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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

These are some of the questions members have been asking.

 1. What do I get for my membership?

  • You join a friendly bunch of like-minded individuals who enjoy making and cruising remote controlled yachts in a social environment
  • You get the chance to participate in building an ML45 yacht if you want to or getting an intro to members willing to sell one
  • You get the opportunity to sail on our home lake (one of the best venues in the country), literally whenever you like
  • You have the opportunity to sail under guidance from a mentor if you’re a newbie
  • You have opportunity for some friendly competition racing with RC Lasers, Dragon Force 65 & 95 and now ML45 boats at our home lake & other venues if that’s your preference
  • You have access to the boatshed and all its facilities on club organised days
  • You have access to the Clubs gear when operating from another approved venue
  • You have access to the Clubs Web Site, two Facebook sites and Whats App facility
  • You have public liability and recently added personal injury insurance cover whenever & wherever sailing – very important & easily overlooked

 2. How friendly is the Club & it’s more competitive elements?

  • The club is PRIMARILY a social club – first & foremost
  • Friendly racing is organised for the RC Laser, Dragon Force & ML45 boats using our  simplified rules for competitive cruising around set courses, but as with all activity at the Club, friendly courteous behaviour is strictly expected & enforced
  • If you want to race with ATTITUDE, PLEASE GO ELSEWHERE
  • Membership is not continuous but renewed annually and has been terminated and not renewed where a member has breached the strict code of conduct

3. Where does my membership fee go?

  • Your $40 membership fee is currently split 4 ways
    • $5 is paid to AYRA for the Public Liability & Personal Injury Insurance they arrange
    • $0 is paid to AYRA for affiliation with that national RC sailing body – it was reduced from $8 to zero pre Covid19
    • $3 is paid to SAYRA for affiliation with that State RC sailing body
    • $32 is normally paid into our general revenue to cover rent, power, consumables, new or replacement equipment and future contingencies
  • The fee for members with primary membership at other RC sailing clubs is reduced by the $8 component

4. Public Liability Insurance – what is it & what does it cover?

  • It covers you up to $20M against any claim the public may make against you as a result of your RC sailing activity organised by an affiliated club anywhere in Australia – you sail at your own risk without such coverage, it protects not only you, but your Club, our MLSRA landlord, the Council (the Boatshed & Lake owner) and our State and National affiliated bodies, all of whom require it
  • It does not cover your personal property
  • Specifically - It applies only to ARYA affiliated members participating in ARYA sanctioned events. There is no cover for an individual who is not a member of the Association (e.g. a visitor having a try at sailing). “ARYA sanctioned events” include all ARYA affiliated club regattas & events (inc events away from a lake).
  • Any sailing venues we use and their Local Gov’t Councils are required to be named in the policy as “interested parties”

5. Personal Accident Insurance – what is it & what does it cover?

  • death cover is maximum $100,000, injury cover maximum $2,000 per injury
  • Injury cover is for non medicare expenses, on a reimbursable basis, up to 12 months after the injury, excess is $100
  • Includes a scaled payout dependent on extent of loss of limb / incapacity etc
  • An age cutoff at 85

6. Who is the National Insurer?

  • The current policy is with V-Insurance Group  arranged annually by AYRA
  • We have to provide its details to Salisbury Council, Renewal SA & other parties where our members sail from

7. Who is MLSRA?

  • The Mawson Lakes Sport & Recreation Assn
  • The Lessee of the boatshed
  • They in essence license the 3 tenant clubs and recover the shed running costs
  • Essentially formed so the Council Administration (the shed owner on behalf of ratepayers) has only one party to deal with and to be a go-between them and the tenant clubs – similar arrangements apply at ovals
  • Tenants of the Boatshed are required to affiliate with MLSRA
  • One of our Executive currently has the position of Chair. When & if meetings are held, two Board members are appointed to attend to meet our obligation of having two members present
  • The MLSRA is currently mostly inactive while new lease / license arrangements are made and meetings are chaired by Council staff

8. What does our License (sub lease) cover?

  • The 5 year lease to MLSRA is for the basic footprint of the boatshed with permitted access to use the surrounding Paquita Park area, public paths, the pontoon and the lake itself
  • The lease / license arrangements were due to expire in 2023 but are being extended pending new arrangements
  • The tenant clubs effectively rent their allocated areas within the shed (i.e. our lockable cage) from MLSRA (at a fee based on cost) with all clubs having access to the common use areas (the toilets, passage way, change room, the alcove and activity area)
  • The tenant clubs licenses pass on the right to use the lake & surrounding park area etc.
  • NOTE: The clubs have no rights to use the Renewal SA land which is the adjoining block or the large car park, their formal approval is required to utilise them for events. NOTE however that any person may traverse their property using it as a “right of way” but that excludes parking

9. How is the Club managed?

  • It operates under a constitution revised in 2019 and adopted by the members at a Special General Meeting on 7 September 2019
  • It has a Board of Directors elected by members at the AGM
  • The Board then appoint from their number an Executive team responsible for the day to day management of the Club and other key appointments with responsibilities for oversight of ML45 Sailing, RC Laser Sailing, DF Sailing etc.
  • The Executive comprises, The Chairman / President and Directors of Governance, Finance, Administration and Sailing who meet weekly with other Directors attending as necessary.
  • Now that the Board is again able to meet regularly (post the Covid19 crisis) development of regulations under the new constitution have mostly been completed to formaly published policies. The regulations include new ones covering Social Media and Photography. The existing policies related to Safety remain active pending rewritting post the completion of a safety audit and the completion of risk assesments.at the direction of SARYA (the state body)
  • The club currently operates only one bank account with the Executive authorised to operate it and requiring 3 persons involved in any outgoings and all able to access statements online
  • Fixed deposit investments are also maintained

10. Why so many Meetings?

  • The Executive meet regularly for team building over coffee and to review activity, plan upcoming activity, process accounts, arrange discussions with external stakeholders, meet with activity Directors e.g. ML45, Lasers, DF or other Board members and so on. Minutes of these meetings are not taken, attendees keep their own notes
  • The Board meet periodically to meet with the Executive to oversight the strategic direction of the Club, to review its financial & operational performance, to set goals and giving guidance to the Executive in its day to day responsibilities

11. Why is the Club building a cash reserve?

  • The Club has undergone rapid growth and for the last few years been acknowledged as the largest such club in Australia
  • In 4 years it quickly outgrew its first operating base at the former Boatdeck Café site on the Boulevard & then its second temporary home in Lesty Bay. Now it has outgrown the Boatshed, particularly with the ever expanding space takeover by the rowing co-tenant and increasing range of related activities being undertaken
  • The Executive is mindful that it’s future growth will probably require alternative premises that hopefully could be funded by a government grant - that in all probability would require a contribution from the club's financial reserves and possibly higher membership fees
  • Should either of the other tenants leave the Boatshed, it would enable the club to take more space, involving significantly higher costs, perhaps some redevelopment, but again necessitating cash reserves and possibly higher member fees
  • The club turnover of stock items peaked at $8,100 and that has to be funded from our general funds

12. Why is there a $1 Levee imposed on Saturday Sailors? - currently suspended until further notice

  • The levee has operated from the clubs very early days and was introduced to build up funds to cover what were seen as extra Saturday expenses arising from “competitive cruising” such as;
    • some Lesty Night presentation expenses,
    • providing and replacing buoys ropes and chains,
    • providing and replacing the PA system
    • costs associated with operating the (MLSRA owned) recovery boat where we provide our own life jackets (PFD’s), motor, battery and charger
  • It has been suspended during the Covid19 shutdown and was last reviewed by the full elected committee on 24 Jan 2018. That followed discussion at the previous AGM & continued representation that it be abolished. With the introduction of racing with RC Lasers, ML45's & DF boats on other days and the Board accepting some of their expenses but requiring self-funding of trophies, it will no doubt be a matter for the Board to again consider post Covid

13. Why didn’t the RC Lasers form a separate club?

  • It was pursued as an option at the outset but was blocked by the other two tenant clubs using their combined votes on the MLSRA to prevent them affiliating, clearly fearing a lessening of their power as the “paddling cartel”. Accordingly their affiliation fee was refunded. That left no option but to be a sub group within MLMYC as they wanted approved access to the shed & lake facilities. Agreeing to the code of conduct & lesser emphasis on competition posed no problem to them and is now viewed as the better outcome
  • The “cartel” behaviour was not surprising as they had expressed interest in bringing others such as Dragon Boats, other canoeists and walking groups – their motives; to out-number MLMYC (which had effectively managed the shed up till that time) and lower their costs, with no regard for the boatsheds already hopeless over-crowding, lack of space and toilets not meeting current regulatory standards etc.

14. What is the status of the Club’s dispute with MLSRA?  This needs updating beyond 2023

  • Rowing is at the root of the dispute. It entered the shed on initially a rent free basis followed by a generous concessional rate to allow it to become established. However, its conduct & practices lead to numerous breaches of the lease / license agreement impacting on the previous adjoining homeowners, Renewal SA, the Council and the yacht club. Unfortunately Council Administration has repeatedly turned a blind eye and failed to support the MLSRA over previous years when it sought to take action. The Council (and the State to a lesser extent) have only exacerbated the situation with their continued grants propping up a Club and what is or has been in some aspects at least, a private endeavour.
  • Emboldened by this lack of response, Rowing has taken up extra floor space, rooms and areas (some for activities not permitted by the lease) which it has steadfastly refused to accept it should pay for
  • Agreement of a fair and equitable basis for the recovery of shed operating costs from each tenant club has been disputed by rowing since 2014. A proposal that the yachting tenancy fee be set at $1367, rowing at $1394 and canoeing $1191 only made the 10 year dispute worse. The yacht club executive refused to subsidise rowing, noting that with approx. 1/3rd the area they were expected to pay the same amount or a rate 3 times higher - they then declined to serve on the MLSRA executive
  • The latest actual invoiced amounts of Rowing $1,125pa, Canoeing $980 and Yachting $1,020 have been rejected by the Board. Partial payment of the invoices at the long term presiding annual rate was made in January 2022. Rowing have 5 times the area of yachting and Canoeing double.
  • While the paddling fraternity i.e. rowing and canoeing continue their alliance and act as one voting block, the situation will continue until the inevitable falling out between the two allies. Perhaps then other yachting groups will be allowed into the shed and share resources as was originally intended for the shed.
  • With the transfer of finance responsibility for MLSRA from rowing to canoeing, there has been further discussions and a meeting with our Executive, followed by an acknowledgement that the basis of determining charges needed change, but to date there has been nothing further resolved. 

15. What trophies are awarded?

  • The club is not trophy oriented but awards the following annual trophies funded from general revenue
    • The “Peter Lesty Trophy” is awarded annually to the person receiving the most votes from a selected panel of members, the criteria based on contribution to the club spirit and ethos during Saturday ML45 cruising
    • The President’s Trophy is awarded annually to the member selected by the President for their contribution to the club
    • The Des Bird Medal may be awarded annually to the winner of an annual ML45 regatta or other such event or activity as the Board may determine
  • Competition event, series trophies & class medals may be awarded annually or for specific events & are funded from the entry fees, the practice of the RC laser group

16. How does the club set prices for items it sells to members?

  • Parts are sold at cost price plus shipment rounded up, generally to the nearest dollar, drinks similarly
  • Barbecues and sausage sizzles are not intended as fund raisers excepting those occasions when the event proceeds are going to charity

17. What car parking is available?

  • The boatshed has 4 allocated car parks adjacent to the entry driveway and parking is permitted in Douglas Drive and the 4 car park spaces on the other side of the driveway
  • The disabled may park in the 4 spaces at the rear of the shed and if necessary on the adjoining turfed park area
  • The club has no rights to use the Renewal SA land (i.e. the adjoining block) or their large car park. Their formal approval is required to utilise them for events.
  • They have however given ongoing permission to use their car park at weekends for normal regular (non-event) activity BUT not weekdays when only loading and unloading time is allowed
  • Members disregard that advice on weekdays at their peril as they are able to impose fines in accordance with their signage. Provided there is no inconvenience to their tenants, and we continue to follow their concessions, they will continue to allow loading and unloading of vehicles in the car park on weekdays, but vehicles should then be moved

18. Can we use the terraced areas and the adjoining block of land?

  • The terraces belong to Council and technically are not part of the adjoining park that we have permitted use of
  • They essentially are part of the general lakeside area including the path and abutting gardens
  • Any member of the public has the right to traverse them, including club members
  • As gardens we should not do any tent or shade structure pegging because of underground services
  • The adjoining block of land and carparks belong to Renewal SA. Loading & unloading only is allowed on weekdays, with parking allowed on weekends, but separate approval is required for any events as is the use of the vacant block

Updated: 8 November 2024: 10:10am