Membership Details

Membership is based upon the calendar year, i.e. runs from January to December. Though, if you join late in the year, you pay the full fee but this will cover your membership right through to the end of December in the following year!

Can we please ask that prospective new members first contact the membership secretary before visiting the WebCollect site below or completing a membership application? We will discuss the different options with you before you sign up.

We now use WebCollect for our membership database:

Click here to access the WebCollect system to renew or apply for membership. Opens in a new window.

MTSC Subscriptions

Choose one of...

Adult Individual or Family Membership £97.00
Student or Junior Membership £90.00
Social (non sailing) membership £61.00

Then add the following as required...

For each craft registered £71.00
... or, For use of club craft £71.00
For each boat park space (or mooring) required £62.00

Renewal of your membership in subsequent years will attract a discount if you pay your fees before the end of January. So remember to save and keep your membership renewal as a Christmas present to yourselves.


Student Membership
A student is defined as anyone still in full time education. The students membership fee includes one craft and one parking space for the sole use of the student member or use of club equipment. If friends or other family members are to also use the craft, then please choose "family membership". Note that junior members, under the age of 18 will require a responsible adult to sign up as their account administrator.

Moorings
Any mooring must be supplied and maintained by the member and approved by the committee before placement in the reservoir, the parking/mooring charge is to cover safety boat fuel used to transport the crew back and forth. Moorings should be removed during winter months (they can be dragged around by ice floes). "Parking"/storage spaces are NOT available for windsurfers


What else shall I need?

To reduce the risk of vandalism or theft from the boat park, a fence has been installed which uses combination locks and a road barrier nearer the dam is kept locked at most times. We do continue to recommend that you keep minimal loose items in your boat and lock your boat to a ground anchor AND, most importantly, securely tie down your boat against gusts of wind. There are pre-installed wind anchor points in most parts of the boat park for this purpose. Again, please ensure you talk with the committee and visit the site to check your assigned location BEFORE bringing your craft on site.

Short-term Membership

If you are visiting the area and wish to bring your boat down for an afternoon or weekend, we offer short term membership. Just click here for more details. Links for local accommodation can be found here.



How Do I Join?

That's really easy. Just e-mail membership secretary your name and address and we'll reply giving more information. Alternatively, access the MTSC Subscriptions form online which will give you more information. We will then contact you after approving your membership application.


Links for Current Members

Here are quick links to your page in WebCollect (you will need to log in):


RULES & REGULATIONS

  1. Only sailing club members and their guests are allowed into the reservoir grounds.
  2. Membership cards must be produced on request.
  3. Members must carry out published duties or swap with another member.
  4. All craft must be disinfected before being put on the reservoir to avoid contamination. Craft sailed on other inland or brackish waters must be disinfected AND DRIED for two days before being moved to the the reservoir (to avoid killer shrimp / zebra mussels).
  5. No sailing is to take place without a crewed powered rescue boat in attendance.
  6. Approved (CE or UKCA marked) personal flotation devices must always be worn whilst afloat, including the rescue boat. It is strongly recommended that members check their personal buoyancy regularly. Windsurfers must also wear a wet-suit jacket or similar.
  7. All craft must have reserve buoyancy; be seaworthy and properly rigged with secondary means of propulsion (other than engine) and a bailer - both firmly lashed to the boat.
  8. The duty officer and/or a committee member may forbid sailing in any boat that is considered unsatisfactory in any of the above respects.
  9. The only powered boats will be the official rescue boat(s).
  10. The sailing season and hours shall be as decided by the sailing committee.
  11. Sailing activities shall controlled by the "Officer of the Day" nominated by the club committee.
  12. When water is passing down the overflow, sailing of any craft is not allowed south of a line approximately 50m south of the locked gate on the road. Do not sail within 50m of the overflow or 10m of the "stirrer" pontoon at any time.
  13. Boat and car parking shall be controlled by the committee.
  14. All club and water authority notices shall be observed.
  15. The site must be kept tidy, and members must not leave litter of any kind. Take it home!
  16. Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water shall not be responsible for any loss, damage or injury sustained by club members or guests in consequence of either entering or remaining upon the company's property or of the engagement in sailing activities.
  17. Except in an emergency, landing is permitted only in the area designated by the committee.
  18. Members shall show courtesy and consideration to ALL other users of the reservoir.
  19. If a member leaves a boat on the club site and the members subscription is not paid for the current season by the date specified for the start of sailing: -
    1. The committee shall be entitled to move the boat to any part of the clubs leased land without being liable for any loss or damage to the boat however caused.
    2. The committee shall be entitled, upon giving one months notice in writing to the former member at his last known address, to sell the boat or such parts of the equipment or accessories as shall be deemed necessary to raise the required sum and deduct all monies due to the club whether by ways of arrears of subscriptions or mooring fees or otherwise from the net proceeds of sale before accounting for the balance (if any) to the former member.
    3. Any boat, which in the opinion of the committee cannot be sold, may upon such notice as aforesaid, be disposed of in any manner the committee may think fit and the expense recovered from the former member.
    4. Further the club shall at all times have lien over members or former members boat parked or moored on the club site or mooring in respect of all monies due to the club whether in respect of arrears of subscriptions or otherwise.

CONSTITUTION

NAME

The name of the club shall be THE MERTHYR TYDFIL SAILING CLUB and hereinafter referred to in this constitution as THE CLUB.

OBJECTIVES

To encourage amateur sailing and to provide social and other facilities as may be determined.

MEMBERSHIP

The election of members shall be vested in the committee and no application shall be refused and no person shall be excluded on the grounds of sex, race, religion or colour.

Every candidate for membership shall complete a membership form, and his or her name and address and any other particulars the committee may require shall be sent to the honorary secretary and membership secretary.

Every member, on joining the club, impliedly undertakes to comply with the rules and constitution of the club. Any refusal or neglect to do so or any conduct that in the opinion of the committee is either unworthy of a member or otherwise injurious to the interests of the club shall render a member liable to expulsion by the committee. Before expelling a member, the committee shall call upon the member for an explanation of their conduct and shall give them an opportunity of defending themselves or of resigning their membership.

The vote on a resolution or expulsion shall be by ballot at a properly convened meeting of the committee and shall be carried by a majority of the full committee.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

The annual subscription and entrance fee shall be such sum as the committee may from time to time prescribe and particular arrangements for the affiliation of educational authorities.

Classes of membership shall be: -

  1. Family membership (full members)
  2. Individual membership (full members)
  3. Student membership
  4. Honorary membership
  5. Vice-presidents

Further fees, as determined by the committee, shall be paid, in addition to the appropriate membership subscription, in respect of each craft registered, dinghy parking spaces, moorings etc.

Family membership shall include parents, and children up to the compulsory school leaving age.

Student membership shall apply to those in full time education at school or at institutions of further or higher education. Student membership includes fees for one boat with parking space; but such boats must be registered with a distinguishing mark and shall be sailed only by student members.

Honorary members and vice-presidents may be elected at a general meeting.

Subscriptions and fees must be paid by the first day of March. Failure to pay by the date will involve removal of the members name from the membership list by the committee. Members will be informed of any change in subscription by the first day of January annually.

Day visitors may be introduced by members, the sailing charge to be determined by the committee.

Members are responsible for the conduct of their visitors at the club.

OFFICERS

The officers of the club shall be as follows: -

The officers shall be elected at the annual general meeting in each year and shall hold office until the conclusion of the following annual general meeting. Retiring officers shall be eligible for re-election.

COMMITTEE

The management of the club shall be vested in the committee consisting of the officers and AT LEAST three other members.

The committee shall manage the affairs of the club according to the constitution, and shall apply the funds to the objects of the club. A quorum shall consist of five members, at a duly convened meeting.

Casual vacancies caused by death or resignation shall be filled by the committees co-opting members.

Only full members shall be eligible for election to the committee.

The committee, by a majority shall have the power to create any special posts or office which it deems necessary for the benefit of the club. Such appointments are subject to confirmation at the next general meeting.

A sailing committee shall be appointed by the committee, and shall consist of the rear commodore, sailing secretary, class captains and harbourmaster. Four members will constitute a quorum of the sailing committee.

METHOD OF ELECTION OF COMMITTEE

Elections shall be held at the annual general meeting beginning with the senior officer. Candidates for election to the committee shall be those members of the retiring committee who offer themselves for re-election together with those members of the club who are willing to serve; they shall be nominated and seconded by members of the club. If the number of nominations exceeds the number of vacancies the election shall be by ballot.

TRUSTEES

The property of the club shall be vested in four trustees who shall be appointed by the committee and the property of the club shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the committee may from time to time direct by resolution (of which entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence). The trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the club property. The trustees shall hold office until death, resignation or removal from office by the committee. Whereby reasons of such death, resignation or removal it is necessary that a new trustee or trustees be appointed, the committee shall nominate the person or persons to be appointed new trustee or trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nominations the secretary is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new trustees of the club within the meaning of section 36 of the trustee act, 1925 and shall be deed duly appointed the person or persons so nominated by the committee.

HONORARY AUDITORS

At the annual general meeting each year, two members shall be appointed as honorary auditors whose duty it shall be to audit the accounts of the club for the current year.

ACCOUNTS

The financial year shall be the calendar year. The treasurer shall keep an accurate record of the club's finances, and the audited accounts for the previous year shall be presented to the annual general meeting.

GENERAL MEETING

Annual general meeting:

This shall be held each year on Advent Sunday unless decided otherwise at the discretion of the committee. The secretary shall at least fourteen days before the meeting inform each member of the time and place and business of the meeting.

Extraordinary general meeting:

The committee may convene, on giving fourteen days notice, an extraordinary general meeting of the club for any specific business, the nature of which shall be stated in the notice calling the meeting, and discussion at the meeting shall be confined to that business only.

The committee shall also call an extraordinary general meeting at the written request of ten members. Fourteen days notice shall be given to members of the date of such meeting, and the notice of meeting shall be restricted to that business only. Such an extraordinary general meeting shall be held within four weeks of receipt of the written request for a meeting.

ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE

At a general meeting, each member (the lead member of a family or individual member, including social and honorary members) of the club who has attained thirteen years of age shall have one vote, provided subscriptions are paid.

AMMENDMENTS & ALTERATIONS TO CONSTITUTION

Notice of any alterations or addition to the constitution of the club shall be submitted in writing to the secretary at least 21 days before the annual general meeting or any special meeting convened to discuss such business.

All such proposed alterations or additions and any amendments which may be proposed and seconded shall be put to the vote of the meeting, and provided that on a show of hands, or, if demanded, on a poll, a majority of two thirds of the votes of those members present and voting shall be cast in favour of any proposed alterations or additions or amendments then the same shall be deemed to be carried.

DINGHY CLASSES

  1. These classes shall be as approved by the committee.
  2. The statement of approved classes shall be made in September of each year and sent out with invitations for renewal of membership.
  3. Each approved class shall elect a class captain.
  4. The proportion of the total number of club boats, which shall fall within the adopted classes, shall be at the discretion of the committee.

SAILING INSTRUCTIONS

General sailing instructions shall be formulated by the sailing committee, and agreed by the full committee. Racing rules shall be in accordance with current World Sailing rules, except that the sailing committee may make racing rules in amplification or supplementary to those World Sailing rules and adopt RYA prescriptions as required by local conditions.

LIABILITY OF CLUB MEMBERS

The club does not accept responsibility for the loss or damage to any boat or equipment or any personal effects being the property of members or visitors.

The club does not accept responsibility for the death of or injury to members or visitors howsoever caused.

The club shall take out an insurance policy against claims arising from activities of the club, and shall indemnify Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water against such claims.

The club shall take out an insurance policy to cover all property, equipment and gear in use by the club and to indemnify Members whilst on duty driving the club rescue boat.

All boats must be insured before being brought to or sailed at the club. Such insurance should cover third party liability of at least three million pounds.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

The committee shall have powers to deal with any matter that may arise and is not provided for in the constitution.


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