Covid-19 Bulletin: 25

Mon 30 Nov

Life at Poole Yacht Club in Tier 2

Dear fellow members

The current lockdown comes to an end shortly and having considered the proposed restrictions to be placed upon us, we are pleased to advise what we “will be permitted” to do at the Club and also, regretfully, what “will not be permitted.”

From Thursday 3rd December we will be operating the Club in line with central government guidance and laws that will apply in our area under Tier 2 restrictions – “High” alert level.

Essentially the Club will be returning to the permissions that were in place immediately before the recent lockdown in November, with one main exception: Tier 2 does not allow you to meet indoors with anyone who is not from the same household or support bubble.

The rules from Thursday 3rd December can be found on the Club website where they are regularly updated for your reference:

You can

• Meet with up to 6 people outdoors, observing social distancing
• Include visitors and non-members in the 6 (registered in advance by email to signin@pooleyc.co.uk)
• Perform maintenance on your boat
• Engage a contractor to work on your boat
• Launch and sail your boat, windsurfer, paddleboard or kayak
• Exercise at the Club
• Resume the race series from 5th December
• Stay overnight on your boat
• Use the Club toilets and clean them after use

You cannot

• Socialise with anyone indoors who you do not live with
• Break the social distancing rules
• Meet with more than 6 people outdoors (max. 6 people on the slipway)

If you have to interact with the Club staff, please wear a mask and keep your distance indoors or outdoors.

Facilities Available

Clubhouse

Clubhouse is open to members and guests (but only if living in the same household) – wear a face covering at all times and your observing social distancing rules is a must.

Restaurant

Table service only. If dining, we strongly advise you to book a restaurant table to avoid disappointment and to assist our Jack and Tom with stock ordering.

Lounge

Table service only for non-alcoholic drinks.

Takeaway

Available on request.

Alcohol Service

Only with substantial meals: “Pubs and bars must close”.

Toilets

Open as usual.
Please wear a mask, wash your hands and observe social distancing. The toilets are cleaned once a day. Please sanitise all surfaces after use.

Opening Hours

Bar

Mon - Tues	10:00 – 16:00
Wed - Fri	10:00 – 21:00
Sat	10:00 – 16:00
Sun	9:00 – 16:00

Breakfast

Sun	9:00 - 10:00

Lunch

Mon - Sun*	12:00 - 14:30
* Sunday Roast is also on the menu

Dinner

Wed - Fri

18:00 - 21:00

Facilities Not Available

• Service at the bar is not allowed
• Alcohol cannot be served except as part of a substantial meal
• Showers are unavailable (continues to be under review)

Dinghies in the Yard

Additionally for those dinghy sailors not racing in the remaining winter series and not paying for winter storage, you must remove your dinghy from the yard by Sunday 6th December (1 week extension recognising the difficulty of completing removal before the end of the current lockdown).

Training Groups

We have been approached by the RYA and other training groups and we are comfortable with small training groups at our Club, conditional on prior planning and consultation, and that they commit to follow our rules. This includes no visitors in the clubhouse and no use of the showers.

Further updates

As always, we will keep all these decisions under review and continue to respond to any clarifications or new guidance from the government.

The current tiers will be reviewed by government on 16th December 2020, so rules may change then as a consequence.

Social distancing

Please act cautiously and responsibly to avoid putting anyone, or our reputation, at unnecessary risk and one more reminder that if you are visiting the club for any reason you must follow the Club rules on social distancing. Thank you.

Your comments

Please keep these coming in.
We, in turn, will be issuing newsletters and briefings to keep us all in the picture, as often as we need.

Now let’s look on the bright side

We are “beavering away” on drafting our 2021 Sailing Programme, in the hope and belief that as soon as we see some return to a “new normal”, we shall be well prepared….

More updates in the Commodore’s Newsletter coming out in December.

Covid-19 Bulletin: 24

Tue 24 Nov

National Lockdown

Recreational Sailing

Dear fellow members

The position on recreational sailing in this second lockdown is far from clear. After extensive research, debate, risk assessment and discussion, we have come to the following conclusions. They have been formulated to give members the maximum freedom that we think is permissible. (It has taken us a little time to reach our decisions and to advise the relevant Authorities before issuing this Bulletin.)

This is not intended to be patronising, but please do not push these boundaries, doing so will risk us all losing these freedoms.

From 9 am Saturday 14th November until pm Thursday 3rd December 2020

From our research, we know that the Government is keen, for our continuing physical and mental well-being, that recreational exercise (that includes “on the water activity”) takes place, within the current covid-19 safeguarding rules.

In evaluating that prospect, our conclusions are:

• It will require all of us to behave responsibly if you wish to go boating.
• There are many grey areas in this which are open to interpretation, so our approach is to ensure we do not introduce any unnecessary risk to you, our members, and that the Club’s reputation within the wider community is not put at risk.
• We are in very unusual times, and as such, in order to be true to the above principles, the following will apply during this current Covid Lockdown (until Thursday 3rd December 2020):

You can

• Come to the Club to perform essential maintenance and checks on your boat
• Arrange for a contractor to work on your boat
• Use the toilets if it is urgent, but please wipe down all contacted surfaces with the cleaning kit provided after use
• Come to the Club for the essential reason of exercise, whether a walk along the bund wall or to use your boat – you can do this alone or with people from your own household or support bubble (a support bubble is formed when a single person who lives alone joins up with one other household – it is not an excuse to form what has been dubbed “a social bubble”)
• Launch your boat, dinghy, windsurf, paddleboard kayak from the slipway and take it out of the haven into the harbour
• Access the beach through the side gate: You can launch your boat through the side gate, but try to keep this to a minimum. You must lock the gate promptly behind you (if this doesn’t happen we will have no choice but to padlock the gate).

You cannot

• Bring any visitor or non-member into the yard and haven
• Meet up at the Club with someone from another household or support bubble
• Meet up with other boats on the water
• Organise any event, race, training on the water
• Use the toilets as changing rooms
• Sleep in your boat overnight

At all times you must apply the normal rules of social distancing both in the yard and on the pontoons. This includes not meeting, socialising or talking to people from outside your household/support bubble.

Any reported breaches of this guidance, which might embarrass the Club and potentially lead to our freedoms being curtailed will have to be investigated by your Flag Officers, in accordance with the Rules of The Club. If you are in doubt, phone the office for advice.

The Clubhouse remains closed including the changing rooms (except for the toilets). The haulout programme continues.

We can responsibly go for a sail, paddle or motor from the Haven.

Please act cautiously and responsibly to avoid putting anyone, or our reputation, at unnecessary risk.

Sailors are requested to sail well within their limits and not venture out in testing conditions, nor conditions that are forecast to significantly worsen.

As always, we will keep all these decisions under review and continue to respond to any clarification or new guidance from the government.

Please be mindful that this facility may need to be withdrawn at short notice should the relevant Authorities require.

On a personal note, may I wish you my best regards and thank you for your continuing support and please “keep the comments coming in…”

National Lockdown

Background

Following the Law passed yesterday, the Government and the RYA, have overnight issued further guidelines.
We need a short period of time to consider the implications.

Please note:

• The Club is essentially closed
  
• 
  The gates remain unlocked
  
• 
  The haul out programme continues at this time
  
• 
  Recreational sailing has to stop, whilst we seek clarifications
  
• 
  Essential checks/maintenance on boats are allowed
  

However, please bear in mind that if you need to visit the Club to undertake essential maintenance on your boat, it is just for that purpose only.

We will, of course, issue a further substantive Bulletin soon.

Thanks everyone for your understanding

National Lockdown

Background

As I am sure we all recognise, the Government cannot be specific about what every business and club should do, so firstly I set out our overarching principles in the coming restrictions.

The Government may clarify or change its guidance in the coming days or weeks and we may have to change our own guidance in response to that.

Our Analysis

This lockdown is not identical to the previous one in March. First, we know much more about the virus and that the risk of transmission and infection in the open air is very low if simple precautions are taken. Indoors infection risk is much higher. Previously we were in a completely novel situation with the prospect of summer to look forward to; the situation as we enter the winter months is more concerning regarding mental well-being and health and the government is keen to allow people to indulge in safe recreational activities to help in this. Additionally, although we are asked to stay home except for essential travel, the government wants as much of the country to continue working as it can.

House Bar and Catering

House Bar and Catering will be closed from am Thursday 5th November until further notice. Apart from the changing room toilets, there will be no access to the clubhouse. The changing rooms will not be available; the toilets will be cleaned daily and members using them should self-clean the area they have used and sanitise as needed.

Yard and Haven

Yard and Haven will remain open. We wish to support our members in their ability to use their boats for recreational purposes. If people are able to cycle for recreation or go fishing we feel boating fits with this guidance. Therefore, the yard will remain open for members to access their boats for recreational purposes. This means the haul out programme will continue and our contractor community as well as members will be able to work on their boats in the yard and in their berths.

Sailing

Sailing can take place recreationally. In line with lockdown rules, it can only be single-handed, same household or a maximum of 2 people from different households. Social distancing rules must be adhered to on land and on board. Running organised activities will not be allowed and so our racing programme has to be suspended immediately.

The above arrangements may change

Further detail will be added as we evaluate what is possible and safe. This of course could all change at very short notice if we receive instructions from higher authorities.

As always, we will keep all these decisions under review and respond to any clarification or new guidance from the Government.

Meanwhile I would like to remind you that if you are visiting the Club for any reason, you must follow the Club rules on social distancing and please remember to swipe your card at the entrance gate, even if the gate is open already open.

Further questions?

There is a Q and A section on the Club website which we will keep updated as and when necessary. Alternatively, Mark and Lorna are available to assist and my contact details are below.

With my very best wishes and warm regards

The National Lockdown effective Thursday 5th November 2020

“Hang fire with the questions, please, for a day or two….”

Myself and my colleagues appreciate your writing to us over the weekend with your questions relating to the above and how it may affect your using the Clubs’ facilities and how we will operate.

We are doing our upmost to ensure that we can (and will) keep the Yard and Haven open.

The Club House will remain closed during the lockdown period, but will remain open and operational (in the present format) until the close of Wednesday of this week.

We will issue a full bulletin in the next day or so, when we have clarified instructions on the lockdown as it affects the Club.

My best wishes to you during these worrying and “topsy turvy” times.

Coronavirus Alert

Dear fellow members

This is a short bulletin to inform members that we have had our first report of a member who has visited the Club and tested positive for Covid 19.

This is a wake-up call for all of us to exercise added caution as the virus is very much appearing in our local area.

On Sunday 25th October the Club was contacted by a member who reported that his wife had felt unwell on Thursday 22nd and so they got a test done.

The results came back positive and he contacted the Club as soon as possible since he and his wife had been dining at the Club on Wednesday 21st.

Through our track and trace system the staff were able to contact everyone who had been at the Club at that time, even though they had not spoken to anyone except the member of staff who served them. That member of staff was sent for a test, which proved negative. As a precaution they will be off duty until 4th November. (The Club has not been contacted by the official Track & Test Service.) We feel that the right actions have been taken. We will always do everything we can to keep names confidential. Although this may seem to make it difficult for members contacted to decide if they have been in contact, the reason for informing them is so they can stay alert and if they feel unwell to self-isolate and get tested immediately.

This shows several important actions for all of us:

• If you feel unwell do not come to the Club and if exhibiting the classic symptoms then get tested.
• If you test positive and have recently been at the Club then it is everyone’s duty to let the Club know. In confidence we will ask you to identify the time that you were at the club and the people you were in close proximity to. These names will be contacted as a priority.
• You must swipe in at the gate, complete the track and trace details if you are inside the clubhouse and scan the NHS App if you have downloaded it on your phone. With this information the Club can contact other members who were at the Club at the same time to alert them to take appropriate action themselves.
• When in the clubhouse do not mix with other groups and wear your facemask at all times except when seated. Clearly if there is a lot of mingling of groups inside the clubhouse the risk of spreading infection is much greater.

This feels like a warning of the rising prevalence of the virus in our communities and a chance for us all to take the necessary steps to try and contain its spread and protect each other and our staff.

It seems our “in house” track and trace system has proved itself in this case, but it emphasises the importance for all of us using the Club to provide our contact information each time. This information will be treated in confidence.

The staff have been instructed to refuse service to any members not complying with the requirement for track and trace details and anyone not complying will be required to leave the Club premises immediately. We know most of you are doing your best to minimise risks of transmission.

Meanwhile we send our sincerest best wishes to our fellow members in coming through their infection and thank them for contacting us so we can alert others. And look forward to better times ahead.

On a personal note, what a roller coaster world we are in….immediately following on from our last positive, upbeat bulletin, we now have to issue this bulletin 20.

Any questions, or comments, as always, please contact me.

Changes to our Club House Opening and Operating times: effective Sunday 1st November

Dear fellow members

Thank you for all the continuing messages of support for the decisions we have taken over the last eight months.

The overriding objective of your General Committee and Staff is to ensure that the Club is safe, warm, inviting and operates within the Covid-19 Rules. We will do all that we need to ensure that those objectives continue to be met.

Clearly, we are not able to hold larger gatherings at the Club, such as the very popular quiz night, winter talks and parties, which means that as the evening sailing stops, we cannot expect the turnover that we would normally have over the winter.

Additionally, our staff are required to do a lot more than usual in order to meet the legal requirements under Covid restrictions: meeting people at the door, showing you to your table, providing table service in the bar, as well as scrupulously cleaning and sanitising work surfaces, tables, menus and condiments. This all means additional staff hours with reduced turnover.

Consequently, as we move from the Summer period to the Autumn and Winter months, your General Committee has been reviewing the day to day finances and it is clear that the losses under current opening hours and the associated bar and catering services are not sustainable in the longer term.

To that end, your General Committee has agreed to various changes: The most obvious to you will be that, with effect from Sunday 1st November 2020, the club will be closed on Monday and Tuesday evenings.

As the special price deals come to an end, Tom will continue to offer his delicious meals Wednesday to Friday evening. As I am sure you will appreciate, there will be, as a consequence, some careful revision to the bar and catering selling prices. Our aim is to continue to provide nourishing, interesting meals and snacks in a safe environment and served to you. Menus and prices are kept updated on our website.

Please book and come to the Club, if you feel able.

We anticipate this level of service being in place until 1st April 2021, but, if circumstances change, we will look at this again. We have consulted with our staff colleagues and have their full understanding and agreement.

The daytime offerings are unchanged and are available seven days a week. For exact opening times please go to our website.

Subject to the current levels of take up of bar and catering offerings being maintained, our analysis suggests that the rate of shortfall will be similar to “pre Covid – 19” levels.

Opening Times From Sun 1 Nov

Bar

Mon - Tues	10:00 – 16:00
Wed - Fri	10:00 – 21:00
Sat	10:00 – 16:00
Sun	8:30 – 16:00

Breakfast

Sun	8:30 - 10:00

Lunch

Mon - Sun*	12:00 - 14:30
* Sunday Roast is also on the menu

Dinner

Wed - Fri

18:00 - 21:00

The Club House is required to close at 22:00

Your feedback, questions and comments are always welcome.

Thank you to the many members that have taken up my offer to join me for a “chat and a cuppa.” I am greatly enjoying these opportunities…
My contact details are below.

We will continue to keep you updated.

Wishing you good health.

Dear fellow members

Regretfully, further restrictions have to be introduced now.

Why and why us?

We will all have become aware of the recent worrying trends with regard the spread of the Covid-19 Virus and the current “second wave.”

The similarities with the 1918 Flu Pandemic are becoming increasingly striking. There were 50,000,000 deaths during that time and the then second wave had a catastrophic number of deaths.

As a consequence, last week the Government introduced new Covid-19 restrictions.

Steps 1-3 are already in progress and we can now start to take steps 4 and 5. The rules to ensure social distancing are the same for both step 4 (working on boat in yard) and step 5 (checking on boat in Haven).

The Future

We continue to refine plans for the staged restarting of organized activities on the water (e.g. training and racing) as well as re-opening the Clubhouse and catering side of life at the Club when the time is right.

Thank you!

We will continue to communicate to you to provide detail when it is possible to take each step. Thank you for your patience – it is due to your responsible behaviour throughout that we have been able to develop trust with the authorities to be able to take these tentative steps to get back to our Club.

But please remember, we may be beyond the peak but to manage the spread and possible resurgence of the virus we must take each of these steps with care. I again ask for your continuing understanding and patience as we start to open up parts of the Club.

We may need to start some operations at different times for practical or legal reasons, or because of conditions imposed upon us, and if this restricts any of our proposed actions we may need to communicate with you again, at any time.

Well this, at last, is a step in right direction, all be it “one small step…..” You have no idea how pleased I am, on behalf of the Covid-19 Group and your General Committee to be issuing this!