Ahoy JSCA
Members:
Here is what’s
“in the wind”, coming events and items of interest at the Jericho Sailing
Centre, your ocean access community centre, for the weeks of November
18-December 1, 2006 and beyond:
Boat Check Time
Severe windstorms and flooding from the sky have affected many of the
1400 craft stored at the Jericho Sailing Centre and we recommend that
members get down and check on their boats regularly. Even some of the
best tarp/cover wrapping jobs have worked their way loose in the wind
and are allowing water to get into members craft. Some of you are reading
this and saying “No problem, I’ve taken my drain plugs out and opened
my auto bailer so any water will drain.” but the winds can carry leaves
and other debris which can block water drainage routes. In one case
we found a double kayak which was tied upside down blown right side
up by the wind and filled with water-we took care of that one (no extra
charge Discovery Sailing Club) but don’t have the resources to deal
with them all and ask the members of our volunteer driven organization
to volunteer to drive down here and make sure your boat is well taken
care of. Water in your boat can damage it just from the sheer weight
and once we reach freezing temperatures expanding ice can do severe
damage. The repair time required in the Spring could dwarf the time
you devote to regular boat checks.
Developing the JSCA’s Annual Action Plan for 2007
The 2007 JSCA Board met for the
first time this past week and re-elected Brian Key as the President
and established interim committee Chairs and the initial Committee Meeting
Schedule. The Board also engaged in a healthy brainstorming session
which rivalled recent weather patterns as they navigated through our
five year strategic plan searching for opportunities to better serve
the members of the JSCA. Members are encouraged to participate on the
committees to ensure that the JSCA serves all members. If you are unable
to personally attend but have some ideas you’d like to see happen please
email me and I will take them to the appropriate committee meeting.
The following is an outline of JSCA standing committees and their purpose
and terms of reference:
OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
(Next Meeting November 20 @ 1900H)
To develop/revise and bring before the Board policy and procedures for
jurisdictions listed below:
1. To serve as J.S.C.A.'s Technical Maintenance Committee.
2. To receive and consider requests for annual allocation and restricted
use of club/meet¬ing rooms, craft storage, and locker space--make recommenda¬tions
in writing to the General Manager.
3. To be responsible for recommending the use of the hangar.
4. To receive and consider members' appeals of administration decisions
in reference to storage and space allocation, and make recommenda¬tions
in writing to the Board.
5. To take charge of the Centre's repair, maintenance, renovation and
safety for the building, site, and equipment, unless assigned to another
committee by the Board or Operations Committee.
a) Building 13 in entirety
- operating systems: plumbing, electricity, heating
- physical structure
- fire suppression devices
- security alarm systems
b) Beaches and Ramps
c) Compound (enclosed by fencing)
- perimeter fencing
- roadway paving
- ground conditions
- operating systems: water lines, electrical system,
fuel lines
- caretakers trailer
d) Construction and renovations (e.g., Phase III, clubrooms racks etc.).
e) Building security
- general security for daily operations
f) Construction and placement of all signage in Building 13 and compound
area including fencing.
PROGRAMMES COMMITTEE
( Next Meeting November 21 @ 1900H)
To develop/revise and bring before the Board policy and procedures for
jurisdictions listed below:
1. To develop policy for all J.S.C.A. Special Events, including:
i) Room bookings
ii) Compound bookings
iii) Race equipment bookings (including Marks and Albatross)
iv) Food and beverage requirements
v) Fee structure of boat rental in consultation with the Safety Committee
vi) Fee structure of room rental
vii) Security
viii) Insurance
To ensure that existing policies regarding special events are maintained.
To consider and recommend approval of specific major events to be held
in future years.
To coordinate and provide adequate volunteers for all J.S.C.A. sponsored
events such as Opening/Closing Day, Jericho Classic, etc.
2. To oversee all aspects of racing at J.S.C.A.
To coordinate and ensure training for an adequate number of volunteers
for Tuesday and Sunday Series racing (i.e., Race Management Team (RMT)).
To coordinate all racing events at J.S.C.A. (see "Racing Coordinator")
To work harmoniously with the J.S.C.A. Rescue Team.
3. To oversee the production of the J.S.C.A. newsletter
To ensure that the Centreboard newsletter is produced and distributed
with reasonable frequency.
To ensure adequate quality of the Centreboard is maintained.
PLANNING COMMITTEE
(Next Meeting December 5 @ 1900H)
To develop/revise and bring before the Board policy and procedures for
jurisdictions listed below:
To provide a structure for the on-going function and development of
physical plant of Jericho Sailing Centre Association.
SAFETY COMMITTEE
(Next Meeting November 18 @ 0900H)
To develop/revise and bring before the Board policy and procedures for
jurisdictions listed below:
1) To oversee the operation and maintenance of all J.S.C.A. power craft
and accessory equipment.
a) Set minimum qualification levels for all operators of J.S.C.A. power
craft.
b) Set training and testing guidelines related to the operations and
maintenance of J.S.C.A. power craft and accessory equipment.
c) Be responsible for training and testing all operators of J.S.C.A.
power craft.
2) To oversee J.S.C.A. safety and rescue operations and equipment.
a) Be responsible for the purchase and maintenance of J.S.C.A. safety
and rescue equipment, including but not limited to VHF radios, first
aid supplies, foul weather gear, PFD's and other safety related equipment.
Safety equipment is defined as all equipment and supplies associated
with the areas under the jurisdiction of the Safety Committee (including
J.S.C.A. power craft and the First Aid room).
b) Set training and testing guidelines for J.S.C.A. rescue personnel.
c) Be responsible for the training and testing of J.S.C.A. rescue staff
and volunteers according to the guidelines outlined by the Safety Committee.
d) Assist the General Manager in defining the duties and qualifications
of paid J.S.C.A. Safety Staff.
3) To maintain a safety conscious atmosphere for J.S.C.A. users, both
on the water and in/around the compound.
All JSCA Board and Committee minutes and meeting schedules can be found
on our website to facilitate member awareness
and involvement in their world class, one of a kind, ocean access community
centre. Draft minutes of the November 2006 JSCA Board meeting are attached
to the bottom of this edition of “in the wind”.
JSCA Annual Fleet Planning Meeting Tuesday, November
28 @ 1900H
Racers, whatever your class, this is the meeting where we lay out the
first draft of the 2007 JSCA Competition Schedule. If you have an idea
for an event don’t wait for June, come to this meeting, share your ideas
and help us plan while there is room on the schedule. In 2006 the Jericho
Sailing Centre hosted 100 on water event days, we’re likely to do more
in 2007, the time to plan is now.
JSCA Planning Committee Meeting Tuesday, December
5 @ 1900H
JSCA Planning Chair Dan Wallace extends an invitation to all members
to attend the next meeting on Tuesday, December 7 @ 1900H. We are currently
searching for the best location for the food and beverage service cold
storage units. Members who wish to participate are encouraged to familiarize
themselves with the JSCA 5 Year Strategic Plan “Navigating
to 2010” which the Planning Committee uses as a point of reference.
JSCA Board Meeting Tuesday, December 12 @ 1900H
November Office Hours
JSCA November office hours are 0900H-1600H Monday to Friday. Weekend
staff will be on duty 0900H-1700H are not necessarily in the office.
Galley Patio & Grill Now Open Weekends Only Weather
Depending
Safety Tips - Learn from your Mistakes
To err is human, and certainly the members of Jericho have been known
to make a few mistakes while recreating on the briny. And what the heck,
it’s not rock climbing, and an unscheduled baptism (capsize) every now
and then keeps us humble, on our toes and ultimately provides us with
learning opportunities which make us better seafarers for the many seas
that lay ahead. Part of the mandate of the JSCA is to educate our members
and the general public and promote good seamanship and safety practices.
The Jericho Rescue Team assisted over 300 people last year, and hopefully,
through guided discovery, helped them recognize mistakes they may have
made which allowed them to avoid reoccurrences. A common question we
ask people we fish from the sea, once we assess the situation and determine
they’re alright, is “What did you learn from this?”. Usually people
are quick on the uptake and can identify their own error-“I should’ve
done a better pre-launch equipment check.”; “I should have been properly
attired.” “I should’ve listened to the voices of reason and never launched
into conditions beyond my skill level, particularly at this time of
year.” etc. Our staff are skilled mariners with professional instructor
experience, our goal is to teach, our rescue volunteers benefit from
this and also employ the same guided discovery techniques. But every
now and then we get blank stares back, denial that anything can be learned
from each and every rescue situation and we shake our heads knowing
that it is only a matter of time before we have to rescue this person
again. We all make mistakes. We improve our seamanship and safety skills
when we take the opportunity to learn from them-remember: denial is
a river in Egypt.
Have a safe week!
Fair winds,
Mike
(index of previous issues)
|