**Lysterfield Sailing Club Boat Usage Policy**
**Introduction**
At Lysterfield Sailing Club, we believe in fair access to our club boats for all members. To ensure this, we’ve established some straightforward guidelines. Please take a moment to go through these guidelines to ensure everyone can enjoy our boats.
**1. Occasional Use**
You’re welcome to use our club boats, but we consider fair use to be once a month in the absence of a plan to acquire your own boat. This way, everyone gets a chance to sail.
**2. No Reservations**
We don’t accept boat reservations. You can’t count on a specific boat always being available. Our goal is to offer equal opportunities to all members.
**3. Sailing School Graduates First**
If you’ve completed our Sailing School, you’ll have priority access to the boats. We want to support our new sailors. To give graduates a chance to get established, in the first 2 months of membership after completing a sailing school, graduates will be a priority group.
**4. New Members **
New members, especially those without their own boats, will be given priority over members who have a boat. We want to make new members feel welcome and ensure they can enjoy sailing from the get-go. Club boats are part of this support structure and longer term members (> 1 yr) should not displace new members by monopolizing club boats.
**5. Keep Boats in Good Shape**
After using a boat, it must be packed up and put away neatly. This means securing sails, tidying lines, and leaving the boat in good condition for the next sailor. It helps us maintain our fleet.
**6. Report Damage**
If you notice any damage or issues with the club boats, please report them as soon as possible. Timely reporting helps us keep our boats in good working order.
**7. Follow Club Rules**
Make sure to comply with all our club rules and policies when using our boats. It keeps things running smoothly.
**8. Policy Updates**
This policy may be updated periodically, and we’ll notify members of any changes.
As a member of Lysterfield Yacht Club you agree to abide by these guidelines. We trust our members to be responsible and ensure that sailing at Lysterfield Sailing Club is enjoyable for everyone.