RYAS ADVICE for return to boating in Scotland

TLouth7

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I think it would be hard to claim that a club crane-in is not a public gathering. Annoying, but I suspect many will need a while to prepare their boats anyway, so may not be the end of the world.
 

ProDave

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The RYA have got it WRONG.

There is no 5 mile limit on travel. Nicola Sturgeon herself on tv said there is GUIDANCE of staying local, e.g. 5 miles, but that is NOT the law,. and Police Scotland have said they will not be stopping drivers to ask where they are going.

So sad the organisation supposed to represent us is giving poor information that differst to what the First Minister said is the case.

We are slipway launching tomorow and me and SWMBO are sailing, I have no issues about the 20 mile drive to get there.
 

NorthRising

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The RYA have got it WRONG.

There is no 5 mile limit on travel. Nicola Sturgeon herself on tv said there is GUIDANCE of staying local, e.g. 5 miles, but that is NOT the law,. and Police Scotland have said they will not be stopping drivers to ask where they are going.

So sad the organisation supposed to represent us is giving poor information that differst to what the First Minister said is the case.

We are slipway launching tomorow and me and SWMBO are sailing, I have no issues about the 20 mile drive to get there.

Take care not to misquote the RYAS guidance it says:

"You are permitted to travel short distances for outdoor leisure and exercise but strongly advised to stay within a short distance of your local community (broadly within 5 miles) and travel by walk, wheel and cycle where possible."

Meantime the SG advice says:

"For this reason, our advice is that you should stay within your local area when you go outside for exercise or other activities.
As a guide, rather than a fixed limit, 5 miles from your home would be within your local area. "

So RYAS use the term 'broadly', while SG said 'as a guide'. I'd suggest you can use those terms synonymously. You could also surmise they are both allowing for some flexibility because 5 miles in a city is a fair distance while in a rural area like the Highlands it is no distance at all, many of us stay more than 5 miles from the nearest shop.

Not my place to defend the wording of the RYAS wording but it is the case it had to be approved by both Sport Scotland and Scottish Government, and neither I nor you are party do the deliberations that took place as part of that process.
 

JumbleDuck

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The RYA have got it WRONG.

There is no 5 mile limit on travel. Nicola Sturgeon herself on tv said there is GUIDANCE of staying local, e.g. 5 miles, but that is NOT the law,. and Police Scotland have said they will not be stopping drivers to ask where they are going.

So sad the organisation supposed to represent us is giving poor information that differst to what the First Minister said is the case.

Here's what they say:

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"permitted to travel short distances" would be better as "permitted to travel" but the rest of it is spot on Government advice. Bearing in mind that that advice is intended to prevent more of us dying needlessly I think quibbling about details is a little distasteful.
 

JumbleDuck

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Good point. But it seems some marinas are only opening to "local" customers and enforcing the 5 miles.
Good for them. Anything which discourages unnecessary travel is a good thing. I've just emailed the yard where my boat is to say that I don't plan to be there until Phase 3, I July at the earliest. Bit of a bugger, but there you go.
 

NormanS

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The RYA have got it WRONG.

There is no 5 mile limit on travel. Nicola Sturgeon herself on tv said there is GUIDANCE of staying local, e.g. 5 miles, but that is NOT the law,. and Police Scotland have said they will not be stopping drivers to ask where they are going.

So sad the organisation supposed to represent us is giving poor information that differst to what the First Minister said is the case.

We are slipway launching tomorow and me and SWMBO are sailing, I have no issues about the 20 mile drive to get there.

Which part of "five miles" do you not understand? Multiplying it by four seems difficult to justify. You're not Dominic Cummings, by any chance? ?
 

Ian_Edwards

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Could someone explain to me where RYAS get the following from?

You must return to your point of leaving on the same day of departure – no overnight stops.

You may anchor for a break, for example lunch, but must not go ashore as this will break the 5 mile rule and could put communities at risk.

I don't understand why the no overnight stops and returning on the same day, in any of the government regulations or guidance. Sailing single handed or with family you could anchor overnight and not come within 100m or more of anyone, so there is no risk of infection in either direction. I can see don't go to another marina or quay or village being sensible.

In a similar way, there are many places on the West Coast of Scotland where you can go ashore and be in complete isolation, and I see no 5 mile rule, just guidance.

This all seems a very blunt instrument, and doesn't allow any degree of freedom to use rational common sense, by now most people will have a good idea of what you need to do to avoid infection.
 

dunedin

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From what I hear, RYA Scotland have been working very hard on our behalf making a detailed case to the Scottish Government as to why boating is a sport that could be safely restarted at all. Similarly the Canoeing body etc etc.
It wasn’t just a quick email and being nodded through. I believe that some other outdoor sports failed to make the case, and therefore had to advise their members that the sport would not be able to restart at all in Phase 1.

So definitely very frustrating the 5 mile guidance (which as others have said the RYA page does state correctly as a guideline), but thanks to the RYA in Scotland and nationally for fighting the case for boating on all of our behalf. As an RYA member I certainly thank them personally.
 

Ian_Edwards

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Yes, I'm a member of the RYA, and I've been in contact with them on other issues to do with lockdown. I know the are walking a tightrope between Government laws and guidance, and British Marine guidance, none of which I find particularly clear or well drafted and the sailing community who really want to get back on the water.
As for my MSP, he is particularly useless on anything like this, I gave up on him a good while ago.
It just seems obvious to me that if you are sailing single handed and you keep away from other people, there isn't much chance of you spreading the infection or being infected. With 800L of water, 400L of diesel, a fridge and a freezer I can be self sufficient for a month or more, then I just need a top up of water and a visit to a supermarket. If I've been alone on the water for a week or more, I'm very unlikely to be carrying the virus.
I just find it very frustrating. I've been self isolating at home since the 23rd March, and haven't been any further than a weekly supermarket shopping trip, 1.5miles away.
 

Capt Popeye

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Yes well it seems to me that we, in the boating fraternity, have been and still are, being let down by those organisations whom we maybe join and even pay subs for or rely upon their efficiency and knowledge to make our claim to go boating when we can.

Might ask, wtfs has travelling to a Boaty place got to do with the RYA, RNLI, Harbour Master etc etc, we should expect those whom are supposed to be 'looking out for us' to do just that, concentrate upon the Boating angle; clearly the traveling to from our Boaty Place in NOT IN ANY WAY their concern, thats clearly the responsibility of 'others' including the Govt plus maybe the Police, who can and will change the guidence /rules /interpretation etc as and when they think fit; SO why does those Boaty organisations get involved and bugger up the already muddy waters, are they just incompetent or what.

If I am right, and some boaty places like Marinas or Boatyards are actually stipulating who and whom can visit theit establishments based upon estimated mileages traveled they are beyond contempt and clearly organising the 'next' collapse of the boating market.
 

ProDave

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Perhaps the posters has problems with eyesight. The politically correct course of action is to drive 30 miles to test it ?
No an am just obeying what the first minister said. The 5 miles is guidance, not law. that is a very clear fact.

I have always been allowed to travel to shop. Last week I legally drove 25 miles to B&Q. Phase 1 does not introduce any NEW limitations, it just lifts a few existing ones.

In a different interview the stay local was further clarified, that if your chosen sport is not available within 5 miles then you can travel further to it.

So i have no problem driving 20 miles to get to my boat. I am using common sense, I will not be meeting with anyone.
 
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