The Marin Rowing Association - Club Regulations

Club Regulations

I. Club Use and Membership
· No one will be allowed on the water until he/she has signed a Waiver, which includes initializing that they know how to swim and that they have read the Emergency and Safety Procedures.
· All new members must watch the MRA Safety DVD and the USRowing Safety DVD.
· A two-week grace period is allowed before joining the club. In this time, a potential member who has been checked out by a coach can row an open water single or participate in an appropriate sweep program.
· A temporary member must submit an application for membership and waiver along with their temporary dues to the Director’s office prior to continuing to row. Temporary members must view the safety video at the beginning of their first membership month.
· A new member must submit an application for membership and waiver along with their initiation fee to the Director’s office prior to continuing to row. New members must view the safety video at the beginning of their membership.
· Adult members are restricted from using the waterway and facility between the hours of 4:00 – 6:00pm weekdays. This time is reserved for our junior program and is a requirement of the land owner, the City of Larkspur.
· Dues and fees are due and payable net 30 days upon receipt of invoice. Failure to pay within 30 days shall cause the member to become delinquent. Delinquent members will receive a statement in the mail. After 60 days, delinquent members will not have access to the facility until the balance due is paid in full.
· All members are asked to volunteer at least 8 hours per year of organized work or other service at the direction of the Facility Manager or Director. Please fill out a volunteer form and return it with your waiver.
· We row within the Larkspur/Greenbrae community. Sounds from the water echo and carry a long way. Please be courteous of our neighbors and keep any talking to a minimum. Coxswains should keep the cox box at a reasonable volume, so as not to disturb our neighbors. We have an agreement with the City of Larkspur that restricts coaching launches following their crews west of our dock prior to 7:00am weekdays, 8:00am weekends.

II. Safety Procedures
· All members must read the Emergency and Safety Procedures and follow the procedures at all times. Failing to do so is at your own risk and the MRA will not be resposible for your actions.

III Parking Restrictions
· We have very little parking on the MRA lot, therefore we must share parking with Drakes Landing. Any parking in the Drakes Landing lot must be in the designated 60 spaces at the far end of the lot.
· On weekdays, these spaces must be cleared by 7:45am. If you use the facility between the hours of 7:45am – 6:00pm, you may park either on the MRA lot, in the commuter lot or along Drakes Landing Rd.

IV. Use of Club Equipment
· All equipment belongs to the club and is scheduled for use by the MRA Director for the scheduled programs. A restricted boat policy controls the use of certain boats by club members. The following equipment is restricted from general club use: VG&VB racing 8+'s(2)and 4+'s(2)(located on top racks)Flora 4+, Stairway 4+.
· Use of the Boat Reservation form is required to use the club sculling boats. The form is located on the membership table.
· On land and water the conduct of the crew and the handling of equipment will be under the control of an approved coxswain and the coach at all times. No eight or four shall be rowed without a coach-approved coxswain. The coxswain has command authority at all times. Crew members shall refrain from idle discussion when boats are being handled both and on and off the water to ensure that all crew members can hear the coxswain commands and respond to them at the appropriate time.
· The racing shells are restricted to those members who have been checked out by a qualified coach. Club singles are located on dollies only. All other singles are privately owned. Please return the boats and oars to the correct racks.

V.Equipment Handling
· Each rower is 100% accountable for his own oar, rigger, footstretcher, seat and slide. Check to make sure that all equipment is functioning properly before launching. Spare parts are very expensive and breakage can be avoided by taking responsibility for your own seat. Get help to ensure proper handling of the equipment.
· All boats must be washed and dried before being placed back on the rack. The inside of the boat should be rinsed daily as well as the riggers, pins and bolts. Take the time to clean a boat inside and out with soapy water once a week.
· Cox boxes are assigned to each team. Coxswains are responsible for the proper handling of the box and will be held responsible for damage.

VI. Equipment Damage and Repair
· Report any damage caused by yourself, another member, or your crew in the damage log located on the membership table. In addition, please note any maintenance needed to rowing equipment by logging the information in the damage log. Please leave the boat upright in slings for the repair. Do not row damaged equipment.

VII. Paying for Avoidable Damage to Club Equipment
· a. Assessments, described below, will be made to pay for parts, supplies and outside labor needed to repair damage to club equipment resulting from:
1. Improper boat handling around slings and boathouse racks.
2. Breaking or bending rudders and fins on the dock during launching.
3. Ramming known obstructions in the Creek.
· b. Assessments will be made to the individual program in the case of on water accidents and will be made to the individual crew in the case of accidents on the dock and in the boathouse. The only exception to this is in the case of novice programs where all assessments will be made to the individual program.

VIII. Launching and Landing
· All eights and fours should launch from the MRA dock. Footstretchers and riggers should be adjusted either before the boat is brought to the dock, or after launching. Boats should be brought down bow first, with launching taking place in the direction of Mt. Tam. Return to the dock is in the same direction, headed upstream.
· When using the MRA private dock, boats that are landing should move to the upstream end of the dock. When landing, give way to boats that have already landed. All crews and scullers should move as quickly on and off the dock as possible.
· Do not yell at another crew on the dock.
· Singles and doubles should use the small public dock whenever there is sufficient water to do so. Please do not leave your boat unattended on the dock.

IX. Private Boat Storage
· The MRA has the capacity for private storage of 50 singles. A wait list for space is on file in the office. Private boat owners must sign a Boat Storage Agreement and pay active membership fees in addition to storage fees for the duration of storage.
· Private boat storage is available to those members who row their boat at least 2 times each quarter. Any member not using their boat regularly will be asked to vacate the space if a demand for the space is present. Any member owning a private boat may invite a guest to row the member’s boat up to six days per month at no charge.

X. Dogs
· All dogs must be leashed on the boathouse grounds Monday-Friday 6:00am-8:00am, and 6:00am-10:00am on Saturday and Sunday.

Last Updated Friday, January 25 2008 @ 02:55 PM PST