As we get further into April and the weather starts to feel more spring-like, our thoughts usually turn to boating and preparing for the upcoming season. However this year is very different – we are wondering when (or maybe if) the season will get underway. Your Board of Directors has been working very hard behind the scenes figuring out how to navigate these tricky times. I wanted to take a few minutes to give you an update and answer some questions you may have.
When will the Club open again?
We have closed the clubhouse, harbour and yard to members and the public in order to comply with federal and provincial directives. An added wrinkle for NSC is that we are located in Dick Bell Park, a City of Ottawa recreational park, and our lease is held by the city.
We are in a very fluid situation – as I write this the Ontario government has just extended the state of emergency for another 28 days. We continue to monitor guidelines and directives daily from all levels of government so that we can re-open our facilities as soon as safely possible.
As the weather improves, we understand that you may require access to your boat to remove tarps etc. We are currently thinking about protocols that would allow for brief visits to your boat while remaining compliant with all laws. In the meantime the yard remains closed and, if you need to access your boat for a critical issue, you may contact our Marine and Property Manager Gene Bruce or Assistant Facilities Manager James Pole.
What’s happening to Club activities?
All activities in the clubhouse, such as trivia night and the winter speaker series, have been cancelled.
Your fleet captain is currently looking at plans to combine all the normal regattas into a single Nepean Fresh Air Regatta for keelboats, dinghies and cats in September as, unfortunately, the Skiff and Cat regatta (June 6-7) as well as the NOD regatta (June 20-21) will not be taking place this year.
We are also looking at how to create more opportunities for family-sailed boats to go out and day-sail in company, including family day-sail Sundays and moving SailPast to late summer.
Weeknight and long-distance racing will start as soon as conditions allow. We will consider modified formats for smaller crew and no volunteers on race committee boats, depending on government directives at that time.
For the Frostbite race series that runs on Sundays in the fall, we may add a Saturday series to provide more sailing in the latter part of the season. Naturally, we are expecting a huge turn-out for the single-handed keelboat race .
Online sailing seminars and virtual sail racing are becoming popular. Watch for more announcements on these, and check out Advantage Boating and North Sails websites for their seminars.
We will be making a decision on the start of the sailing school at the end of April.
What about the Club staff?
Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided to keep all full and part time staff on the payroll – no layoffs. Staff were sent home and, where possible, are working from home. We felt this was the right thing to do for such a key part of the NSC team, and that it is important to be a good corporate citizen – we hope that we are leading by example. Staff are checking the facility on a daily basis to monitor spring water levels and comply with our insurance requirements.
As it stands now, the Club is eligible for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy which will allow us to recover 75% of employee wages retroactive to March 15 for 12 weeks. However this is another area where information from the government is changing almost daily. We will revisit this staffing decision as government programs evolve and we have more clarity on the start of our season.
Is the Club OK financially?
First, we would like to acknowledge and thank all the members who have already paid their 2020 membership and mooring. With the loss of other club revenues since this pandemic emerged mid March, now more than ever our member dues will be pivotal to helping ensure NSC is there for you to enjoy when we can return to its full use.
We have analyzed scenarios ranging from a best case of starting our boating season in mid to late June to the worst case of losing the entire season. The bad news is that all scenarios will result in a significant financial loss for this year. The good news is that we have enough reserves to cover these deficits. We have temporarily stopped spending on non-essential capital and operational items. As a result of years of prudent spending and good financial management, your Club is in a very strong financial position and will weather this storm.
What about my fees?
Our season will be greatly impacted, we just don’t yet know to what extent our overall revenue and expenses will be affected. Harbour and yard opening will be delayed along with launch. Some regattas and social activities have been cancelled and more may be affected. Sailing and racing programs may have to take on an entirely different form. And we may not operate our sailing school this year. In short, we will have to adapt and be creative.
With all of these changes, we will consider how fees might be adjusted. However, we cannot make these decisions until we have more clarity on what this season will look like, and the corresponding financial impact on the Club. We are looking at all possibilities. As we wait to see how the season will unfold we will not be accepting changes to moorings, including cancellations. We need this time to consider the various options and possibly change existing policy. Thank you for your understanding.
We recognize this may be a very difficult time for some members, and we do not wish to add to an already stressful time with these temporary measures. If you are experiencing financial hardship, please do not hesitate to contact our Membership Director Ross Ernst in confidence to discuss alternative arrangements or payment plans. Membership at NSC is a long-term relationship and we will do our best to accommodate those in need.
Where to next?
We continue to monitor the situation closely to assess potential impacts on the Club. As soon as we have more clarity on the start of the season we will let you know. Please watch the website and the TellTale for updates.
The overriding message delivered by our political leaders and medical authorities is to stay at home. In addition to complying with laws, this has been a guiding principle for the decisions we are making. Let’s all do our part.
NSC has always been a community that sticks together to support our club and each other. I have no doubt that this spirit will continue at this time when we need it more than ever. On behalf of the Board, I’d like to express our gratitude for your patience and understanding as we navigate these very tricky waters.
Stay safe and well.
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| Michael Hoffman, NSC Commodore |