Rules and Regulations
These rules are not supposed to be here as a hindrance but are designed to ensure that you ENJOY a SAFE days riding. Adopt a common sense approach to your own and others safety. There are individual rules to both St Bees and Whitehaven but if you read them all and adhere to them we will have no problems. The club will be held responsible for any problems within the Marina.
General Club Rules
1) All members to obtain Royal Yachting Association PWC competency certificate within 12 months of club opening. This gives you an appreciation of the rules of the road. You wouldn't buy and car and try and drive round the M25 without some kind of training and licence would you? It would be pretty dangerous obviously. Well the sea is no different. It makes sense to get proper training if you value your safety.
2) All craft must be properly data tag registered, insured and checked by the club, numbers must be original ones only and displayed on both sides of the bow above the gunwale.
3) Craft must be insured.
4) Do not bring club into disrepute.
5) A yellow and red card system will be operated to ban persistent offenders.
6) Absolutely no alcohol and riding.
7) An adult must supervise children under age of 16.
Whitehaven Marina Specific Rules
Requirements prior to launching
Only members of West Cumbria Watercraft Club will be allowed to use the harbour with PWC thus your sticker must be displayed to allow the Sealock Officer to be able to see. (On the front of the Hull). The PWC must also display its datatag numbers, again for the benefit of the Sealock Officer.
All craft must be adequately insured. Copies of all insurance must be presented to the harbour office prior to each vessel being allowed to enter the harbour for the first time. This will be necessary only each time the insurance is renewed and not at every launch.
Do not leave trailers/vehicles on any part of the harbour without registering with the harbour office. Never leave vehicles or trailers unattended. No cars are permitted on the piers.
You will need to have a mooring rope to clip onto your trailer hook and tie onto the pontoon in the sealock.
Do not swim in the harbour. It is dangerous, especially during busy times!!
Communication with the Duty Sealock Officer
Access to and from the sea through the locking system can only be undertaken with the consent of the duty Sealock Officer, even when the gates are on through flow (both sets of gates are open during certain tidal conditions). Communication to the duty Sealock Officer can me made on Marine VHF Ch. 12 or telephone on 01946 694672 prior to use, whereby, when permission is granted to one we may enter as a group.
Speed limits + Area Restrictions
Within the confines of the Inner Harbour speed should be reduced to under 8 knots so as not to create a wash or nuisance to others. Once through the sea lock and into the outer harbour the speed limit is 8 knots. The open sea has no speed restrictions but the Whitehaven jurisdiction covers St Bees to Harrington and they will expect us to adhere to Marine etiquette and operate safely according to the conditions.
Rules of navigation should be adopted at all times. This is why training is required. If we don't know the rules of the road we put ourselves at risk. Our craft also do not display lights and are small and fast, we must therefore assume that other vessels cannot see us.
The North Harbour is used only for servicing of fishing vessels. No craft shall pass through here without the express permission of the Duty Sealock officer or the harbour master.
Initially the Inner Harbour is ONLY for use to get the the sealock and the open sea. Riding round inside the harbour is NOT permitted.
Locking through the gates.
When locking through the gates all personal must step of their craft, stand on the pontoon and tie the craft to the pontoon. The lock system will try and suck the craft out of the lock when locking up or down to sea level. This is obviously dangerous if persons stay on the craft.
St Bees Specific Rules
1) Park up in car park at the top of the slipway, get kitted up and prepare the ski prior to launch.
2) The local bylaws and code of conduct must be followed. These are:-
a) Launch and retrieve craft with care and vacate the slipway area as quickly as possible.
b) Trailers may be parked at the top of beach area to the left of the slipway, ensure that the slipway and beach area is clear to allow the lifeboat unhindered access at all times.
c) Parking of cars on the beach is NOT allowed.
3. No fuel to be stored on beach.
4. When driving onto beach, be alert for other beach users.
5. Speed limit maximum of 8 nautical miles per hour within distance of 100 metres of the LOW TIDE mark.
6. Do not run engine on or above slipway.
7. Be courteous to officials.
8. Produce insurance if requested.
9. Be aware/courteous of other people on the water or beach.
10. No litter to be left on beach.
11. All members using St Bees Beach must abide by the rules or you will be asked to leave and the authorities informed.
