BYE-LAWS
1.
GENERALb. Club site
The Club leases a site at the Rietvlei Dam in the Rietvlei Nature Reserve, which is the property of the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. No person shall harm or disturb any animal, bird or fish life in the Reserve. Boats that have sailed at other venues should be hosed down to minimise the risk of weed contamination at Rietvlei. This also applies to launching dollies
.c. Penalties
Restrictions on the use of the site are imposed by the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and such restrictions are embodied in these Bylaws. Any member who infringes a Bylaw and thereby incurs imposition of a penalty by the Metropolitan Municipality shall defray the full cost of such penalty. In addition such member shall be subject to such disciplinary measures as the Executive Committee may at its discretion invoke, including expulsion from the Club.
d. Suggestions/Complaints
Suggestions/complaints of any nature should be lodged in writing with the Secretary for the attention of the Executive Committee.
e. Membership Card/Disc
On payment of the annual membership fee, each member will be issued with membership cards confirming membership of the Club and South African Sailing (SAS). One card may be affixed to his/her motorcar or other vehicle allowing access to the Club and the additional copy presented at away events or Regattas. Membership cards are not transferable and these may on no account be passed on to non-members, or any other third party.
f. Entry to the Club
To gain entrance to the Club, members must show their Membership card on demand. Having entered the main gate, members and their guests shall proceed directly to the Club site and shall not enter any other part of the Reserve for any reason whatsoever. Motor vehicles shall be parked only in the designated parking area and vehicle access to any other part of the Club shall be for the sole purpose of delivering or removing boats from their allocated parking bay. Casual parking on the top lawn or roadways adjacent to the boat shelters is strictly prohibited.
The speed limit in the reserve is 30 kph.
g. Personal Identification Number (PIN)
A PIN will be issued to each paid-up member in order to gain access to the club grounds. A member may not give his PIN to any other person to allow them access to the club.
h. Damage
A member shall be held responsible for any damage, which he or his guests may cause to the property of the Club or to the property of other members. The club shall in no way be responsible or liable for any damage to or loss of property at the Club, nor for any injury sustained by a member or guest.
i. Conduct and Dress
Members shall at all times within the boundaries of the Club dress and conduct themselves in a seemly manner. The Executive Committee may at its sole discretion invoke disciplinary action against any member whose conduct is deemed to be improper and/or contrary to good sportsmanship.
j. No animals/pets or firearms may be brought into the Reserve.
k. No fishing is allowed from any part of the Club grounds or from any boat.
l. Visitors
The guests of any member are the responsibility of the member in terms of observance of the Club Bye-Laws. A guest may not visit the Club more than once a month and shall be admitted only if accompanied by or hosted at the Club by a member. Members may sign their guests in at the gate by giving the guard their name and vehicle registration number. Guests participating in Club races shall not qualify for any Club trophy or other award except at regattas to which they have been officially invited.
m. No paddling or swimming is allowed except where necessary for launching/beaching a boat on the shore, or recovering from a capsize.
n. Boat/Trailer Parking
A member does not by virtue of his membership become entitled to park his boat on the Club premises. Written application for permission to do so shall be made to the nominated House and Grounds Committee member and the terms of which such permission may be granted, shall be strictly adhered to. The allocation of covered bays and parking positions shall at all times be at the sole discretion of the Executive Committee. Boats are parked at own risk.
Parking stickers are to be prominently displayed on the transom of the boat or trailer chassis. Boats and/or boat covers are to be clearly marked with the sail number.
Members shall not interfere in any way with the parked boats/trailers of other members but should advise the House & Grounds Committee member if boats/trailers are parked in the incorrect bay/shelter.
o. The Bridge, Committee boat, Rescue boats and Jetty are out of bounds to all except bridge crews and other authorised persons.
p. The galley is out of bounds to all except the galley/authorised personnel.
q. Members may not remain overnight at the Club (unless specific permission has been given, via the Executive Committee, by the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality).
r. Members shall ensure that no litter is left lying around at the Club or thrown into the water.
s. Members shall not, under any circumstances leave the Club site. The dam wall is strictly out of bounds.
t. Club Colours
In order to provide recognition to members of the Club a system for the award of Club Colours is in existence. Any member in good standing may submit a recommendation for the award of colours to the Executive Committee. Such a recommendation should have the support of the relevant Flag Officer, as defined in the Constitution. Typically this award may be considered for members who have given significant, ongoing service to the Club in all areas of sailing, administration and general activities.
Specific guidelines are available from the Admin Secretary. Such guidelines may be reviewed from time to time and approved by the Executive Committee.
2. SAILING
a. Instructions from the Sailing Committee Duty Officer, Bridge Crew and Rescue Crew shall be obeyed implicitly.
b. Only members or invited guests shall be permitted to sail on the dam. Only SAS registered mono-hull dinghies may sail on Rietvlei at the discretion of the Executive Committee. No other craft e.g. paddle skis etc. may be floated on the dam at any time. The only exception is the Centurion Canoe Club whose members may use the dam for practising at certain times and who may not be on the water during official Club sailing/racing.
Powerboats, other than the Club’s Committee Boat and Rescue Boats, are not allowed. Not more than 3 power boats shall be used without prior permission or in cases of extreme necessity.
c. The area of the dam leased to the Club is beaconed off and confined to a portion directly in front of the Club, approximately 0.65 km wide and 1.13 km long. Members shall not enter the north gully of the dam, which is reserved for fishing, and members shall not sail into the river and beyond or behind the island at the far end of the sailing waters. (As a general guide boats should not sail outside the perimeter of the Club marks unless they are rounding the marks or returning to the Club’s designated shoreline.)
d. Members shall not cross between the limit marks nor approach nearer than 70 metres from the shore where fishing is permitted. Members shall not interfere with fishermen and shall give them as wide a berth as possible.
e. No person shall land on any shore of the dam other than at the Club site except in the case of dire emergency or on the instruction of the Bridge or Rescue Officer.
f. No boats shall be floated on the dam between the hours of 19:00 and 06:00. The only exception to this ruling is the official night race when prior permission has been obtained.
g. Only boats that are sailworthy to the satisfaction of the Sailing Committee as represented by the Race Officer/Duty Officer, shall be permitted to sail.
h. Members shall provide themselves with life jackets of a type approved by the Sailing Committee. A life jacket shall always be carried for each person on board and the Race Officer/Duty Officer shall indicate whether or not the wearing of life jackets is compulsory. (by displaying the Y flag on the Bridge.) Members shall ensure that life jackets are worn by persons on board who cannot swim well.
i. All persons under the age of 16 must wear life jackets at all times. All members must wear life jackets whilst sailing during the week or over holiday periods, or any time that the rescue boats are not being manned.
j. Members shall observe the strictest safety precautions at all times. Sailors requiring urgent assistance whilst the rescue boats are manned and on duty shall raise an arm to indicate their situation. Sailors are encouraged to have a whistle on board as an added precaution.
3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Entrance Fees
No entrance fee for scholars and students under 25 years of age.
R350 Individual and Family Members
R350 Country members
3.2 Annual Subscriptions
R450 Individual and Family Members
R225 Country Members
R150 Student Members
R 70 Cadet Members (Scholar)
R 50 Short-term visitors’ fee, per month.
Student Members are persons who are full-time students at a university or other approved institution and have not turned 25 by 1 April of the current year. They must produce a student cad and a copy of their ID book to qualify for Student Membership.