Safety & By-laws

Safety

The Burlington Catamaran Club Inc. (“BCCI”) is a strong supporter of safe sailing and requires all Members to follow safe sailing requirements. This includes ensuring all sailors have the highlighted safety items with them at all times while sailing.  It should be noted that the highlighted items (excluding the VHF Radio) are required by law for all watercraft under 6 meters (Currently this includes all Catamarans within the BBCC Club).  BBCC also currently follows all government issued COVID 19 protocols during its sailing season.


Personal Floating Device "PFD"
approved by Dept of Transport (Canada)
per sailor

15-meter-long floating throw line
(could be the main sheet)

Paddle


Flashlight and Whistle
(To be used after Sunset, before
Sunrise or in Periods of Restricted Visibility)


Waterproof handheld VHF radio

 

In addition to the highlighted items above, BCCI recommends the following additional precautions and devises be taken/utilized to further support safe sailing:

  1. Wear the appropriate weather gear (recommended wetsuit or dry suit) to protect against hypothermia.
  2. Tether your hand-held waterproof VHF radio to your PDF. The VHF Radio is to be maintained on “Dual Mode” to monitor your desired Channel and Channel 16 announcements. Urgent weather announcements will be conveyed on Channel 16.
  3. Check the weather forecast and wind direction before setting off to sail.
  4. Install “BCCI Beach Caution Flags” during sailing periods where significant beach activity (i.e. walking, playing and swimming) is anticipated. Typically weekend and holidays. The Caution Flags are utilized to alert beach goers that catamarans will be using the beach. Remove the “BCCI Beach Caution Flags” after all sailors have return to the beach.
  5. All sailors should be familiar with their catamarans, have appropriate righting gear (water bag, righting pole etc.) and be comfortable righting their catamaran if required.
  6. Two capable adult sailors on board if you are taking out any children or pre-teens – one to help them (or jump overboard) while the other controls the cat.
  7. Be aware of swimmers and commercial vessels when launching and returning to the beach. Swimmers have begun to traverse the Spencer Smith Park and the Peer. This route is increasing being used by Triathlon and Long-Distance competitors for training and events.
  8. Sailors should also be aware of catamarans and commercial vessels entering and exiting the thru the Hamilton Bay Canal. Large commercial vessels can often not see small catamarans. Also sailing to close to large vessels can pull your catamaran into the large vessel cavitation from the propellers.
  9. Watch out for your fellow sailors and assist in case they need help both on the water and off the beach.
  10. Lock up your catamaran to your Beach Pin using a chain & padlock. Bike locks not recommended as they could give way.

All BBCC members, particularly new members, should be familiar with the BBCC Sailing Safety Guidelines and learnings from past safety experiences which have occurred at the Beach.  Both links are provided below.

In the event of an Emergency the Emergency Action Plan should be implemented.

By-Laws

The Burlington Beach Catamaran Club is regulated by the following by-laws: