Join the Magdalene Punt Society

Only £10 before May 5

MCR PUNT SOCIETY – MEMBERSHIP AND PUNT HIRE AGREEMENT

MCR members are eligible to apply for membership in the MCR Punt Society (PuntSoc). In so doing, they accept the obligations and privileges explained below. This document explains the rules of the society and how to book the punt. Please direct all inquiries to the Admiral of the Punt, Donal R. McAuliffe (dm288@cam.ac.uk, or pigeon hole D. R. McAuliffe in the Porter’s lodge).

Membership

All Magdalene MCR members are entitled to join the PuntSoc. To do so, sign this document and return it to the Admiral of the Punt with a cheque for £15, or £10 if you pay on or before May 5, 2003. The cheque should be made payable to the Magdalene College MCR. Allow for up to a week before your name is included on the membership list (i.e. before you can sign out the punt). Membership is a privilege which can be cancelled without refund, by the Admiral of the Punt and MCR President, if the rules of the society are not followed or if the privilege is abused.

Booking the punt

Only members of the PuntSoc may book time in the punt.

The punt must be booked using the booking form located on the computer in the Porter’s Lodge. A member may book up to one two-hour slot per day, up to seven days in advance. If additional time is required, a request should be made at least one week in advance to the Admiral. Members must show due consideration in booking consecutive days. If bookings are unreasonable, the Admiral may cancel the booking. Bookings must be definite, and must not be speculative (made ‘just in case’ you might be able to go punting). Every hour booked and missed will incur a penalty of five pounds, payable by the member who signed for the punt. Your membership will be cancelled if you successively miss bookings.

Taking the punt out

The key to the punt lock must be signed out from the porters in the lodge. The porters have a list of PuntSoc Members, and will not provide the key to anyone not on that list.

Before going out, the member who signed for the punt must make sure there is no obvious damage to the punt. Should there be any damage, report this at once to the porters and to the Admiral of the Punt within 24 hours, stating the date and time at which the damage was observed. If a member fails to report damage, but signs for the punt, the member will be liable for the cost of repairs. This also applies to any other PuntSoc property, such as the pole, paddle, keys and cushions. The paddle may be found in either the MCR, or with the keys in the Porter’s lodge. The cushions are found under O-block; these are mixed with JCR cushions, and must serve four punts, so do not any take more than is reasonable.

Punting

No more than six people may be on the punt at any one time, including the punter.

The member signing for the punt must be in the punt. That is, you cannot sign the punt out for friends.

The MCR punt is easier to punt but is more fragile than ordinary punts-for-hire. Going over the rollers at the Mill lock is strongly discouraged, but this must be done, extreme care should be taken and the punt must not be ridden down.

Any damage or loss of PuntSoc equipment, above normal tear and wear, will be responsibility of the member who signed for the punt.

Members understand that they punt at their own risk, and that the PuntSoc and MCR take no responsibility for loss or damage to personal belongings, or to injury to persons, during the trip.

Bringing the punt back

When the trip is finished, the member must lock the pole and the punt safely, replace all the cushions under O-block, lock the gate, return the paddle to the MCR or lodge, and return the key to the porters.

If any PuntSoc equipment has been damaged or lost during the trip, the member must report this damage to porters and the Admiral of the Punt immediately.

As with all college punts, the punt must be returned by 11:30pm, and cannot be signed out after 10pm.

I have and read and understood this document and agree to abide by the PuntSoc rules at all times,

Name (printed): ......................................... Tel:..................................... Email: ......................

Signed: ...................................................... Date: ………......................