TeamPequot

2020 Policies in Response to COVID-19, as of May 19, 2020

TeamPequot’s overall goal is to conduct a safe and fun Pequot Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program (the “Program) for all, with the expectation that all participants, parents, and instructors understand that we all are living a “new normal” that is fluid and everchanging. Adjustments, expansion, or relaxing of these policies may occur, and acceptance of the necessity to change policies at a moment’s notice is a prerequisite to participation in the Program.

These policies and practices as related to COVID-19 may be changed without notice, including but not limited to implementing developments in best practices as announced or recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and/or state or local governments.

Participation in the Program

1. By participation in the program, parents and guardians acknowledge their acceptance that their child’s participation in the Program may expose the child to COVID-19.

2. Participation in the Program is voluntary “opt-in.” The Program cannot guarantee that the child will not be exposed to risk.

3. The JSA waiver remains in full force and effect, and COVID-19 is considered a “Loss” as per the definition of the term within the waiver.

4. The Program reserves the right to request a secondary waiver from parents or guardians prior to the commencement of the Program.

5. The Program will not be responsible for monitoring the health of participants or instructors, but requests that all be forthright and vigilant to known/unusual symptoms.

6. It is each parent’s and guardian’s responsibility to monitor not only their child’s health, but also the health of every member of their household, and that if the child, or any member of the household, is infected by COVID-19, or awaiting test results, they will immediately withdraw the child from the Program and notify the Program of the infection.

7. However, the Program reserves the right to conduct non-contact temperature checks on any child or instructor at any time. The Program will have a thermometer on-site. A child or instructor with a temperate in excess of 99°F will be dismissed for the day; parents are requested to pick up a dismissed child immediately. The parent or guardian is requested to confirm temperature at home. Temperature must be below 99°F for 24 hours (without any medicinal effects, e.g. fever reducers) in order to return to the program.

8. A child who carries a temperature of 99°F or more for 48 hours will qualify for a pro-rated refund of program fees; such calculations will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is the intention of this provision to encourage parents and guardians to be proactive in monitoring the health of their child, and to do so without financial penalty.

9. A child who tests positive for COVID-19, will qualify for a pro-rated refund of program fees; such calculations will be made on a case-by-case basis.

10. If a child, instructor, or family member becomes infected with COVID-19, decisions on how to continue, pause, or cancel the Program will be made at that time. Parents and guardians acknowledge that there are too many scenarios possible to predict a single response to this possibility.

11. Cancellation: Should the Program be cancelled while in session by events or directives outside the control of the Program, or due to a COVID-19 infection within the Program, a prorated refund for Program Fees (less the registration fee, which will defray the operational expenses of commencing the program which include t-shirts, buffs, instructor training, and similar expenses) and Boat Charter Fees (if a boat is chartered from Pequot Yacht Club; exclusive of any privately-made charter agreements) will be made to all participants.

Physical Distancing; Face Coverings

1. Parents, guardians, and participants acknowledge that physical distancing is generally impractical as it relates to a sailing program.

2. Notwithstanding, all participants are encouraged to remain as far apart as practical.

3. All participants must wear a face covering at all times on docks, on club grounds, and otherwise when not physically distant from another person (within six feet).

Safety and Operations

1. In the event of an inclement weather forecast, the Program will be canceled; this is to avoid large groups congregating indoors. An email for a next-day cancellation will be sent by 8:00 PM the night before; an email for a same-day cancellation (e.g. Monday, or due to a sudden change in weather forecast) will be sent by 8:00 AM (morning class) or by 11:00 AM (afternoon class) on the day in question. No refunds will be made for lost days. (Note that a light drizzle or similar conditions will not be considered “inclement;” sailors should have appropriate foul-weather gear.)

2. The Junior Clubhouse will be closed to participants, except for purposes of using a restroom or for briefly depositing or retrieving a “gear bag” inside the building. In both scenarios, occupancy of the building will be limited to a few persons.

3. Pre-sail “chalk talks” will be conducted outside, in group locations to be determined.

4. Rigging will be staggered to limit dock population:

a. Mornings: Opti 3, followed by Opti 2, followed by Opti 1

b. Afternoons: Optis will launch first and move boats to the far end of the junior dock; 420s may be rigged in the drysail lot and will precede Lasers. Upon launch, 420s/Lasers will immediately proceed to towlines/sail out. Fevas launch anytime from their own dock.

c. De-rigging in reverse order.

d. Parent understanding is requested during the first week or so of the Program as transit times in from the water, and derigging times with a staggered schedule, become better understood and executed by sailors and instructors. Every effort will be made to dismiss sailors at the appropriate time; however, some days, they might be early; some days, they might be late.

5. The larger goal is to keep sailors within their own boat “cluster” to minimize the chances of cross-infection.

6. In addition to “clustering” sailors by class, additional measures will be taken to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene of the program and grounds.

a. The junior clubhouse, including restrooms, will be cleaned and sanitized at least once daily. Clubhouse access is subject to change.

b. Hand sanitizer and/or “wipes” will be made available throughout the grounds.

c. No clothing or gear (life jackets, trapeze harnesses, etc.) may be stored overnight on club grounds. All clothing and gear must be removed daily by sailors. A nightly clean-up pass through the grounds will be conducted and anything left behind will be discarded. A “lost-and-found” will not be maintained.

7. Doublehanded boats: at this time, the Program expects to use double-handed boats (420s and Fevas). The Program’s guidance at this time is that no substitutions of double-handed partners will be allowed (if one partner has a conflict for the day, the sailing partner cannot choose someone else to take the non-sailing partner’s place; however, the sailing partner will have use of an O’Pen Skiff for the day at no additional cost).

8. Physical contact:

a. Sailors are not permitted to touch each other. The Program recognizes that this is perhaps the most difficult task of all, especially for younger children. There must be an expectation that parents educate their children; this is a continuous process.

b. Infraction #1: warning by an instructor

c. Infraction #2: escalation to the Director of Junior Sailing; call home to parent

d. Infraction #3: escalation to Club Manager and Junior Program Chairs; call home to parent and “final warning”

e. Infraction #4: dismissal from the Program. No refunds will be given.

9. Parent conduct:

a. Parents should drop off and pick up as usual at the entrance to the parking lot. The child should have a face covering in place at drop off.

b. As drop-off time is limited, sailors should be prepared with life jackets and sunscreen. Parents should not plan on coming onto the grounds to assist their children with these preparations.

c. If a parent must come on the grounds, a face covering is required.

Open Items

1. Regattas: at this time, the regatta schedule for JSA-sanctioned events, and/or “off-sound” events, remains in place; whether those regattas are feasible as traditionally conducted is unclear. More details on regattas, and “reimagined” regattas, will be forthcoming.

2. Big boats: at this time, the big boat program is postponed until further notice.

3. Lunch: at this time, it is unclear if lunch service will be possible. Parents and guardians should assume that lunch will not be available on-site.

Adjustments, expansion, or relaxing of these policies may occur, and acceptance of the necessity to change policies at a moment’s notice is a prerequisite to participation in the Program.

These policies and practices as related to COVID-19 may be changed without notice, including but not limited to implementing developments in best practices as announced or recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and/or state or local governments.

2018 Pre-registration video

2017 Season-end Slideshow