CYC Junior Sailing

Safety & Safety Rules

Safety & Safety Rules

Safety is paramount at CYC

Our coaching staff are all certified for First Aid / CPR, Pleasure Craft Operators Certificate, Coach Boat Safety and Radio Operators Certificate. All coaches are insured through Sail Canada. On the water, coaches carry a Participant Information Form and Emergency Action Plan (EAP) at all times. Each coach boat is equipped with all Transport Canada required safety equipment and an updated first aid kit and a VHF radio. All instructors are required adhere to all Club safety requirements and EAP procedures. Depending upon the severity of the accident or incident, the Club’s Emergency Action/Response Plan may be activated.

If an injury is serious, emergency responders may be contacted, a parent or guardian will be notified immediately and the individual may be brought to the local emergency department. An instructor will accompany the sailor to the emergency department and bring their Medical Form. Emergency numbers are posted next to all phones. Sailor Medical Forms are on file in the Sailing Office.

Any injury to a sailor or instructor will be reported in writing on the appropriate Accident/Incident Report Form. The form will be completed by the instructor involved in the incident and the LTSD. Copies will be filed in the Sailing Office on the day of the occurrence and a copy of the report will be retained by the instructors involved. The Accident/Incident Report will establish the facts as they occurred and the actions taken by the staff while dealing with the accident. Procedures for reporting any accident, minor or major, are strictly enforced.

Jump to Junior Program Safety Rules
Outboard Motor Propeller Guards

An unprotected propeller of an outboard or inboard/outboard motor can cause serious injuries. All CYC coach boats are equipped with “prop guards” to add an important margin of safety for our sailors.

Junior Sailing | Safety is Paramount at CYC

Weather

Sailing is a complex sport to master and it’s important that students feel comfortable with their skills and within the boat. It is also important that sailors learn to respect and appreciate the power of the environment in which they sail. Wind, waves and current are some of the aspects that make sailing so exhilarating, but they can be factors that can make sailing quite frightening for the inexperienced sailor.

Maintaining a fun and safe learning environment is our main priority, and as such, when wind speeds exceed 15 knots, it is at the discretion of the instructor to decide whether the Wet Feet and CANSail 1 program will go out on the water.

If there is excessive rain, we will also not be going out on the water. On these days, we will play sailing related games as well as provide sailing land lessons, such as what to wear when sailing, tying knots and reading the wind.

Swimming

CYC is very lucky to be located on beautiful and clean Mahone Bay. Our sailors will, inevitably, hop in “the drink”, and swimming off our docks during lunch and at the end of the day is a favorite past time. In order to keep everyone safe, we ask that all sailors abide by the following rules for swimming during Junior Sailing:

  • Sailors must be careful to look for any boats or tenders that might be coming or going from the CYC docks and floats
  • All jumping must be feet first and there will be no throwing or pushing friends into the water!
  • Sailors in Wet Feet and CANSail 1 must wear life jackets/PFDs when swimming and jumping off any dock
  • Sailors in CANSail 2 and up will have their swimming ability assessed by the Head Instructor

All students, regardless of age or number of years in a program, are required to take a swim check on the first day of the session. The purpose of the swim check is for students to become accustomed to being in the water with their life jackets on and for instructors to get an idea of the sailor’s swimming ability.

Junior Program Safety Rules

The following are general safety rules that are to be followed by everyone in the CYC Junior Sailing program. Junior sailors will be asked to sign a copy of the rules and discipline policy, prior to the start of their session.

  1. No sailors on docks or floats without supervision and a PFD
  2. Life jackets/PFDs must be worn and secured at all times on docks, floats, boats or in the water (by sailors, instructors and coaches)
  3. Closed-toe footwear to be worn at all times
  4. No running
  5. No unsupervised swimming
  6. No jumping off boats (except with the permission of the instructors)
  7. Respect one another – no hitting, pushing, roughhousing
  8. Use respectful language – no swearing, foul, or rude language
  9. No littering on land or water
  10. Stay with the class unless you have permission from an instructor to leave
  11. Sailors must make an effort to sail out and return to docks together/with a buddy
  12. Prior to drills, all boats must stay within hailing distance of the safety/coach boat
  13. No destruction of Club or private property
  14. No smoking, drugs or alcohol
  15. Watch fingers and feet between boats, docks and moving parts
  16. Club owned boats must be properly returned and put away after use
  17. Sailors must make every effort to avoid collisions