VYBA 2009-10 POLICIES FOR PARENTS and SAILORS
MISSION STATEMENT: To teach beginning sailing and provide continuing education in sailing and racing techniques, always stressing sportsmanship, seamanship and water safety, to reduce boating accidents and increase enjoyment of boating.
This sailing program is “family oriented” and parental involvement is expected and needed. Volunteer help is essential for the success of our program. Please do not hesitate to contact our coaches or any board member with concerns, comments or suggestions as your input is very valuable to us. Please contact via email, or phone. Also in the pram shed are mailboxes for John Thomas, our president, Celeste Patete, treasurer, and Jabbo Gordon, administrator.
VYBA,
Inc provides IODs (International Optimist Dinghies) for instruction by US Sailing certified
instructors. Boats cannot be used for individual practice. IOD’s are provided for classes and participation in VYBA
sanctioned regattas outside of our area, but within the state of
2009-10
YEARLY FEE: $550.00 for IOD sailors using VYBA boats and $350 for any
sailor owning his/her own boat.
PLEASE DO NOT GIVE PAYMENTS or REGISTRATIONS TO COACH
ATTENDANCE: There are approximately 50 scheduled sessions each year, including out of town regattas, which are normally two-day events. Sailors are expected to attend at least 25, to be on time and stay until the end of their class.
1. Repeated late arrival and late pickup will result in a call from the coach.
2. The coach needs to be notified, by phone call or by email, if a sailor is to be absent.
Excused absences include:
* Sickness of sailor - notify coach as soon as possible.
* Vacation, school, or family conflict - Notify coach at least one week in advance.
3. Unexcused absences, with no prior notification to coach, will result in a call from the coach. If absences continue, a coach will send a letter to the family.
SAFETY:
SHOES: Due to the shallow waters and oyster beds, shoes enclosing toes, must be worn at all times while on land and on the water (boat tread preferred to prevent slipping). No open toed sandals or Flip-flops are allowed while on the water. Failure to comply will result in immediate loss of sailing privileges that day.
LIFE JACKET & WHISTLE: Coast Guard approved life jacket must be worn at all times when sailor is on the water, a whistle attached to the life jacket is also required. If a student does not have proper equipment or is not dressed for the weather, he/she will not be allowed to sail that day.
ALL DAY SAILING: This may be offered sometime during the year after sailors have increased their skills and the head coach feels that the sailors would benefit from extra practice time on the water. Sailors will be supervised during the regular scheduled sailing hours, but will not be supervised during the scheduled lunch hour for coaches. Sailors are expected to 1) remain in the pram shed and follow the rules of behavior stated in this VYBA policy, 2) be picked up by parent(s), or 3) leave the VYBA property to get their lunch on their own and at their own risk. All of these options are to be agreed upon by the sailors and their parents. Sailors are not the responsibility of VYBA, Inc. during the 12:00-1:00 coaches’ lunch period. If problems arise and any sailor does not abide by these rules, the parents will be called and the sailor will not be allowed to participate in all day sailing for the rest of the year.
BEHAVIOR: A good attitude and a sincere effort are expected. As a member of THE VYBA TEAM all sailors are required to become role models to motivate, encourage and help other sailors. Negative comments, belittling remarks or ridicule towards anyone is out of order and rowdiness will not be tolerated. Inappropriate language and behavior is not acceptable and may lead to suspension if it continues after a warning from the coach. Parents, please emphasize to your sailor(s) that it is the duty of the coach to instruct and not to have to deal with unruly students. Sailors guilty of racing rule violations are expected to do the appropriate penalty. All disputed fouls should be reported, discussed and understood by the affected sailors. Most violations are unintentional and these situations provide an area for fostering high ethical standards and sportsmanship that other sports do not provide.
DISCIPLINE:
The level of the offence may result in immediate restriction rather than a warning. Depending on the severity of the behavior, any of the levels may result in a letter mailed to the parents and placed in the sailor’s record.
LEVEL 1. Warning to student.
LEVEL 2. Another warning to student and a call to parents from coach.
LEVEL 3. If behavior persists, the matter will be turned over to the Board
of Directors for a resolution.
VYBA EQUIPMENT:
A totally rigged boat assigned to a sailor is “on loan” and may not be borrowed. Every precaution to protect and maintain equipment is mandatory. Sailors are responsible for his/her boat and any equipment that is lost or damaged due to carelessness or improper use. Each sailor’s boat will be checked out by a coach for all the proper equipment. Loss of parts will need to be paid for by sailor. Upon approval of the head coach or board, an IOD may be taken to an approved regatta. Parent(s) will be responsible for transportation and damages for the boat. A “boat check out form” is to be completed with the coach and parent before the boat can be taken from the pram shed.
Boat Damage, Lost or Severely Damaged Parts: Any fiberglass damage will be repaired and the parent will be sent a bill for our cost for the repair and any replaced parts. Sailors are required to respect the boats that are assigned to them and do all they can to avoid crashing into other boats or the docks.
EQUIPMENT FURNISHED BY PARENTS:
Water bottle (please fill at home and not at water cooler), sunscreen, sunglasses with a strap, hat, Coast Guard approved life jacket with whistle attached, proper shoes, towel and water resistant stopwatch are to be brought by sailor for each session. Due to unexpected weather changes, and the possibility of continuing class in wet clothes, a complete change of clothes should always be on hand. ALL ITEMS SHOULD BE MARKED and contained in a backpack or bag. Items not claimed after several weeks will be donated to the Goodwill, Salvation Army or some other charity.
USODA MEMBERSHIP: Every optimist sailor is urged to become a member of United States Optimist Dinghy Association. If you race Optimists, it is a class rule that you must be a USODA member. You will receive Optinews, an award-winning magazine, published eight times a year that provides information for Opti sailors and parents. You may register on line at http://www.usoda.org/
USSA
MEMBERSHIP:
PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Parents are expected to help, so please decide where you want to participate. Coordinators and assistants are needed in the following areas: out of town regattas, home regattas, communications, parent of the day, publicity, scout week, fund raising, and annual meeting arrangements.
MEDIA RELEASE AGREEMENT
We will be using our internet website, newspaper, television, etc. as a means of publicity for various VYBA events. In order for your child’s name and or picture to be published, we must have your permission in writing on the media release agreement.
PARENT OF THE DAY: Every parent is invited to be a parent of the day. You will have the opportunity to go out on the coach boat and help by being “eyes and ears”. You are not expected to correct anything, but to note any infractions of sailing rules or improper language or behavior and notify the coach. We appreciate your help in any way on land.
TRAILERS: Parents, whose vehicles are equipped with trailer hitches, will be asked to help pull powerboats and the IOD trailers to various regattas, but not the same parents all the time. All powerboat trailers have spare tires and a wrench packet. If you are towing a powerboat make sure you have the appropriate spare tire and wrench and return them to the Pram Shed. If no one signs up to pull necessary trailers, participation in that regatta may be canceled. See # 6 below regarding insurance information.
OUT OF TOWN REGATTA PARTICIPATION:
1. A sign-up sheet will be posted on the bulletin board several weeks prior to scheduled regattas. Sailors must sign up at least 2 weeks in advance. If we do not have enough sailors signed up 2 weeks prior to the regatta, we will not be able go.
2. Parents are responsible for mailing regatta registration, cost of meals not included in the registration fee, as well as lodging for themselves and their sailors. A parent is required to attend regattas with their children and supervise the rigging of their boat as well as helping to unload and load the trailer with boats and equipment. PLEASE, NEVER DROP OFF YOUR CHILD AND LEAVE.
3. The coaches responsibility for sailors starts as the they leave shore and ends when the sailor returns to shore. At all other times the parents are responsible for their sailor. Sailors must report to his/her coaches when arriving and check out with the coach when departing with the responsible adult so that all are accounted for.
4. No parent will be able to go on the coach boat unless asked to do so at a regatta. You may bring your powerboat so you can be closer to the action while not interfering.
5. At the Pram Shed, boats and equipment will be loaded on the IOD trailer by parents and sailors at a time set by the coach. Usually this is done after sailing on the Saturday previous to the scheduled regatta. If your child is attending a regatta, plan to be at the shed on the designated day to help load your child’s equipment. Please do not expect the coach or other parents to load your sailor’s boat and equipment. If IOD trailer space is full, parents may be requested to transport a boat or equipment. In case of a late sign up, the family may have to transport the sailor’s boat and equipment. When returning from a regatta, all sailors, with club assigned boats, and their parents are expected to return to the Pram Shed to unload wash and dry boats, sails and equipment. If a privately owned boat is on the trailer, that sailor and parent will be required to load and unload it. Loading and unloading boats and equipment is NOT a job of the Instructor.
6. VYBA has liability insurance coverage under our Policy designed specifically for community sailing programs covering all who pull trailers. All boats and trailers are insured, copies of policy will be provided to trailer pullers.
7. VYBA policy strictly prohibits transportation of any sailors by VYBA personnel, coaches or directors. Our insurance does not allow us to provide this service.
KEEP THIS TOP HALF ATTACHED TO YOUR POLICY GUIDE
I acknowledge that I have read and fully understand the VYBA Policies for Parents and students:
I ______________________________ Signature-parent or guardian (circle)
_______________________________ Parent Print
_______________________________Sailor Print Date___________
Therefore I_______________________________(sailor) understand it is my responsibility to abide by these policies and understand that I may be suspended from the VYBA SAILING PROGRAM for not observing these
rules
Rev.
- - - - - - - CUT HERE- Keep top- - - - - - -CUT HERE-Keep top - - - - - - - -
Mail this half along with your registration forms and payment
I acknowledge that I have read and fully understand the VYBA Policies for Parents and students:
ð Yes, I give permission for VYBA to use my child’s name and or picture for various media related projects.
ð No, I do not with wish for my child’s name and or picture to be published.
I ______________________________ Signature parent or guardian (circle)
_______________________________ Parent Print
_______________________________Sailor Print Date___________
Therefore I_______________________________(sailor) understand it is my responsibility to abide by these policies and understand that I may be suspended from the VYBA SAILING PROGRAM for not observing these rules.
Rev. 11/09