MRSC Conditions of Hire for Wayfarers
MRSC Conditions of Use for Club Wayfarers
Please read and agree to these instructions before using the Wayfarers
The club has invested in 3 Wayfarers to encourage and promote dinghy sailing. Given sufficient care they should provide years of good service. The sailing committee and helpers have done a lot of work to get three boats up together, and fitted with good equipment. Please enjoy the boats, join in all the activities, hire for private use and report any problems. Priority will be given for the boats to be used for Club events.
All three Wayfarers can be reefed. The mainsails have two sets of reefing points and they have rolling Genoas which maintain their shape no matter what size they are used. The mainsails on the new Wayfarers are cut slightly shorter in the leech which means the booms are slightly higher than the race boats. The small difference is not noticeable in club racing. All the Wayfarers have an anchor, paddle, and fenders.
Hire Conditions
Phoenix W11450 Can be used by Instructors and Experienced Racers approved by the Sailing or General Committees. If you would like to rent Phoenix then please contact sailingsec@mengeham.co.uk. No outboard bracket is fitted. Please do not pull the boat up at a beach. If used on at East Head please anchor off so the hull stays afloat.
Wayfarer (newish) W11353 Can be used by any experienced club member. Although second-hand", she is virtually new. The sails are new. There is a removable outboard bracket fitted. Please do not pull the boat up at a beach. If used on at East Head please anchor off so the hull stays afloat.
Moorhen W3160 Can be hired by anyone who can sail and is confident they can go out and get back in the conditions of the day. If there is a doubt, wait until here is a club event and help is at hand. Moorhen can be beached, take BBQs to East Head or to Bembridge. Moorhen might find it hard to win races but is still a capable boat. Moorhen has oars which are stored in the dinghy store.
Rigging & Sailing
- There will be a set of rigging instructions per boat
- Ensure the Kicking strap is fitted
- Ensure the Cunningham is fitted
- Check the reefing lines are rigged
- Get familiar with how the rudder blades stays down and comes up
- The roller genoas work well, They can still snag the forestay and get tangled. Try to roll up gently and it should work ok. If this becomes a problem different preventers may have to be fitted
- When using any of the Wayfarers, especially if the wind is from the North or East ie onshore, drop the mainsail early and sail in slowly under jib. If juniors, DF65 or other water users are out, this is far safer and less likely to damage the boat or people if things go wrong. There is always the paddle.
- If going out of the harbour, suggestion is to take a VHF Radio, Flares and spare fuel for the outboard
- For further guidance on equipment to be carried for cruising, look at the various information documents that are produced for each UKWA event
General Use
- Before getting into a boat on the trolley, check the boat is supported by the central roller. The boats are strong enough for one person to get in ashore. Just don't walk too far back without supporting the boat on the trolley
- When hoisting the mainsail and dropping the main, support the boom.
- Check bungs are in and bailers are up
- Check the toe straps are ok
- Each boat has two fenders. These should be used. If you get dried out they make good rollers.
- Its always a good idea to check the spinnaker is rigged ok, by doing a dryland hoist first.
- When using an outboard remember the rudder can still touch the propeller, so don't steer excessively or the rudder will get badly damaged.
- Use the Winch or Rupert to help Launch and Recover
- Tie everything into the boat so in the event of a capsize things won't float off and you have to visit the marine Superstore. Moorhen has an aft and forward tank where things can be stored. Clip the spinnaker pole to something.
- Don't leave sails flogging in the wind. If you need to dry sails, ie the jib or spinnaker try and tie them down, without doing a dry capsize. If you go to East Head, drop the sails and take the rudder off.
- After use, wash the salt off of everything, including the sails if they got wet, collapsible paddles, especially the cleats. If the outboard bracket has been used, wash everything down and return the bracket to the sail store.
- Through the summer, keep the sails inside the boat. If the sails get wet, lay them out as best you can under the cover to air. Flake the mainsail over the boom.
- Check all personal belongings, BBQ, food, beer, bucket and spades have been removed
- After use, ensure the main outhaul, cunningham is released
- After use, lower the foiling Genoa
- After use, open the bailers
- Refit the cover
- Inform boathire@mengeham.org.uk for any problems found.
Good Sailing the boats are there to be used. Better to use and replace after good wear and tear rather than the boats remain idle. If anything above is not clear, ask anyone on the Sailing Committee or take a Mengeham Sailing Course
Chris Tyler
Sailing Secretary April 2025