NEW MEXICO SAILING CLUB

MARINA OPERATING RULES, POLICIES AND ETIQUETTE

Heron Lake, New Mexico

Updated Jan, 2010

 

INTRODUCTION

This document is intended to consolidate under one cover, the NMSC Marina operating Rules, Policies and Etiquette. The New Mexico Sailing Club (NMSC) operates the Heron Lake (Willow Creek) Marina under contract to the State of New Mexico Parks and Recreation Department as a non profit corporation. The normal NMSC sailing season at Heron Lake, with dockmasters in attendance and club dinghies available, will be from approximately May 1 through October 31. The rules and policies as adopted within this document are intended to apply to all club members, transient renters, and guests without discrimination!

 

COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT

The NMSC Executive Board and dockmasters shall be charged with insuring compliance with the NMSC operating rules and policies stated herein.

 

In cases of non-compliance with Marina Rules, the dockmaster on duty shall ask for compliance. In cases of continuing noncompliance, the dockmaster shall enter the details of the incident in the Log Book and report the situation to a member of the Executive Board. Penalties will be administered as necessary by the Board up to and including loss of Marina privileges. In cases of criminal acts, a Park Ranger or the local authorities shall be notified.

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR SLIP AND BUOY RENTAL

Introduction

The concession from the State of New Mexico held by the New Mexico Sailing Club, concerning slip and buoy rentals, shall be handled according to the policies stated below. The club retains the exclusive right to assign all slips and buoys.

 

Specifics

Each member who is assigned a slip or buoy by the NMSC shall have the right to annually renew a rental agreement for the space, or equivalent, provided that such member each year:

 

1. Pays the required fees by the time designated.
2. Membership and slip/buoy fees are due March 15.
3. Serves an assigned half-week as dockmaster. If some unforeseen happening would prevent the member from serving at the assigned time he or she may arrange to trade times with another club member or may find a qualified person who will serve for pay. Locating a substitute dockmaster is the responsibility of the member. The names of the substitute dockmasters and the periods that they will serve must be reposted to the Dock Assignments Chairman. No officer, no member of the Board, nor a co-dockmaster has the authority to permit a member to come late, leave early, or forego the duty.
4. Owns or co-owns a boat that is kept at Heron Lake NMSC facilities during the sailing season. Ownership is established by the boat title and insurance policy at the time of the original application for a slip or buoy.
5. Executes an appropriate license agreement with the club.
6. Maintains appropriate boat insurance as specified by the NMSC.

 

Failure to perform any of the above listed requirements will result in forfeiture of all rights to the slip or buoy. The Executive Board allows for hearing of appeals in cases of failures to comply with the above stated requirements.

 

SLIP AND BUOY RENTAL POLICIES

1. If a member's boat is sold during the sailing season, the seller may permit the purchaser to use the slip or buoy for the remainder of the season. The purchaser must join the club, execute a license agreement, have proper insurance, and place his or her name on the waiting list for a slip or buoy.
2. Members who do not use their rental space may retain claim to a slip or buoy for a maximum of two sailing seasons; however the member remains responsible for slip or buoy rental fees until and unless the slip or buoy is subleased, and looses any right to the slip or buoy if the fees remain unpaid. The Dock Assignments Chairperson may sublease the space to the next person on the waiting list. No sublease will be offered unless all other slips and or buoys are leased. The subleasee must be a member of the club and must execute a license agreement.
3. Members loose membership privileges and slip/buoy access if dues or rental fees are not received by March 15.
4. After Labor Day any club member who has executed a license agreement may use any dock space that has been vacated for the remainder of the season after coordinating the move with the dockmaster. The vacated dock space is preferentially subject to monthly or partial season rental of the space by the club.
5. A member may let another club member who has executed a license agreement use his or her slip or buoy temporarily, not to exceed 1 month. The dockmaster must be notified and this arrangement noted in the Log Book.
6. A new member joining during the sailing season after July 15 may rent a slip or buoy if available at a prorated rate. Previous members of the club within the prior 3 years are not eligible for the reduced rate unless approved by the board. 
7. If the marina is not able to open during a season, members renting slips will not be assessed a slip fee. If buoys are not useable, buoy tenants will not be assessed a buoy fee. However, slip and buoy tenants must pay membership dues to remain on the priority list and to be able to retain their slip or buoy when they become useable.
8. In the event of a significantly shortened season, the NMSC board will decide, with recommendations from the slip and buoy assignment committee, as to whether to issue refunds to the slip and/or buoy tenants.

 

POLICIES ON SLIP/BUOY PRIORITIES AND RESTRICTIONS

Priorities for moving from one slip to another available slip, from a buoy to a slip, or for obtaining a slip or buoy as such moorings become available have been established chronologically through rentals in prior years and applications for moorings. A record of such priorities by seniority (the priority list) shall be maintained by the Dock Assignments Chairperson, as well as the list of members waiting to lease buoys or slips (the waiting list). These lists will be published annually. As slip or buoy vacancies occur, the committee shall notify the members on the waiting list in the order of their priority, until a willing applicant is found. Failure to exercise the option of leasing or moving up will not result in a member losing his or her position on the waiting list.

 

Transient Rentals

Six transient rental slips will be maintained throughout the dock complex. These slips will be rented on a first-come first-serve basis with no reservations accepted prior to the day of rental. Transient slip rental to any one person or boat is limited to a maximum of 21 days cumulative per season.

 

Monthly Rentals

If space is available in the marina (excluding the transient sites), slips or buoys may be rented by the month. The renter must become a member and sign a lease agreement and have proper insurance as required for member renters. The Dock Assignments chairperson will process monthly rentals.

 

Courtesy Docks

Courtesy docks are available for temporary use (limit 30 minutes). Dinghies, club or personal, shall not be tied to the courtesy dock.

 

Slip / Boat Size Restrictions

Because of the dimensions of the slips, a member contemplating putting a boat over 30 feet long or 12 feet in beam (including fenders) into a slip must first check with the Board. Specific slip assignments will be determined by the Dock Assignments Chairperson according to the member’s priority at the time of an available slip/buoy.

 

INSURANCE

Every renter of a slip or buoy shall have liability insurance covering property damage and personal injury, and on request shall provide the NMSC officers with evidence of such insurance.

 

RENTAL FEES

The current sailing season rental fees are as follows:

Buoys .............$252 rent + tax + $50 dock building fund

Slips .......         $436 rent + tax + $50 dock building fund

 

Monthly Rates

            Slips                 $200 rent + tax

            Buoys               $170 rent + tax

 

Transient Slip Rate        $10 per night

 

New Member Partial Season Proration for Slips

            July                                          $295 rent + tax + $25 dock building fund

            August                                      $205 rent + tax + $25 dock building fund

            September-October                 $150 rent + tax + $25 dock building fund

 

New Member Partial Season Proration for Buoys

            July                                          $170 rent + tax + $25 dock building fund

            August                                      $130 rent + tax + $25 dock building fund

            September-October                 $  90 rent + tax + $25 dock building fund

 

 

Club work credits, to be applied against rental fees, may be designated for certain club projects as approved by the Executive Board. Work credits are limited to 100% of the annual or prorated slip rental fee.

 

DOCKMASTER'S DUTIES

The half-week dockmaster assigned periods are Saturday midnight through Wednesday noon and Wednesday noon through the following Saturday midnight. Extra dockmasters are assigned during holiday weekends from Friday midnight through Tuesday noon or Thursday midnight through Monday noon depending on when the observed holiday falls. Dockmasters must be at lest 18 years old for insurance considerations.

 

A person serving as dockmaster shall be a member in good standing of the NMSC and shall:

 

1. Use his or her best efforts to preserve the security and safety of all club property and the boats using the slips and buoys under the club's control, with due regard for his or her own personal safety.
2. Be either located on the docks or camped at the point. The area cannot be adequately monitored from a buoy. A dockmaster's slip is provided for use by those on buoys and others who prefer that location.
3. Serve as club safety representative at the Marina, being especially watchful of minors.
4. Make sure that life vests (2 minimum) are always kept in the dinghies.
5. Be in attendance 24 hours a day within sight of docks and buoys. However, if two dockmasters are on duty, one may leave for reasonable time periods provided that other dockmaster is in agreement. If the weather is threatening, or if it is a busy time such as a weekend or other needy situations, all dockmasters shall stay on duty at the docks. An assigned dockmaster shall not enter a scheduled race activity when he or she is scheduled to “dock sit” unless a responsible adult serves as an alternate.
6. Check all boats for proper mooring security at least once a day. Inventory the boats vs. buoys after severe weather to check for boats breaking away from their buoys. NOTE: Pay particular attention to boats sitting low in the water after a lightning storm, as a lightning strike will frequently burn holes through the hull below water line.
7. Challenge suspicious or unknown persons at or near boats.
8. Keep track of club dinghies, keeping them accessible for ready use by the buoy renters.
9. Give assistance to those entering or leaving slips. This item requires reasonable judgment. It is not necessary to assist each and every boat entering or leaving. However, when obvious need or courtesy dictates, effort should be made to help. Help should be given, for example, when someone is having trouble or when high winds are making docking hazardous. NOTE: Board policy is that returning boats shall fly colored flags (Red for "A” Dock, Yellow for "B” Dock, or Green for "C" Dock) when assistance is requested.
10. Make a reasonable effort to contact a boat's owner if any significant problem occurs at the facilities or with a particular boat, such as a break-a-way or an apparent leak. Make appropriate entries in the Log Book of such situations.
11. Rent transient slips at posted rates on a first-come first served basis, with no reservations being permitted prior to the day of rental, and with cash or check payment being required in advance. Have the renter sign a license agreement. Keep a written record of all transient slip rentals by slip number, including names, addresses, boat registration number, term of rentals, and fees paid.
12. Give assistance to members in locating their proper buoy or slip when they first bring their boats to the marina. The assignments are normally designated on the marina map located in the dock house.
13. Keep the dinghies bailed clear of rainwater and the bottoms clear of algae.
14. Perform appropriate maintenance on the facilities as time permits. A list of needed small jobs will be found in the Job Jar.
15. Make legible entries in the Log Book of all important events.
16. Attempt to enforce the vehicle loading and unloading parking rule on the point. The current ruling by the Park Ranger in agreement with the club, states that a maximum of two vehicles (two dockmasters) may be parked past the sign at any time, except for loading and unloading. Twenty to thirty minutes for loading and unloading is considered an adequate time.
17. Limit courtesy dock use to approximately 30 minutes.
18. Keep the barbecues and utensils clean and the propane bottles for the barbecue grills filled. Turn in receipt to club treasurer for reimbursement.
19. Put pavilion trashcans in shed each night so that raccoons do not scatter trash. Deposit marina trash in the dumpster as needed and at the end of the docksitting tour.
20. Maintain the marina and pavilion in ship shape and seamanlike manner.

 

SAFETY RULES

1. Dinghy use and safety.

a)      a)      Minors shall be required to wear life vests when aboard.

b)      b)      A personal flotation device is required to be on board for each person in a dinghy.

2. Swimming from the docks is prohibited.
3. Fishing from the docks is prohibited but is permitted from your own boat.

 

NOTE: Fire extinguishers, heaving lines, and throwable flotation devices are located on each dock for emergencies only.

 

Reciprocity

The NMSC welcomes visiting sailors. NMSC offers reciprocal hospitality to members of all yacht and sailing clubs affiliated with US Sailing or the equivalent member national authority. Club members who are visiting the NMSC should present a current membership card from an affiliated yacht or sailing club to the dockmaster on duty in order to receive reciprocal benefits at the marina. The NMSC offers two nights of free slip rental and up to five days at half price to members of these clubs.

 

SHUTTLE DINGHIES

The club provides dinghies for the use of buoy renters. The dinghies will be moored at the dock as designated by the dockmasters. They shall be used only for the purpose of transporting individuals and gear to a boat moored at a buoy, for inspection of boat tie-ups by the dockmasters, and for special club sponsored functions.

 

Anyone using a dinghy shall return it as promptly as possible so that others may use it.

 

DRY STORAGE AND RESPONSIBILITY

All trailers for launched boats with assigned slips and or buoys shall be removed from the park (either taken home or stored at a local area storage lot). Space can be obtained for the fenced/locked dry storage at Heron Park Visitors Center for a monthly fee.

 

Neither the club nor the dockmaster shall have responsibility for any boat, dinghy, trailer, or vehicle (including contents therein) stored or parked in the dry storage parking area, vehicle parking areas, or the area around the marina.

 

MARINE DOCK ETIQUETTE

In general we should practice the Golden Rule.

 

If you are offended by an activity that is being conducted by fellow members, please ask them to stop.

 

If a fellow member tells you he or she is offended by something you are doing, please stop.

 

The club must obey the New Mexico State Park Regulations published in the Membership Directory and Handbook. In addition to these, there are a few commonly accepted rules of courtesy that apply to sailors. They are:

 

1. Secure you halyards so they are quiet.
2. Request permission to board another boat.
3. Wear proper shoes or remove your shoes when going aboard another person's boat.