Hi,
OPENING HOURS
Queen Mary SC Club Opening Times can be found at
http://www.queenmary.org.uk/opening-times.aspx. This reveals that the gate is open between 900 and 1700 hrs in February - in practice the gate may be opened a bit earlier, but the internal "traffic stopper" system may not be manned until 900 - there are warning signs telling incomers to "call" from the post beside the hut on the right hand (driver's) side to ask for access. DO NOT TRY TO "TAILGATE" SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF YOU - THE HYDRAULIC GATE
WILL ROLL UP AND CATCH YOU - DAMAGE IS TO BE EXPECTED...... and everyone behind you will be delayed while the hydraulic gate is checked and lowered. If you get told to park in the lower car park to the right, tell the club staff member that you have come to the Sprint 15 Open Meeting and have a boat (or 2?) to drop off and make up in the boat park (up the hill). For those trailing, there is a triangular area to the left with room for all the likely number of visitors if you use the space reasonably economically. If you cartop, I suggest you go further into the boatpark and find a bit of grassed aisle between the boats on which to assemble, to avoid hull damage. Leave enough room for other cars and boats on trailers/trolleys to pass your car.
The limited space in the boat park and by the club house for parking is reflected in the Club Byelaws and SIs (all events) - excepting vehicles servicing the Club itself, vehicles for the disabled and vehicles temporarily parked while dropping off and making up boats, ALL vehicles are to be parked in the lower car park - there's a set of 66 steps up to the boat park and club house at the far end of the lower car park; I climb those steps (less in number than my years of age) every time I sail at QM, and console myself with the thought that I am nearer from my car to the water with my bag than I am at Grafham with my boat for the last of of the Summer TT series, and it's downhill rather than uphill after the event....... Competitors can be disqualified WITHOUT A HEARING if a vehicle belonging to or associated with them is left in the boat park.
I understand Mike's request, and I'll have a word with Gordon.
COURSES in NoR RATHER THAN in SI.
Bob seemed puzzled by this, and assumed there was a reason. The Club uses one standard set of SIs for all its "own" events, with ALL other details in the NoR; it may not seem in line with RRS, but it's been used for years and works well; as there's QMSC Members who are or have been National and even International ROs, Umpires etc, I'd be surprised if it wasn't "RRS legal". For Open Meetings it occasionally gets a bit tricky sorting everything out with Event Secretaries who have busy lives.
