OPO Code of Conduct

The purpose of the Honor Code is to establish some ground rules and state flat out what is expected from a good crew. The Swan Club Gold Card Service* will only work if every member we send to crew aboard a Swan does a good job and makes a good impression. Even one bad crew experience can ruin the program for everyone since the Swan Owners Group is a small group and a bad experience with one of our OPO crewmembers will get around quickly. That is why only a small group of OPO members will be invited to be a Gold Card member at first. Everyone else should try to get more sea miles and improve their resume so they will also get the e-mails about sailing on a Swan. Although only OPO Gold Card Members will have to sign and mail in this form, it would be good for all crew to take note and try and adopt the following principles.

1) Swans are very nice boats. Plan to treat the boat both above and below decks like you were in your boss's living room. No feet up on the couch, no crumbs spilled anywhere and quite often leave your shoes in the basket on the dock.

2) Wait for permission to first board a boat, just like at neighbors front door.

3) Always be courteous of others and follow the skipper's orders. Anytime you get several new people together and especially on a boat at sea, it is good to be on ones best behavior and courteous of others just like the first day of school.

4) Always make sure you are safe and tethered in when the situation warrants. You put others at risk if they need to turn back for you. We like to say "If you fall overboard you are dead, because we will come back and get you and then kill you for falling overboard".

5) No sleeping on watch. Take a 360 view every 10 minutes

6) Keep noise to a minimum on night watches and when anyone is sleeping below. Do not drag your tether hook around the cockpit.

7) Be respectively of others privacy and space

8) Keep all common area clean. (Cockpit and main saloon)

9) Be very mindful of scratching the teak interior or cabin sole. When at sea be always cognizant of the movements of the boat and do not expect objects and food items to stay in place. No Hard luggage and be careful with the wheels and handles on soft luggage.

10) When closing hatches make sure it is dogged down evenly and well, otherwise some water will still get in.

11) Offering to cook or clean up will endear you to the crew forever. But likewise if the cook wants to keep you out of the galley, stay out.

12) Never open the fridge or freezer hatch for long and always check with the head galley person before opening new caches of food or ingredients that might be necessary for a particular recipe or meal.

13) Make sure to tighten or close all lids (anyone like pickle juice all over the fridge), drawer stops, and latches and swinging doors. If you do not close the lid on the "Joy" soap bottle and it runs empty, there is no convenience store around the corner.

14) Keep toilet lids down and sit when in doubt

15) Conserve power, turn off fans and lights, especially the nav light is the morning

16) If you smoke know the rules. Better yet quit before you leave the dock.

17) Know the drinking policy at sea and respect the rules of a dry boat.

18) Behave in port. No stumbling on board and damaging the boat or yourself.

19) Beware of shipboard romance

20) Buy dinner at the end of the trip or at least offer.

21) Do not leave anything behind so someone has to mail you your forgotten item(s)

Signature:__________________________________ Dated:________ Year _______

*Only OPO members invited or accepted into the Swan Crew pool will need to print, sign, and mail this form back to Fax: 631-423-9009

OPO
PO Box 2600
Halesite NY 11743