Chipstead Sailing Club

Chipstead Sailing Club

A Guide to Duties

Chipstead Sailing Club is run entirely by volunteers. To enable the race programme to be run and the Club facilities to be maintained, adult family members are required as a condition of Club membership to undertake four duties each year, and also to participate in two winter working parties. Social members are also welcome to join in and assist with duties. Duties should be enjoyable and a great way to meet and learn from other club members. If you need further guidance on what a duty entails please contact the OOD a week before your duty.

All adult family members may choose which Class they wish to join. Duties are allocated between Classes based on their membership, with each Class taking turns in running races for other Classes. You may indicate when you would prefer to carry out your duties, and your duties will then be organised at the start of the year by your nominated Class and entered into the Dutyman system which can be accessed through the Club website.

Duties will be rostered where possible in your preferred duty class, and any unallocated duties may be rostered centrally across other sailing sessions in the Club programme, which may fall on Saturday afternoons, Sunday mornings, Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings.

Responsible adults for Junior Members are asked to assist with four duties for the junior Class. Adult family members who have chosen to be members of the Junior Class will similarly have up to four duties allocated on Saturday mornings or may also be asked to carry out duties across other sailing sessions in the Club programme.

The trained RIB squad is also rostered centrally to improve safety cover.

The duty roster for the year is available on the Dutyman system accessible through the Club website. It is the responsibility of each member to arrange a swap if he or she is unable to fulfil their allocated duty. The Dutyman system is helpful in arranging swaps, and can be used to request swaps both within and outside your Duty Class.

Duty teams should assemble one hour before the start of racing. Depending on the race programme, Saturday afternoon teams are normally required to run races from either 12.55 or 13.00. Sunday morning racing normally starts at 10.30 and Sunday afternoon racing normally starts at 1410. Depending on the race programme on the day, Sunday morning duty teams are required at times additionally to run races from 13.00 and Sunday afternoon duty teams are required at times additionally to run single handed races from 16.10.

The categories of club duties are:

  • Officer of the Day (OOD)
    The OOD is an experienced person who has the responsibility of organising their team to run the racing according to the race programme.

    The OOD will set the race course and organise the other officers in the race box. It is their responsibility to oversee the efficient and safe running of the racing both on and off the water, and to ensure that the results are correctly recorded.

    The Club organises training sessions for new OODs as well as providing refresher training. New OODs are always welcome. Further guidance on running races is provided on the Club website.

  • Assistant Officer of the Day (AOD)
    The role of AOD is that of supporting the OOD on the day of the race. Usually there are two AODs who assist in starting and finishing the racing by raising and lowering flags as well as recording the position of competitors in the different races. They also help to enter these results on to the club computer. It can be helpful for AODs to read through the guidance on the website for running races in advance of their duties. It is anticipated that some AOD’s would like to actively learn from the OOD on duty and then be in a position to perform the role of OOD themselves when confident.

  • Power Boat Helm
    There are usually two patrol boats on the water during racing to assist member who may require assistance during a race.

    A club RIB will only be helmed by trained members of the RIB squad. The orange Commando patrol boat may be helmed by club members who have sufficient skills. We recommend that anyone helming these boats completes the FREE Chipstead course. Details of the Club’s training programme are available on the website.

  • Power Boat Crew
    Members allocated to the role of patrol boat crew can be in either the RIB or in the Commando patrol boats. Their role is to assist in recovery of members during a race or to recover boats after racing has finished. Patrol boat crews should be expected to enter the water if necessary to assist with a recovery. A wetsuit or drysuit will be required from 25 December to 31 March.

    Again it is recommended that members taking part in this duty participate in the Club’s FREE training course to help them carry out these duties effectively.

  • Tea Duty
    This duty entails providing welcome refreshments to sailors after racing on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and on Sunday mornings.


    Approved by the Sailing Committee
    3 September 2018