat Maintenance
Training
Commodore's Award
Racing
New Sailor Practice (Fun Sails)
Cruising
Social
Chartering Qualifications, Restrictions and Privileges
Chartering Procedures and Policies
Charter Fees
Location of Boats
Behavior at Selby Bay Sailing Center
Charter Conduct
Insurance and Accidents

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the National Institutes of Health Sailing Association (NIHSA). This Guidebook is intended to provide members with information to enable them to take full advantage of Club programs while abiding by Club rules. Members should stay informed of changes in programs and policies through notices sent by email via the NIHSA-NEWS mailing list, the NIHSA Web site: www.recgov.org/sail, and, if published, the Club's Newsletter, the Wind and Wake.

NIHSA created this Guidebook in the 1970's. A copy is given to each Basic Training student before graduation. Changes for the NIHSA Guidebook should be given to Mike Mage for the printed student copy, and the NIHSA Webmaster for the web version.

 

MEMBERSHIP

Eligibility

Full - Any NIH employee, patient or contractor or NOAA employee. Also, employees of other Federal Agencies located at NIH facilities. Members who leave NIH are entitled to continue their membership. Former members returning to the area after a non-resident absence may be allowed to rejoin at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Associate - Children (18 years and older), spouse (or equivalent), and parents sharing the same household with a Full Member.

Participating (Social) - No restrictions on eligibility (meaning you don't have to be at NIH or NOAA to join as a Participating Member). This membership is for those who would like to participate in all NIHSA activities except chartering the Flying Scots or taking the Basic Training Course. The Executive Committee may award Full Membership to a Participating Member who has been an exemplary member for at least six months.

 

Privileges

Full - All privileges of the NIHSA including chartering the Club boats (if qualified) and taking the Basic Training.

Associate - same as Full.

Participating - All privileges except chartering the Club boats and taking the Basic Training.

 

Fees

ANNUAL DUES

MEMBERSHIP	FEE
Full	$40
Associate	$25
Participating	$10

 

R&W Membership

All members must be current year NIH/NOAA Recreation and Welfare Preferred Members.

 

Membership List & Application Forms

A current computerized membership list may be requested from the Membership Chairperson. In 2010, we hope to have online membership registration.

ORGANIZATION AND PARTICIPATION

The Advisory Board will meet monthly, as needed, on the second Thursday of the month, at a potluck supper to conduct Club business. We welcome all Club members to these meetings (now called planning parties). Members are encouraged to make suggestions, bring up issues for discussion, voice complaints, offer to do a job, etc. Also, members are encouraged to call Club officers or chairpersons responsible for a program activity with suggestions beneficial to NIHSA function.

MAILING LISTS (CLUB NEWS AND SAILING DISCUSSION)

All NIHSA events are announced by e-mail via the NIHSA-NEWS mailing list.

There are two NIHSA mailing lists:

• NIHSA-NEWS: for use by club officers and activity chairs to make announcements of club events.
• NIHSA-SAIL: for use by all members to find sailing partners for daysails on the club's Flying Scots, and for general discussion of NIHSA and sailing-related subjects.

BOAT MAINTENANCE

The NIHSA maintains a fleet of five Flying Scots, a 19' daysailer. The Fleet Captain, Boat Sponsors and Co-Sponsors direct a regular schedule of maintenance during the sailing season to ensure continued seaworthiness of these boats. In preparation for the Spring launching of the boats, around the first Saturday in April, volunteers spend Saturday mornings in March sanding, painting and getting equipment and rigging ready. In the late fall, usually the Saturday preceding Thanksgiving, the boats are taken out of the water, derigged and put in dry storage. Membership participation in these activities is instructive and encourages members to get to know one another. Maintaining the boats ourselves saves the Club money and makes our low charter rates possible.

TRAINING

Directed by the Training Chairpersons, the Training Program includes:

Basic Training

Coordinated by the Basic Training Chairpersons, this course prepares new sailors to charter the Flying Scots. Students must be Full or Associate members of the NIHSA. The course is usually given in the Spring and Fall each year and costs an all-inclusive $175 (includes R&W and NIHSA membership). This fee also includes the textbook and charter costs for on-board training. The curriculum consists of six weekday evening classroom sessions (last session is the written exam), one Saturday morning orientation at the marina, and three or four weekday afternoon on-board sessions with an instructor and one other student.

Advanced Training

Varies from year to year but has included on-the-water cruising boat experience and racing clinics as well as classroom courses in piloting, seamanship and celestial navigation. Members with expertise and experience are encouraged to volunteer to share their skills.

COMMODORE'S AWARD

First presented to Frank Tietze by former Commodore Barbara Williams, this award is given at any time at the discretion of the Commodore for exceptional contribution to the Sailing Club. Recipients include:

RACING

The Racing Program offers Club members a chance to participate in sailboat racing at several levels as skipper, crew or race committee. Besides the excitement of competition, racing provides added experience in new sailing techniques, encourages better sailing and fosters an awareness of the attention required to maintain a boat in top racing form.

The Club sponsors monthly intramural regattas for those with little or no previous racing experience, using the Club's five Flying Scots. The aim is to give both racers and race committee experience in racing techniques and procedures. To this end we run more races on shorter courses. Awards are given for each regatta. The season culminates in the Intramural Championship (Hot Shot Regatta) started by Sue Hauser in 1979, in which the year's individual regatta winners compete for the perpetual Intramural Championship Trophy.

Advanced racers are encouraged to take the Club boats to other regattas: Fleet 42 races (on Wednesdays at Selby Bay), West River Sailing Club races, and other CBYRA-sanctioned regattas. A charter rate of half the regular rate applies to these events. There are many opportunities on the Bay to gain wider experience by crewing on other boats, from one-design dinghies to cruising classes. Racing training and education are often provided by NIHSA with seminars and symposia throughout the year.

NIHSA Intramural Champions

NEW SAILOR PRACTICE

New Sailor Practice is a program which has included, in various years, matching up sailing partners for practice and having group sailing events (Fun Sails).

CRUISING

NIHSA cruises are made up of a group of individual Club members who charter cruising boats (or own their own boat) and sail together for the fun of it. The main goal is to enjoy an extended sailing experience on a larger boat and to gain experience in cruising skills such as seamanship and piloting. The skipper charters the boat (or owns the boat) and is responsible for the boat and the crew. The NIHSA makes no certification of the competence of any skipper or the seaworthiness of any charter or privately owned boat. Skipper and crew share equally in the cost (usually $60-100/day per person) and cruise duties. A skipper of a cruising boat is not to be confused with the NIHSA rating of Skipper. The NIHSA rating of Skipper applies only to Flying Scots.

There are usually two "official" organized cruises each year -- Memorial Day and Columbus Day weekends. In recent years, there have also been cruises on the 4th of July, Labor Day, and Veteran's Day.  For cruises, the Cruising Chairperson(s) selects an area of the Chesapeake Bay to cruise in and provides potential skippers with charter information. Discounts on charter rates for a group of boats may be available. An effort is made to match potential crew with skippers who have berths. Skippers are encouraged to take members who are inexperienced and/or new to the Club. An itinerary is decided on and most of the boats raft up nightly at the designated anchorage.

There are other cruises as well (such as during the winter in the Caribbean, and on other long weekends and in other locations). Members interested in cruising should get to know the cruising skippers by participating in Club activities such as maintenance sessions and social gatherings.

An information sheet, "Tips for New Cruisers" is available on the NIHSA web.  Additional cruising information can be found on the Cruising page.

Each spring the Cruising Program designs and produces a T-shirt for sale to the membership. These are classics and should not be passed up.

SOCIAL

It is important that members have opportunities to meet each other, so they can find sailing partners. Also, we just like to party. Parties in the past have included Basic Training Graduation Parties, Picnic and Free Sails at Selby Bay, the Lobster Bake, the Summer Crab Feast, and the Winter Holiday party. The schedule is set by each year's Social Chairperson and suggestions and new ideas are always welcome. Social opportunities also exist on maintenance days and after racing events.

CHARTERING QUALIFICATIONS, RESTRICTIONS AND PRIVILEGES

The NIHSA has several levels of qualifications for charterers of the Flying Scots. A member who has passed the NIHSA Basic Training Course or a Check-out Sail qualifies as a Restricted Helmsperson, but can quickly advance to Unrestricted Helmsperson. The Skipper rating is reserved for the Club's most competent and responsible members and usually takes several years to achieve. With each advancement in rating comes fewer restrictions, more privileges and more responsibilities.

Helmsperson Requirements

To qualify as a Helmsperson, one must demonstrate a general working knowledge of the items listed below by either completing the Helmsperson check-out or by affirmation of the instructor following successful completion of an on-board training course sponsored by the NIHSA.

1.   Pertinent rules of the road (right of way, etc).

2.   Three points of sailing (beating, reaching, running).

3.   Maneuvers, commands (tacking, jibing).

4.   Components of the Flying Scot (nomenclature and operation).

5.   Knots (bowline, figure-8, half-hitch, reef).

6.   Mooring and docking techniques (approaching and leaving pier or open mooring, anchoring).

7.   Man overboard drill (from three different points of sail).

8.   Reefing (when and how).

9.   Weather (warnings, frontal patterns, precautionary measures while at sea).

10. Piloting (buoy system, lights, signals).

11. Options in case of heavy weather and what to do in case of capsize.

Helmsperson Privileges

A Helmsperson may charter the Scots under the following conditions:

1. From sunrise to sunset.

2. Any time a Small Craft Advisory is not posted.
************************************************************************
-- You are required to check the Marine Forecast before leaving home or work to go sailing.  (Selby Bay is in forecast region: Chesapeake Bay between Sandy Point and North Beach.)
-- Phone Forecast: 703-260-0107 - press 1, Recorded Forecasts; then press 2, Marine Forecast.
(Phone forecast is a long distance call from Maryland.)
-- Current Weather: Thomas Point Current Weather 
************************************************************************

3. With no more than five other persons and no fewer than one other person aboard. A Restricted Helmsperson must have aboard another NIHSA-rated Helmsperson (Restricted or Unrestricted) or Skipper.

4. Sailing area:

a. Restricted Helmsperson: Inside a line from Marshy Point through South River Red "4" to Saunders Point, and downstream from the swing bridge at Lees Wharf (stay well clear of the bridge).

b. Unrestricted Helmsperson: Within the limitations of daylight, weather and other rules outlined above.

Becoming an Unrestricted Helmsperson

To change from Restricted to Unrestricted Helmsperson, a member must:

1. Charter an NIHSA Flying Scot in his/her own name at least three times without damage or accidents.

AND

2. Participate in an NIHSA-boat-related activity, such as: crewing in an NIHSA regatta; participating in an NIHSA sponsored cruise; helping in a maintenance session; OR participating in any other training or sailing event designated by the Basic Training Chairperson.

When a member has met these requirements, he/she should notify by email or regular mail, the Membership Chairperson, indicating dates of charters and the Club activity in which he/she participated.

Helmsperson Checkout

Any new NIHSA full or associate member who is an experienced sailor and who feels that he/she can fulfill all requirements outlined in the NIHSA Helmsperson Requirements, should arrange for a Check-out Sail with the Check-out Chairperson.

The Check-out Sail will take about three hours at the Selby Bay Sailing Center. Guests are not invited aboard. Fees involved for the applicant include a $15.00 check-out fee and the cost of the boat charter. Members successfully completing their check-out sail will be given a Restricted Helmsperson rating -- in order that they become more fully aware of member responsibilities and opportunities within the Club, more experienced in sailing and maintaining the Flying Scots, and more knowledgeable of the Chesapeake Bay and its weather.

It is recommended that individuals desiring a Check-out, who are experienced sailors but not specifically acquainted with the Flying Scot or the Chesapeake Bay, first make arrangements to go for a preliminary sail with a qualified member. This will allow the individual to become familiar with our sailing area as well as with unique characteristics of our boats (e.g., rigging, inventory, halyard winches, etc.).

 

Skipper Requirements

The Skipper rating is reserved for the Club's most competent and responsible members and usually takes several years to achieve.

A Skipper candidate shall:

1. Have been out with the Flying Scots no less than six times.

2. Be sponsored by a Skipper who circulates the candidate's name amongst other Skippers. The candidate shall have demonstrated to that Skipper increased competence on all items in the Helmsperson Requirements.

3. Participate in at least one rigging or de-rigging session and help with maintenance, to be familiar with trouble shooting and emergency procedures.

4. Be familiar with Coast Guard/ Marine Police regulations regarding collision reporting, emergency assistance requirement), and Marine Police advisory display pennants.

5. Service to the Club, such as serving as an officer or chairperson, boat sponsor, teaching, or running certain events.

6. Be ratified by an Ad Hoc Committee of NIHSA Skippers appointed by the Skipper Ratification Chairperson.

Skipper Privileges and Responsibilities

Privileges - A Skipper may:

1. Sail a Flying Scot alone.
2. Sail a Flying Scot after dark.
3. Sail in any weather at own discretion.
4. Take a boat out for more than one day.
5. Trailer a boat after consultation with the Commodore or other appropriate Officer.

Responsibilities - A Skipper must:

1. Be available for instructor duty if needed.
2. Act as representative of the Club in emergencies and/or irregularities which jeopardize Club property.

Revocation of Charter Privileges

At the discretion of the Commodore, a member's NIHSA chartering privileges may be revoked for:

1. Repeated failure to abide by Club rules

2. Conduct unbecoming to an NIHSA member, e.g.,

a. Inappropriate behavior at Selby Bay Sailing Center
b. Rudeness to R&W personnel
c. Other

CHARTERING PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

1.  Only Full or Associate members with a Skipper or Helmsperson rating may charter the NIHSA Flying Scots.

2.  All chartering is done using an online service, linked from the NIHSA web: www.recgov.org/sail.  The R&W cannot help you with chartering.  But you can buy winch handles ($5 per handle) at the R&W Activities Desk, NIH, Bldg. 31/B1W30.  Reminder: plan ahead and bring your checkbook.  Make your check out to "NIH Sailing Association".  THE R&W CANNOT ACCEPT CASH.

3.  As many charter dates may be arranged at one time as desired.

4.  Canceled charters:

a. Small craft or thunderstorm warnings: Reschedule to a new date. No refund.

b. "Uncomfortable weather" conditions, that is, wind conditions beyond the comfort level of the sailor or sudden thunderstorms and heavy rain. In order to reschedule the charter, the sailor must have gone to Selby Bay, signed in the log book and determined that the weather was unfavorable for the charter. No refund.

CHARTER FEES

1. Regular rates (in effect from opening day until September 30th):

REGULAR CHARTER FEES

DAYS	MORNING SESSION	AFTERNOON SESSION	ALL DAY
Sat, Sun, Holiday	$20	$20	$35
Weekday	$5	$10	$15

Weekday fee does not apply to Holidays. Morning half-day session is from dawn until 2:00 pm. Afternoon half-day session is from 2:00 pm - dusk.

2. Reduced rates (in effect September 30th until the end of the season)

REDUCED CHARTER FEES

DAYS	MORNING SESSION	AFTERNOON SESSION	ALL DAY
Sat, Sun, Holiday	$10	$10	$20
Weekday	$5	$10	$10

3. To encourage Club members to participate in Flying Scot Sailing Association sanctioned regattas, reduced racing charter rates, limited to two boats per event, are set at one-half price. Arrange charters through the Racing Chairperson.
4. A special cruising charter rate of one-half the day charter rates is available for charterers using the Club's boats in Club-sponsored cruising events.

LOCATION OF THE BOATS

Directions to Selby Bay Sailing Center

Driving time from NIH: one hour.  Take the Beltway (495) east.  Get off at Exit 19A, onto Route 50 east towards Annapolis.  After about 11 miles, exit onto Route 424 south to Davidsonville.  After about 4 miles, at the first stop light, turn left onto Route 214.  Go more than 4 miles (past Route 2 and Route 468) and turn left onto Turkey Point Road at the sign "To Old Turkey Point Road. Turkey Point Road."  (If you get to the Old Stein Restaurant and the Mayo Post Office on the right at Carr's Wharf Road, you have gone too far.)

Once you are on Turkey Point Road, immediately take another left onto Old Turkey Point Road.  Head toward the church with the white steeple.  Please slow down to 15 mph.  Bear right and go around behind the church by continuing to turn right onto the one lane road. Then, turn at the first narrow lane to the left that is across from the grouping of mailboxes. Be careful, there is no turnaround if you would happen to drive past the narrow lane on the left. A blue house will appear on the left (This is the home and office of Selby Bay Sailing Center's owner, David Neff, 1032 Old Turkey Point Road, Edgewater, MD 21037.)

Once in front of David Neff's blue house, continue to the left onto the gravel and grassy parking lot. The sailing center is to the left side of the metal fence and beyond is the sailing center dock. Please see the Facility site map for car parking and the location of the NIHSA shed and boats.  No dogs are allowed at the Sailing Center.

Park at the Sailing Center (or if the Sailing Center is full, in the church parking lot).

Follow this map once you get to Route 214 and Turkey Point Road

BEHAVIOR AT THE SAILING CENTER

1. Excessive speed on the roads leading into Selby Bay Sailing Center will not be tolerated. Please try and keep speeds to around 15 mph.
2. Be careful where you park. Don't block the ramp or other cars.
3. NO DOGS are allowed on the grounds. Please respect this restriction. There were some unpleasant encounters in the past.
4. Be careful not to block the dock with equipment, gear and groups of people. Be considerate of others who use the marina.
5. Never leave lines on the dock, since people may trip over them. Hang lines on available poles.
6. Boats should be thoroughly prepared to depart the slip or come back in, with a good plan for avoiding other boats underway or docked nearby.

Shed

The shed bearing the NIHSA Logo to the right of the dock is used by the NIHSA and houses such things as tools, spare parts, fairly new sails for racing, and old spare sails for daysailing. The combination for the lock on the shed will be issued to you during new sailor orientation or during your check-out sail. The door must be re-locked when you go out sailing, and after you sign the logbook when you leave for the day. Try to keep things neat and, if there are gas cans, do not set them on the racing marks (the gas eats the styrofoam).

Motors

The Club used to own several kinds of outboard motors--Mariner/Mercury/Johnson. All used only regular leaded or unleaded gas mixed with oil 50:1. The Club always had great difficulty maintaining motors and decided to discontinue their use by not replacing them.  The Club decided, "After the last ones become unusable, that's it -- no more motors."

However, recently, there may be an electric motor on Breezy.  Tom Murphy is in charge of this motor.

CHARTER CONDUCT

The Charterer is LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE for the safety of the boat and the crew.

Before You Go Out

1.  Provide your own winch handles, flashlights, first aid and tools, and, if motors are available, gas and oil for the motors.  Every charterer is required to have two winch handles.  Winch handles can be purchased at the R&W Activities Desk in Bldg. 31 with a $5 check (AT R&W: NO CASH - CHECKS ONLY), or purchased at Selby Bay Sailing Center, if David Neff is available (cash is fine for David).

2.  Check Bay weather conditions and marine forecast. (You are required to check the marine forecast.)

• Marine Forecast links on the web:
  -- Thomas Point Current Weather (http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=tplm2) 
      At the above link, check current weather & click on "Latest NWS Marine Forecast".
  -- Or try this: http://weather.gov/washington - click on Chesapeake Bay, just below Bay Bridge.
  -- Or try this: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/shmrn.php?mz=anz532 (Region: Sandy Point to North Beach)
• Phone forecast: 703-260-0107 - press 1 for Recorded Forecasts, then press 2 for Marine Forecast.
  (Phone forecast is a LONG DISTANCE CALL from Maryland.)
• AM radio: WYRE 810 KHz, 10 minutes before the hour and half-hour.
• Weather radio: 162.40 MHz and 162.55 MHz.

3.  Log out (logbook is in the shed) under proper boat (skipper, crew, destination, estimated time of return), note the previous skipper's comments and take appropriate action.

4.  Check for damage to the boat, and/or missing equipment. Don't transfer equipment from another boat -- there are spares in the shed. If your boat is missing, do not take another.

5.  Make sure you have a PFD for each person.

 

When You Get Back In

1.   Dock the bow first, and return the boat to its designated slip.

2.   Lower boom into crutch; furl mainsail and stow jib and sheets (don't remove battens).

3.   Attach jib halyard to bow eye and adjust tension. Attach main halyard to ring-slide on mast. Check tension on both halyards; they should be tight and shrouds should be taut.

4.   Ease the outhaul, snug up the boom vang and tie down the tiller.

5.   Pull up the centerboard and rudder blade; hank mainsheet and centerboard pennant; cleat down all free lines and keep the lines off the bottom of the boat, where they get wet and rot.

6.   Repair or replace breaks or losses if possible. There may be spares in the shed. Do not transfer equipment from other boats.

7.   Use sponge to remove spills, etc. from deck and seats.

8.   Recheck that the bow and stern lines are secure and put on fenders; you may be the last person to use the boat before a storm, so be sure that the boat won't be damaged in the slip.

9. Log in. Note weather/sea conditions, equipment loss or damage, boat condition (good and bad points) and suggestions for improvements. You might also indicate interesting places you sailed or maneuvers tried.

 

After the Charter

1.  If there has been any loss, breakage, etc. please attempt to fix it; otherwise, notify the boat sponsor as soon as possible and record the problem in the logbook.

2.  Phone the boat sponsor immediately if there is major loss, damage or boat defect (see Officer/Staff Roster and current charter sheet). Depending on the circumstances, the charterer may be responsible for replacement or repair costs for items lost or damaged during the charter (up to $250.00).

3.  If the boat was involved in an accident while you were chartering it, see Accidents below.

4.  If sails are torn, bring them to the Neff's, or bring them back and deliver them to the Sail Maintenance Person (page 2) as soon as possible. Do not leave them in the shed.

INSURANCE AND ACCIDENTS

Insurance

The NIHSA Flying Scots are covered by accident insurance with a deductible of $500.  If there is loss or damage, the charterer is responsible for replacement or repair only up to the amount of $250, with the NIHSA covering any remainder of the deductible.  In cases of negligence (as determined by the NIHSA Accident Investigation Committee), the responsible charterer may be charged a greater amount.  Our policy carries $100,000 liability per occurrence, $1,000 in medical coverage per occurrence and $500 for towing.  Any member who is eligible to charter the Flying Scots, and who has done so in accordance to NIHSA procedure as outlined in this Guidebook, is covered by the insurance policy.  Many homeowner and renter insurance policies also include additional personal liability or medical coverage; check your insurance policy.

Accidents

If you have an accident and/or the boat is damaged:

1. Take care of your crew.

2. Secure the boat by:

a. getting it back to Selby Bay Sailing Center if possible
b. beaching it
c. anchoring it

3. Immediately notify the Commodore, Fleet Captain and/or Boat Sponsor.

4. File an accident report with Maryland State Department of Natural Resources, if required. It is required that you fill out a NIHSA accident form and send it to the Accident Investigation Chairpersons (Bob Yetter and Ron Hall). If the damage is more that $250.00, fill out the Club's insurance forms within one week of the accident.

5. Be prepared, as soon as conditions permit, to arrange for return and/or repair of boat. You are responsible for the cost of commercial salvage and repairs not covered by insurance, etc.

Accident Investigation

All accidents and significant boat damage will be investigated by the Accident Investigation Board.

 

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