July MBY - oops, sorry

[alanharper]

It was not our intention in this issue to spread alarm and hysteria with an inaccurate news story – we generally leave that to others – but unfortunately a paragraph in our 'Red Tape Rising' item on p10 is total poppycock, for which we apologise.
It is the bit about needing a passage plan in the Solent on the short trip from Lymington to the Isle of Wight. From July 1, under the new Solas V rules, it will be a legal requirement to have a passage plan if undertaking a voyage outside of 'categorised' waters. In fact Solent waters are classed as 'Category D' from a line joining Hurst Point to the Needles and a line joining West Wittering Church and Trinity Church Bembridge. Stray outside of that area, though, and you are deemed to have 'gone to sea' and will be legally obliged to make a passage plan.
A better example to highlight the oddness of this new rule, which is founded on sensible principles but open to over-zealous interpretation by the authorities, might have been the short trip across Torbay from Torquay to Brixham. The waters of Torbay, along with most coastal waters outside of river estuaries, are not categorised.
Alan, ed, MBY
PS - Pauline, the issue with Bill Clinton in was July 2000.

 

[Chris771]

If Pauline is ogling Banana Bill, the year is probably the last thing that comes to mind
.................;-))


Chris

 

[hlb]

So go on. Fill us in on what this new rule is all about.
As I understand it. We write where we are going on the back of fag packet. So thats ok. But we never go there. well not straight there anyway. Might stop off for a beer or butties. Or fishing. So anyway what do we do with the fag packet then. Do we post it to some one? Keep it in a box? And what good is it to anyone. After the event.

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[Medskipper]

Is this all actually law now? and if it is who is going to see that people are doing a proper passage plan? What constitutes a proper passage plan anyway? What makes a plan acceptable or not? Are we going to see fines for no plans or plans that dont meet what is deemed acceptable?
It seems to me that the whole thing has been rushed through without any thought or consultation with the boating fraternity! This country is becoming more like a communist state than a communist state! I cant wait to retire and get the hell away from it and go to a country that is not forever telling you what to do all the time! whatever happened to the England I grew up in 40 years ago?

Barry

 

[Baltimore_Bill]

Please Help.

I can't seem to find the classification of my 23 foot pleasure motor cruiser.

It's not over 13.47 metres in length, doesn't have sails, isn't a pushing boat, tug or freighter and doesn't carry fare paying passengers.

Solent - Class D - Estuary - wave height not more than 2 metres.. Yeah Right! ever seen the standing waves at Hurst during a force 7 with an ebb tide?

I reckon all that bumf will get soggy and clog up the bilge pump inlet - thereby reducing safety at sea.