Annual award of rack privileges
Boat storage at Riverside, including boats stored temporarily outside on racks or trailers, requires permission from the Captains.
Riverside has a number of private indoor and outdoor racks, which are available for an annual cost in addition to membership dues. Rack holders and applicants must be members in good standing and must row for Riverside in all regattas unless special permission is granted by the Board.
Select outdoor racks may be awarded to High Performance (HPG) group members to alleviate pressure on the club fleet. These spaces are limited and awarded at the discretion of the HPG coach and the Captains. Holders of HPG racks are subject to the same requirements as holders of other racks, including mileage, service to the club, and paying the relevant fees, and must reapply each year. HPG athletes who leave the group must relinquish their HPG rack. They may reapply for a club rack, with no guarantee of receiving one.
Annual boat mileage is calculated from March 1 to December 1 to encourage rowing during the safer and warmer months. Current and prospective rack-holders shall file a Rack Application with the Captain each season. Failure to comply with the rack requirements may result in forfeiture of the rack.
The entire pool of eligible applicants is discussed case-by-case by the Captains and Board to determine each applicant’s merit based on the criteria listed below. The Captains assign all available rack spaces to applicants in the order determined by the Board. Applicants who do not receive rack spaces remain in the rack list pool in no particular order. The assignment continues based on the criteria below. The recipient of a rack assignment has six months to fill the rack or to show that a boat has been ordered, after which time the assignment expires. The Board may temporarily assign an unoccupied rack.
THE CRITERIA FOR BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE RACKS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1. Annual service to the club: Sustained, significant, and ongoing service to the club. Being awarded a rack indicates dedication and commitment to RBC over an extended period. While the club requires all members to commit to 10 service hours annually, rack holders must substantially exceed this amount. Service may include consistent participation and leadership in work parties, serving on the board of directors, serving as a committee chair, serving on a committee, or organizing and overseeing a major project on behalf of the club.
2. Boat Mileage Requirement: Meeting the annual mileage requirement. The following mileage requirements must be fulfilled between March 1 and December 1:
- Under 45 years of age, at least 500 miles/year
- 45 to 55 at least 400 miles/year
- Over 55 at least 300 miles/year
3. Seniority: Rack holder must be a Senior member in good standing (i.e., up to date with all dues and fees).
4. Sharing a boat: Applicants who propose a sharing arrangement will be considered. The total miles the boat is rowed will be used to determine whether the mileage requirement is met.
5. Rack holders must reapply each year: Their service to the club, committee work, and other membership obligations will be reviewed before renewing the rack award. This applies to indoor, outdoor, and trailer spaces.
Renewal and Retention of Rack Privileges:
Riverside acknowledges that rack spaces are extremely hard to obtain and, in some years, hard to maintain. However, the current demand for club boats requires rack holders to use their boats for the prescribed miles every year actively. In addition, like all members, rack holders must complete the required yearly service hours to be candidates for rack renewal. Any rack holder who does not meet the mileage and/or service requirements may be asked to share their boat or rack, move their boat to a different rack, put it in storage, or remove it from the premises.
We recognize, however, that exceptional circumstances may occasionally prevent rack holders from fulfilling their annual obligations. If a rack holder cannot consistently utilize the assigned rack because of injury, illness, or another life event, they must notify the Captains as soon as possible. The Captain will work with the rack holder to retain their rack privileges for the following year. In these cases, the renewal decision is left to the discretion of the Captains and Board.
If a rack holder leaves the club during the year, they forfeit their rack, which will be assigned to another applicant.
Failure to meet the rack requirements and/or uphold the club's code of conduct may result in loss of rack privileges at the discretion of the Board. The Captains will deal with missed requirements as follows:
1. Rack holders who have not achieved half their mileage (as indicated by figures in iCrew) by August 1st will receive a letter and telephone call from the Captains or their designated representative.
2. If the mileage requirement is missed one year, a rack holder will receive a letter and telephone call as above with their total mileage for the season and requesting a detailed plan for achieving the mileage requirement the next year.
3. If the mileage requirement is missed two years in a row, the rack holder will receive a letter and telephone call as above, apprising them that their boat will be moved to an outdoor rack (at a lower cost).
4. If the mileage requirement is missed three years in a row, the rack holder will receive a letter and telephone call as above requesting that they remove their boat, and their next rack application will be denied.
In cases where the actual mileage is within 10% of the required total, Captains will consider the rack holder’s current and historical volunteer contributions to the club as a mitigating factor. In all cases except for (4) above, the rack holder may reapply for a rack the next year.
