Regular hirers will be familiar with the following points which were put together by the Committee as the ‘House Rules’. Some are, unfortunately, derived from the experiences of previous hirers where someone failed to treat the boat and her fittings in a considerate or proper manner.
Please take a few moments to (re)familiarise yourself with the rules, and ensure that members of your crew are also aware of them.
- Smoking is not permitted anywhere on Watermark.
- Read the instruction manual – ensure that all crew members are well briefed on how the various pieces of equipment work or should be used.
- Consult the instruction manual, and the boatyard if necessary, before attempting DIY solutions to problems. If DIY is necessary then tell the boatyard at the end of your trip.
- Young or inexperienced crew members must be supervised at all times and never left alone at the rear of the boat. This is important for insurance purposes.
- After use, windlasses, mooring hooks, chains and pins, and mallets must be stored away carefully. Do not throw them as you could lose them, injure someone or damage the boat. Lost equipment will be charged for.
- Keep pets off bedding and upholstery. Pet hair and soiled furnishings are unacceptable.
- Similarly, avoid bringing dirt into the cabin yourself; please try and clean the worst of the mud from dirty boots, and change out of soiled or damp clothing before sitting down.
- If bedding or upholstery does become soiled or damaged, do not forget about it, please tell the boatyard so they can attend to it before the next hire.
- On return, report breakages or damage to the boat or its fittings to enable the yard to make good for the next hirer. You will not necessarily lose your deposit and it is more honourable to own up!
- If you have any problems then use the questionnaire to tell the boatyard and the committee.