Is your trolley ready for the season ahead?

IODAI are asking that ALL sailors at IODAI events this year have an aluminium collapsible trolley.

With larger numbers of sailors expected at all IODAI events, a communal trolley system will have to be operated when recovering sailors and boats from the water.  Trolleys will only be repatriated with their correct owners/boats on the final recovery of the regatta.

It is therefore unfair on people who have newer boats in pristine condition to ask them to use dilapidated and old trolleys which are unfit for purpose and could cause damage.  The only fair way is for ALL trolleys at events to be of the collapsible aluminium or similar type.

An email was sent out last year from the IODAI Hon Sec to this effect.

1.    Would all sailors please ensure that they have a T-Bar alloy trolley for the coming season? The reason being is that during Schull some new boats have been scratched from old type trolleys. It is also a logistical nightmare to give back the same trolley to each sailor during an event. Check out Cork Sailboats  website for special offers http://www.corksailboats.ie/index.php 087-4170342  

2.    Can all sailors please ensure that all old tags and stickers are removed from their boats and trolleys for the coming season (including stickers from Schull)?  At the first regional event you will be issued with new identifiers to identify your equipment. By removing all old tags/stickers it will be easier to identify your equipment at the end of each event.

But, even if you have an aluminium trolley, is it ready for the season?  Have you proper pins in the axles?  Are your tyres properly inflated?  Have you removed all old tags and stickers? Is your sail number CLEARLY marked on the trolley?

This sailor has obvious been to lots of events, but which number tag applies.  REMOVE ALL OLD TAGS.  It may look cool but if someone goes home with the wrong trolley or your trolley is left to the side because no one can tell who owns it…

Make sure your trolley is clearly marked with your sail number in as many places as possible.  It’s no good that you did it last year and YOU can still read it.  It needs to be done again….and may need to be done again during the season - even if it is supposed to be “permanent” marker.  It should look like this:

Have a good season and please do your bit to remove the hassle from trolley identification.