Club Rules

UMHLANGA SKI BOAT CLUB CODE OF CONDUCT

The Umhlanga Ski Boat Club (USBC) is a non-profit entity formed by the members, providing a clubhouse, operational and related facilities to the members. The rules govern the members and are necessary to align the members enjoying the facilities of the USBC under a commonly adopted set of USBC facility, use and enjoyment rules.

The rules are necessary for the efficient operation and harmonious enjoyment of the club and its facilities by the members and guests. Accordingly, the rules below shall apply to the members and guests and visitors at all times when making use of the USBC facilities and launch site.

FULL MEMBERS (SKIPPER, ORDINARY and SOCIAL MEMBERS)

Member benefits for all fully paid-up full members include THE use of the USBC club facilities and services according to USBC rules.

MEMBERS GUESTS

A MEMBER’S GUEST (NON-MEMBER) IS ANY PERSON WHO DOES NOT HAVE A MEMBERSHIP CARD IN THEIR OWN NAME. This includes your spouse, life partner, family and any of your children older than 18 yrs, that don’t have their own membership card.

NO GUEST MAY MAKE USE OF THE USBC MEMBERS FACILITIES WITHOUT THE INTRODUCING MEMBER BEING PRESENT. The introducing member must be the first to arrive and the last to leave when guests are invited to the USBC premises, for example, for a braai and to swim. THIS RULE SPECIFICALLY APPLIES TO THE BRAAI FACILITIES, SWIMMING POOL AND KIDS PLAY AREA.

GUESTS MAY PARK IN THE MEMBERS CAR PARK WHEN PERMITTED. THEIR NAMES AND CAR REGISTRATION NUMBERS MUST BE SCANNED IN WITH THE GATE SECURITY GUARD.

TO AVOID UNINTENTIONAL EMBARRASSMENT, GUESTS ARE TO BE INTRODUCED BY THE MEMBER INVITING THEM TO THE USBC TO THE STAFF ONDUTY, SHOWN THE USBC FACILITIES AND MADE AWARE OF THE USBC RULES (e.g. no children in the bar, how to order on a tab, etc.) by the introducing member. 

MORE THAN 10 ADULT GUESTS (NON-MEMBERS) INVITED BY A MEMBER CONSTITUTES A FUNCTION and the USBC manager, or the duty manager must be notified and approval obtained for the function before the guests arrive to ensure that the facilities can cope with the extra demand.

No member shall introduce anyone, nor shall any person use the premises:

1. whose actions are in contravention of the USBC’s rules and who cause a disturbance and/or irritation to other members and patrons;
2. who has been rejected as a member or expelled or suspended from membership;
3. who has been struck off the list of members for non-payment of subscriptions or other liabilities; or
4. who acts against the interests and reputation of the club or the USBC by verbal, social media comments or by any other means. Members shall pay for any damages caused by any guest introduced by them.

VISITORS

RIGHT OF ADMISSION IS RESERVED. THE USBC MANAGEMENT, COMMITTEE AND ASIGNED RESTURANT OWNER MAY DENY ANY VISITOR ACCESS, AS AND WHEN THEY FEEL THIS IS NEEDED.

USBC CLUB FACILITY (COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS THE “PREMISES”) RULES

• The right of admission is reserved.
• The USBC Committee may declare any person/s to be prohibited from entering the USBC and its grounds.
• The use of all USBC facilities is at your own risk.
• USBC premises and office hours are advertised on the USBC website as well as the kitchen and bar hours.
• No functions may be held at the premises without the special consent of the USBC Committee.
• No boisterous behaviour is permitted at the USBC facility.
• No dogs or other pets are permitted on the premises.
• Only persons who have been authorized by the committee may enter the back office, kitchen, storerooms, generator room, staff quarters and ablutions and/or be behind the bar.
• No ball games allowed in the premises. Ball games only on the grass field adjacent to the Boma and jungle gym.
• Dress code in the premises is “presentable, modest, dry. A shirt or vest is required, at minimum, in the restaurant and main bar.
• Swim wear is permitted around the swimming pool area.
• REMOVAL OF CLOTHING AND/OR ANY “DRUNKEN-NAKED” BEHAVIOR IS NOT PERMITTED AT ANY TIME.  Failure to comply to this will result in disciplinary action and a suspension from the club for a period to be determined by the committee.
• No wet swim wear to be worn or taken into the restaurant, bar or function areas.
• No smoking (including vaping and electronic cigarettes) in or under any covered or partially covered areas and any areas on the premises as determined by committee, such as near fuel storage areas, kitchens and generators. Smoking (including vaping and the use of electronic cigarettes) is strictly limited to the designated and open areas.
• No crockery, cutlery, glasses or utensils may be removed from the premises.
• The premises may not be used for any private function unless specific consent is given by the management or committee, which shall have an unfettered discretion to allow or disallow any function at any time (written application by email to be lodged a month in advance.)
• No fireworks on the premises.
• NO FIGHTING and/or THREAT OF FIGHTING IS ALLOWED AT ANY STAGE. Fighting includes slapping, punching, pushing, throwing and any other form of physical violence. Failing to comply to this will result in disciplinary action and a suspension from the club for a period to be determined by the committee.
• No spitting is allowed.
• No urinating in areas that are not deemed to be the ablutions. This means no urinating in the car park and/or on the grass playing field used by the children or any other area at the USBC facility that is not a toilet or fixed urinal. Failure to comply to this will result in disciplinary action and a suspension from the club for a period to be determined by the committee.
• Braai facilities have been provided for by the USBC. These facilities are to be looked after and are to be left in a respectable condition once a member is finished braaiing.
• The swimming pool is strictly for members only.
• NO MEMBER MAY CARRY A FIREARM ON THE PREMISES. Firearms are not permitted at the USBC and/or UCC premises.
• No person shall remove from the premises any book, pamphlet, piece of equipment, vehicle, trailer, property or any other item owned by the USBC without the permission of the Committee.
• No person may have accommodation on the premises, unless approved by the committee for special events.
• Fish may not be cleaned, nor bait left lying around or placed in bins, anywhere on the premises except the designated area.
• THE USBC HAS A ZERO TOLERANCE TOWARDS THE USE/CONSUMPTION OF and/or SALE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS and/or ANY OTHER ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES ON THE USBC and UCC PREMISES.
• The USBC facility is a drug free zone. USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Failing to comply to this will result in disciplinary action and a minimum suspension from the club for at least 6 months.
• NO FISH MAY BE SOLD on the USBC and/or UCC premises.
• Members shall exercise restraint, particularly in regard to boisterous behaviour or the use of bad language, in the bar.
• Any person who is asked by the barman or USBC management to leave the bar and who subsequently fails to do so shall be liable to disciplinary action.
• No bar service will be afforded any persons, within the clubhouse, unless such persons are wearing a shirt or vest, and footwear.

SWIMMING POOL RULES

• Use of the swimming pool is strictly for members and members guests use only.
• There is no lifeguard on duty. SWIMMING IS DONE SO AT YOUR, YOUR CHILDRENS AND YOUR GUESTS OWN RISK.
• Children under the age of 12 years old must be supervised by an adult at all times.
• No jumping into the swimming pool, bomb dropping into the swimming pool and excessive splashing in the swimming pool.
• No running around the swimming pool.
• No wrestling and/or boisterous behaviour will be permitted in the swimming pool. Adults and children will be asked to leave the swimming pool if found to be behaving in such a manner.
• NO GLASS BOTTLES AND DRINKS IN GLASS CUPS ARE PERMITTED WITHIN 2M FROM THE SWIMMING POOL.

CHILDREN

It is the responsibility of the parents or guardians to supervise and ensure the safety of their children, and their guest’s children, at all times while on the premises. This includes but is not limited to:

1. The roads/car park area (including the wash bay and boat parking area)
2. The grass playground and any club equipment
3. The jungle gym
4. The swimming pool
5. The rest of the Umhlanga Country Club and USBC facilities

The USBC furthermore advises all parents that neither the USBC, its management nor the committee take any responsibility for any injury or mishap which may occur to children at any time.

Children are not permitted to play in the clubhouse or to make excessive noise.

The toilets may not be used by any child under the age of eight (8) years, unless such a child is accompanied by an adult.

Children under the age of 12 years old must have adult supervision if making use of the swimming pool at all times. The USBC is not responsible for the safety of anyone making use of the swimming pool.

The swimming pool is strictly for members only.

ANY CHILDREN BEHAVING IN A DANGEROUSOR BELIGERANT MANNER, MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE POOL AREA.

PARKING AND ACCESS

Due to the size and nature of the USBC facilities, there is restricted parking and vehicle access to the premises which USBC management, staff and security regulate from time to time.

Any available parking is available on a first come first served basis and at all times subject to the control of the management, staff and security of the USBC.

On Sundays, Public Holidays, any day that there is an event at the premises, during school holidays and any time that the parking is deemed to be full by club management, parking restrictions will be imposed.

Cars may not be parked in the designated area for the washing of boats, committee or staff parking or in any area that may cause an obstruction to the USBC operations and various storage facilities.

Speed limit on the premises is 15km/hour.

PLEASE BE AWARE OF PEDESTRIANS, WHO HAVE RIGHT OF WAY AT ALL TIMES.

LIQUOR / BARS

BAR TABS ARE STRICTLY FOR MEMBERS ONLY AND MUST BE SETTLED ON THE SAME DAY.

No children under the age of 18 are allowed in any bar or within 2 metres of an area serving alcohol unless accompanied by an adult.

USBC is a licensed premises and as such, no alcohol may be brought on to the premises without permission of the committee or club manager which permission may be withheld. Corkage is payable on those items permitted.

No liquor may be removed from the premises; liquor purchased in the clubhouse is for consumption on the premises only.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

Members are at all times considered representatives of the clubs and should behave in a responsible manner on social media when doing so in the clubs’ names or when mentioning the clubs on social media.

Club members are not to post comments on social media platforms that bring USBC or the club into disrepute.

Members are to raise any complaints and concerns with the management or relevant club committee member and not post this on social media.

POPI ACT:

If you, your family and/or your guests are photographed while visiting and/or attending a function at the USBC, the USBC may share these images on the USBC’s social media platforms and/or website. If you do not want the USBC to share any such images, then please refrain from being photographed and/or ensure that any direct photographs taken of you, your family and/or guests are deleted immediately by the photographer at the time of taking such photograph.

WATERCRAFT

The failure by any watercraft owner, skipper or crew member to observe the safety and other regulations issued by SAMSA, SAS other relevant authorities such as Transnet and SAPS or the committee at any time, shall be liable to be brought before the disciplinary committee.

The owner of any watercraft shall be fully responsible for any acts on any omission by the skipper of his watercraft, or any crew member.

Any person failing to lodge the required particulars in the launch register or contact the launch control in the duty room by radio whether upon launching or upon return, shall be liable to disciplinary action.

Only skippers that have been APPROVED by the Umhlanga Ski Boat Club Safety Officer may launch from Grannies pool.

All skipper members must have their own liability insurance cover in place. This is a pre-requisite for making use of the Grannies Pool launch site at Umhlanga Rocks. The USBC will not be liable for any claims against a skipper that does not have their own liability insurance cover in place.

DISCIPLINE

The USBC Committee and the Club Manager shall have the authority to impose immediate sanctions on a member deemed to be in contravention of these rules. Such sanctions may include temporary suspension of the membership of any member and/or removal from the premises.

Any sanction imposed/applied to a member must be reported the USBC Committee. The USBC Committee shall within 10 working days thereafter decide whether further disciplinary action is to be instituted against the member in which event the member will be notified in writing, telephonically or via email of any disciplinary procedure to be instituted.

Notice of any disciplinary hearing shall include the details of the alleged contravention by such member.

The Disciplinary Committee shall meet when necessary to investigate allegations of contraventions of the USBC rules, USBC constitution and/or serious or persistent misconduct by a member of any person on the club premises and may on reasonable notice request any person whose membership or other privileges may be affected by its findings to attend a hearing before it.

Allegations shall be investigated by the Disciplinary Committee in a summary manner at any such hearing, and the Disciplinary Committee shall have the power to impose the following sanctions:

1. A severe reprimand/warning.
2. Suspension of membership or any privileges afforded to a member for a specified time period.
3. Temporary or permanent banning of any person from attending the clubhouse or premises.
4. Termination of membership.

The Chairperson / Club Captain shall prepare a report of any such hearing and the resultant sanction (if any) imposed and such report shall be filed in USBC’s records.

The USBC committee shall at any time, as reasonably required, be entitled to amend, alter or vary the rules and such amendment, variation or altering of the rules shall be affected by the posting of a notice to such effect on the USBC notice board and skippers/members WhatsApp Groups whereafter such amendment, alteration or variation shall be considered to have come into immediate effect.

GENERAL

All members shall avoid behaviour which will harm the reputation or social standing of the USBC.

Any property of the USBC broken or damaged by any Member or his guest shall be paid for by such member.

MEMBERSHIP CARDS ARE NOT TRANSFERABLE.

Members shall, at all times and at any location, abide by the safety rulings and regulations prescribed by the South African Marine Safety Authority (SAMSA), Transnet (Port Captain), South African Deep-Angling Association (SADSAA), Natal Deep Sea Angling Association

(NDSSA), South African National parks (SANP) and Ezemevlo (KZN) Wildlife and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and/or Border Management Authority (BMA).