Section 1 - Core Operating Procedures

Staffing

All dinghy sailing courses will be supervised by a Senior Instructor (SI), assisted by one or more other instructors: another SI, Dinghy Instructor (DI) or an Assistant Instructor (AI). Instructors must hold current and valid RYA First Aid and RYA Powerboat Level 2 (PB2) certificates, in addition to their designated RYA instructor certificates, i.e., SI, DI (Dinghy Instructor) or AI (Assistant Instructor).

All powerboat courses will be supervised by the Chief Powerboat Instructor (CI-P) or their appointed RYA Powerboat Instructor (PBI).

Where the safety boat is manned by a person other than an instructor, that person will be required to hold a current and valid PB2 certificate. Dedicated safety boat cover will be provided for each dinghy course with a driver and crew resourced from the club's volunteer duty roster. The nominated SI should liaise with the safety boat team ahead of the course to ensure that they are clear as to their dedicated safety boat cover role.

Teaching ratios for sail training should be in accordance with the RYA National Sailing Scheme Instructor Handbook (publication G14, edition 2021) and latest RYA Recognition Guidance Notes (RGNs): specifically RGN B8 'Course delivery and supervision'.

Instructors who are new to South Cerney RTC, and/ or who have not taught on an RYA sailing course for 12 months, will be inducted by the Training Principal (TP) or the Chief Instructor - Dinghy (CI-D). This induction will include familiarisation with the RTC equipment, training fleet boats, site conditions and Operating Procedures. It will be documented by the TP.

Briefings

The SI supervising each course will brief all instructors prior to the students arriving.

This briefing will include:

1. Plan for the day
2. Staffing
3. Allocation of duties
4. Allocation of training boats, safety boats and other equipment
5. Safety briefing to include fire and first aid procedures
6. Weather forecast, water temperature, shoreline risks, etc.
7. Domestic arrangements
8. Other activities on the water
9. Other activities in the clubhouse
10. The SI will brief students after registration

The follow-on student briefing will include the following:

1. Welcome
2. Introduction of instructors
3. Introduction to RYA training scheme syllabus
4. Plan for the day
5. Domestic arrangements: refreshments, toilet locations, etc.
6. Safety on Shore: First Aid, fire precautions and any other site hazards
7. Equipment and clothing, changing rooms
8. Safety on the water: buoyancy aids, etc. (as per Appendix briefing note)
9. Weather forecast and indicative water temperature of the lake
10. What else is going on: other concurrent activities, e.g., club racing, angling competition, etc.

Safety

All safety boat crews, PBIs and the SI will carry and use a club PMR (Private Mobile Radio) 'walkie-talkie' radios for on-the-water and shore-based communications. Individual DIs should also be given a radio. All radios issued and assigned to the Training personnel must use the same communications channel (4) and checks carried out every 30 minutes.

All club safety boats carry First Aid kits in sealed containers. Additional First Aid kits are located in the main clubhouse and in both Changing Rooms.

An automatic defibrillator is now available. It is positioned just inside the men's changing room and is highly visible from the door side of the screens.

The accident book will be found in the main First Aid kit in the main clubhouse.

The emergency telephone will be found in the club office, accessible to all instructors.

Dinghy sailing instruction does not take place without a safety boat in operation. This safety boat will be dedicated to the RYA course and manned by two competent persons: the driver must hold an RYA Powerboat Level 2 (PB2) certificate.

The minimum ratio of safety boats to craft on the course will be in accordance with RGN C2.2 as follows:

• * Up to 6 craft: 1 safety boat
• * 7 to 15 craft: 2 safety boats

The TP or SI will liaise with the club duty Race Officer and/ or a club Flag Officer as appropriate on all safety matters.

Powerboat courses are limited to 3 students maximum: under direct PBI instruction within the same powerboat.

The final decision regarding the running of courses in severe weather conditions will rest with the SI supervising the course. The SI must review the weather situation with the assigned instructors and complete a club Risk Assessment form before any on-the-water instruction takes place. All boats should have their mainsails reefed is the conditions are considered above-average risk.

Those persons manning the safety boat(s) must sign out and sign-in the appropriate key sets for their craft using the specific form located in the club office.

Entrapment

The risk of entrapment in the event of a capsized dinghy has been assessed and deemed to be of low risk. Inflatable mast head flotation devices are used to mitigate against complete inversion in the event of a capsize to a double-handed dinghy. These include 9 litre and 40 litre capacity 'Crewsaver' types; all of which have been purchased new for the 2025 season. They are attached to the mainsail head using a short length of 4 mm diameter control line or Dyneema composite fibre.

The SI must ensure that all double-handed dinghies (i.e., Training fleet Wayfarers and Laser Bahia) have the appropriate flotation device fitted prior to launch.

The Laser Pico and single-handed Topper dinghy are not fitted with a flotation device unless the DI assigned to the Youth course group decides that the weather conditions warrant it.

Standard procedure in the event of a capsize is to check that all sailors are present and willing to continue. Then to right the boat as soon as possible as per the RYA recommended recovery drill. It is imperative that the DI and/ or safety boat crew establish that the sailors are 'safe and well' at the outset and effect an immediate transfer to the shore if there is any injury or doubt as to their fitness to continue.

Any attempt to recover the capsized boat should only be made once the sailors are deemed as 'safe and well'.

Boats and Equipment

All club training boats are berthed adjacent to the two green storage containers situated at the northerly extent of the dinghy park. The double-handed dinghies are tied down at three points and the bow lifted onto tyres to ensure that any water drains away through the transom bungs when not in use. The self bailers will be left in the open position where practicable. Each Wayfarer and the Laser Bahia have a weather resistant over-cover (either 'boom-up' or 'flat' type) which is secured using under-hull webbing straps and draw strings.

Sails, rudders and safety equipment for the double-handed dinghies are stored in the furthest storage container: identified as 'Training'. They are held on timber racks and are clearly marked to identify the specific boat. Instructors must brief students that some boats (e.g., Laser Bahia) have a choice of mainsail: single- or double-reefing points. This equipment should be returned daily after use and must not be left in the boats.

The Laser Pico and Topper dinghies are currently stored in independent berths on their launching trolleys with a single rope attachment at the bow. New ground anchor points will be provided for all seven dinghies in due course.

Note that the Topper is stored with all equipment removed, i.e., mainsail, foils and spars are stored on designated racks inside the Training container. The students should be shown how to carefully roll the mainsail around the mast and how to run the mainsheet and outhaul along the boom length in a tidy and seamanlike manner. The equipment includes a smaller 4.2 m2 mainsail for the Topper which should be used for beginner sailors at the discretion of the assigned DI.

Bosun spares for the entire Training fleet are held inside a toolbox and several storage bins inside the Training container.

Both storage containers are fitted with heavy-duty steel doors and have a 4-digit combination padlock to restrict access. The code for accessing the Training container is changed periodically by the TP and communicated within the 'SCSC Instructor Group' using the WhatsApp secure messaging service. Nominated club Flag Officers also have access to the Training container for emergency purposes.

Buoyancy aids are available for loan to students for the duration of their course. These are held on a wheeled clothes hanging rack inside the Training container. Instructors should take every reasonable care in ensuring that each student is issued with a buoyancy aid of the correct size and specification, and that they are securely fastened (with no loose straps or cords which could impede the wearer in the event of an emergency).

Instructors should read and make themselves familiar with the different types of personal buoyancy as students invariably ask questions about it during the course. The following RYA document provides useful information:

https://www.rya.org.uk/knowledge/safety/look-after-yourself/buoyancy-aids-lifejackets

Buoyancy aids must be worn by all persons at all times whilst on the water.

All damage and breakages to training equipment should be reported to the TP or SI and a 'fault report form' completed by the reportee. These forms are held inside a clear Perspex holder above the desk inside the club office. Repairs viability should be assessed and alternative provisioning made if the damage is significant and/ or cannot be remedied within a reasonable timescale.

On-the-Water Activities

Instructors will take students afloat only when the safety boat is operational and not before the SI has been made aware of their intention to launch.

All lessons will be in accordance with the laid down syllabus for that course and should not extend beyond 45 minutes if possible. They should be preceded by an instructor briefing the students onshore and concluded by a debriefing session on return.

Instructors should be aware of other activities on the lake and keep well clear of the club's designated racing area(s). In addition, instructor should establish the locations of shoreline fishermen prior to launching and take all reasonable steps to avoid training boats fouling their lines. The club impose a 20 metre limit between any craft and the bank, although modern fishing equipment can frequently 'cast' well in excess of this distance.

Boats should be recovered at lunchtime and not left tied to either of the club pontoons: these are specifically reserved for safety boats and the Flying Fifteen keelboats sailed by some members. Sails should be taken down and stowed tidily.

Instructors must check all boats for hull water ingress before launching and after recovery. Any suspect transom bungs or hatch seals must be reported.

Communication on the Water

Instructors will either be in the dinghy with the students, or in a powerboat. When the instructor is operating from a powerboat, communication with the students will be effected by carefully bringing the powerboat into close proximity with the dinghies and hailing instructions to the helm and crew.

In the event of an emergency abandonment, the safety boat will approach each dinghy to instruct them to go ashore without delay.

All instructors must be competent in the use of recognised hand signals for on-the-water communications and have a whistle as part of their personal equipment at all times whilst teaching. Students must be briefed as to the meaning of each of the basic hand signals and hand/ whistle signal combinations which may be used during sessions. For more competent sailors under remote instruction in a double-handed dinghy, the instructor should circle one hand above their head to tell the sailors to switch helms.

Juniors

Children under 18 years of age may participate in training courses but only when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or instructor in accordance with the club's Child Protection Policy.

When sailing a single-handed dinghy or under powerboat instruction, the child's parent or guardian should be on site for the duration of the course.

A parent or guardian must remain on site for the duration of all Junior or Youth courses unless the TP has received prior written permission from said parent or guardian that their child is to be supervised by one or more members of the Training staff.

All instructors are required to be aware of and comply fully with the club/training centre's Child Protection policy.

Equality Policy

South Cerney Sailing Club (SCSC) Recognised Training Centre (RTC) is committed to equality of opportunity and aims to ensure that all present and potential participants, members, instructors, coaches, competitors, officials, volunteers and employees are treated fairly and on an equal basis, irrespective of sex, age, disability, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, gender reassignment or social status.

Objectives

1. To ensure boating is accessible and attractive to the widest audience.
2. To ensure that SCSC RTC services, including training schemes, are as accessible as possible, including to people with any disabilities.
3. To increase the diversity of our instructors, coaches and race officials
4. To identify and promote more role models at all levels from under-represented groups, including women and girls, people with disabilities, people from BAME backgrounds and those identifying as LGBT+ people.
5. To attract new participants from under-represented groups through targeted initiatives.
6. To maintain the Advanced Level of the Equality Standard for Sport in accordance with the guidance produced by the Sport's Council's Equity Group (SCEG): Sport England, Sport Wales, Sport Scotland, Sport Northern Ireland and UK Sport.

Implementation

1. Appointments to voluntary or paid positions with the SCSC RTC will be made on the basis of an individual's knowledge, skills and experience and the competences required for the role.
2. Individual's responsibilities and workloads may be shared and spread across two or more suitably qualified officers if deemed appropriate.
3. The SCSC RTC will tailor requirements in relation to RYA training schemes which may inhibit the performance of candidates with special needs, provided that the standard, quality and integrity of schemes and assessments are not compromised.
4. The SCSC RTC will develop further policies for specific subject areas where appropriate.
5. The SCSC RTC reserves the right to discipline any of its members, qualification holders, appointees, volunteers, or employees who practise any form of discrimination in breach of this policy, in line with the relevant articles, rules, codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures.
6. The effectiveness of this policy will be monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis by the SCSC RTC TP reporting directly to the SCSC Executive committee.

Revision History

Downloads

• Resusitation reference chart.pdf
• Safeguarding checklist_RYA Spring 2023.pdf
• Vulnerable adult definition_UK Govn 071025.pdf
• 9-SCSC Child Protection Policy v3_0324.pdf
• 5-SCSC RTC Operating Procedures v1-2_2026.pdf
• RYA Safeguarding policy_300523.pdf
• RYA 5 steps to risk assessment_210217.pdf
• SCSC Risk Assessment form_v6-2025.pdf
• Beaufort Scale - Met Office_140725.pdf

Last updated 14:04 on 15 May 2026