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Information for Visitors to Setley Pond

Setley Pond (directions) is a beautiful place to sail your model boat and we welcome visitors, however because of the location of the pond in the New Forest there are some restrictions. The SRCMBC pays an annual fee to the Forestry Commission for use of Setley Pond. This entitles us to exclusive use of the pond on Club days, but also imposes on us a number of rules and obligations.

The Club has two sections. The Sailing Section use the water for racing their yachts on Tuesdays, and Fridays, 10am to 12 noon, and you are requested not to impede sailing if you are at the lake. The Scale Section meet on Thursdays and Sundays. Visitors are very welcome on Scale Section days, but we have to ask you to adhere to some guidelines!

First, please read the Pond Rules. These incorporate the requirements of the Forestry Commission and also include radio frequency management, and Navigation rules which define a slow speed zone at the car park end of the lake. This is to minimise the risk of collisions and damage to models. With regard to radio frequencies, there is a growing number of RC models becoming available at relatively low prices. If your model is simply specified as "27MHz" (or less often "40MHz") then it probably does not have a precise, crystal controlled RC system. In that case we would ask you not to use the model on Club days. You might interfere with the control of other models, or our radios will interfere with your control of your model with the possibility of collision, or more likely, your model will simply drift off to some difficult to access part of the pond!

Second, on club days we need non-members to pay a one-day membership fee of £1.50. This ensures that you are covered by our Club Insurance policy (a Forestry Commission requirement). If you are a member of another model boat club then you may be covered by your own club insurance for third party claims as required by the Forestry Commission. Please bring along details, and payment of the day fee may well not be necessary.

For "non-Model-Boating visitors" who wish to visit on club days, you too are very welcome! You can watch the action at our lovely location, but you are also encouraged to ask questions and see how it is all done. However, please remember, the models take hours (days, months...) to make and only seconds to break, so please do not touch!

At the end of the day, please be assured that, despite the "formalities" listed here, we are a light-hearted crowd who enjoy our time at the pond and will be happy to share it with you... Come along!