Pentagon Sailing Club - River Activities. Sailing and racing on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers.

Important Notice; Alcohol is strictly forbidden on any club vessel. No one who appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of a controlled Illegal substance will be allowed on board; this includes skipper and crew.

The River Training Program is conducted by the Training Commodore. Please see the Training pages for information and schedules

PSC operates out of the Capitol Cove Marina on Bolling AFB [directions] where our fleet of river boats are berthed. These boats are used primarily for training, but can also be used for social sailing by qualified skippers. ("Qualified Skippers" are those club members who are certified at the PSC/USNSA B-CSN level, or higher.) See below for information on boat use. Come by and see us!

The PSC Boat Use Policy and Procedures spells out how a PSC member can use one of our River training boats for recreational sailing. Please ensure that you have read it.

The boats are owned by the PSC, and members who are qualified will be allowed to check them out. When the boats are NOT needed for a class or other PSC official function, they can be used by anyone who has volunteered for the Club and has earned a Frequent Volunteer Sea Mile Coupon. (We are a volunteer organization, after all). If you do not have an FVSM Coupon, then a fee of $25 will be charged. All you have to do as skipper is staple your FVSM coupon or a check made out to “PSC” to the Float Plan and file it in the applicable float plan binder in the clubhouse. All individuals desiring to skipper or sail a PSC boat must have a PSC River Activities Release Form on file with the club. Click here to download the River Release Form. Completed forms should be left in the file folder marked “Completed Release Forms” in the plastic file box on the counter in the clubhouse.

To schedule a boat use the PSC Boat River Registration form at the top of this page.

Skippers must be certified B-KBS or higher to check out the boats. Skippers must also have in their possession a boating safety certificate valid for Washington, DC, waters, and adhere to the procedures and guidelines of the club with regard to weather, safety, etc. (see below).

If you use the boat, and something breaks, send an e-mail that night to the Boat Captain with a copy to the River Commodore to report the discrepancy in detail. If the boat is damaged so much as to be unsafe or unusable, call the Boat Captain on the phone immediately upon return.

GROUNDINGS, COLLISIONS, PERSONAL INJURIES REQUIRING MEDICAL ATTENTION, OR OTHER SERIOUS MISHAPS MUST BE REPORTED TO THE RIVER COMMODORE OR ANY OTHER AVAILABLE BRIDGE MEMBER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER RETURNING TO THE DOCK. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE SUSPENSION OF PRIVILEGES.

If the Boat Captain isn't working on the boat, and makes it available, the following applies: Boats can be checked out on weekends and holidays -- 0800 to 1200 and 1300 to 1700, and weekday afternoons (1600 to sunset) subject to the River Commodore/Boat Captain's approval. Any night sails must be approved by the River Commodore, and the Skipper must be night "N" qualified.

You can RENT the Hunter 17s at the Capitol Cove Marina for only $10.00 an hour (you must be a qualified skipper). Feel free to go out and practice all you wish. The marina manager will appreciate your business.

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Wednesday Night Social Sails. Once the sailing season begins -- show up between 1600 and 2000, and climb aboard. It's strictly "pick-up" crews. This is a great way to get experience, and have some fun. The Slip Inn has live entertainment and a "cook your own steak" special -- so you can make an evening of it. These sails are for PSC members and guests -- if you're not checked out yet as a B-KBS skipper, then you need to sail with someone who is. Any skipper needs to have completed River Training and have a Boating Safety card valid for D.C. waters.

Social Sail Guidelines:

1. Social Sails will be conducted on Wednesdays from 1630-until dark.

2. Social Sails are open to all regular PSC members and their guests. Everyone who sails must sign a River Release Activities Form and leave it in the club house.

3. For night sailing, everyone must wear a PFDs at all times while on the boat as well as a harness and tether.

4. If you see lightning or hear thunder, you must return to the dock immediately. Read and follow the PSC River Weather and Wind Policy.

5. Al boats must return to the Marina before nightfall. No Night Sailing.

6. Please sail within hailing distance of the Marina/Dock, and keep an eye out for other PSC members looking for a ride. The primary goal of the Social Sail program is to allow as many PSC members to participate as possible in order to have fun and build skills.

7. If you get to the dock and the boat is already out, go to the club house, get a hand-held VHF radio, and hail the boat/boats to come pick you up. All PSC boats will have a radio and be monitoring channel 16. Change to working channel 66 once contact is made in order to arrange the pick up.

8. As other PSC qualified skippers arrive they should put together crews from those waiting at the dock.

9. All of the boats are available for Social Sails unless they are down for maintenance.

The program is growing and we need more PSC qualified River Skippers for Wednesday nights.

We will adjust the program as it continues to develop.

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Marina Work Days

Maintaining a clubhouse and fleet of sailboats for our classes takes a lot of work, which is why we have periodic "work days" at the Marina [directions]. Check the calendar for the next scheduled work day. Come on down for a few hours and help us keep the fleet and the clubhouse shipshape! Earn Frequent Volunteer Sea Miles for the hours you contribute! [more on FVSMs]

Boating Safety Certification - Per D.C. law, you must successfully complete a boating safety course to sail on the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. This includes the area North of the Wilson Bridge, Old Town, the Potomac River, Anacostia River and the Washington Channel. On Maryland waters, any person born on or after July 1, 1972 must have a certificate of boating safety education in their possession while operating a numbered or documented vessel. See the training pages for all the information as to how to get this certification.

These group sails are intended to expose Basic Sail Training graduates and other PSC club members to planning and executing sailing trips on the Potomac River, and to encourage club members and their guests, with or without sailing experience, an opportunity to crew on a one day sailing trip. Skippers may plan sails to any destination, but the intent is to sail to a location, dock or anchor, have lunch, and return to the PSC Marina before dark.

Each boat participating in the One Day Sail will have a skipper with at least a PSC B-KBS rating and will have at least one crew member. Skippers plan the sail so that the boats return the same day before dark. Skippers are responsible for reserving boats, coordinating crew, collecting event fees and sending the collected fees to the boat scheduler, and making all other necessary arrangements to carry out the sail. Crew members do not have to be experienced sailors, but the skipper must ensure that at least some crew members have sufficient capabilities to assist with the sail. Each River Boat will carry up to 4 crew members. Crew members pay $10 each; skippers are not charged in exchange for their preparation and responsibility for the boats.

Minimum skipper qualifications: B-KBS certification and boating safety certificate (see above).

PSC Members Without Military or DoD Badges: Getting access to Bolling AFB and the Marina (Click here for directions):

July 22, 2010

Revised Procedure for Non-DoD PSC Member
Access to Bolling AFB and Marina!

PSC member Hank Lavery has coordinated a new procedure for non-DoD PSC members getting access to Bolling AFB and the marina with base security personnel at Bolling. If approved, the new procedure should simplify access to the marina for our non-DoD members. To take advantage of this new procedure, you must contact Hank with your information. Click here for details and the information required to participate in this process.

As you may be aware, new security restrictions have been implemented recently at Bolling AFB. We have negotiated procedures that will allow non-DoD PSC members to gain access to the marina!

Submit your name, date of birth, and SSN to the Membership Commodore. The Membership Commodore maintains a list of non-DoD PSC members and provides monthly updates to Base Security.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A ONE-TIME STEP THAT WILL ENABLE YOU TO ACCESS THE BASE FOR THE ENTIRE SAILING SEASON.

1. All monthly PSC meetings at Bolling AFB to include social sails preceding meetings.

3. All weekends/holidays when River Training is not being conducted (see PSC calendar for River Training dates).

Access rosters are separately prepared for each River Training Class. Students and instructors are identified to the membership commodore by the River Training Coordinator. Non-DoD boat crew members will automatically be included on the roster for each class. The membership commodore forwards the access roster to the Marina Manager at Bolling AFB, who signs the request and forwards it to the Visitor's Center.

Non-DoD members of the PSC needing individual access on days other than those above should notify the membership commodore of their requirement so a special access roster can be prepared. Please allow a minimum of three days advance notice to insure your request makes it to the Visitor's Center in time. The Membership Commodore will confirm that the access roster has been submitted by return email.

The new security system implemented jointly by Bolling and ANA is here to stay; we have assessed the alternatives to the situation and have concluded that having our non-DoD members acquire a temporary visitor pass is the best solution. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. Please bear with us while try to make the best of this situation during the sailing season at the Marina.