RYA Calls for Limited and Controlled Access to Boats

[TimfromMersea]

As Secretary of RYA East (unpaid, voluntary post, before incoming fire is directed) I thought fellow East Coasters would like to see the following Press Release from RYA HQ. Criticism or shots to them, please, not to me........

The press release reads:-

With the current COVID-19 pandemic forcing the country into lockdown, the RYA has received a considerable number of enquiries from members who are not able to gain access to their boats now that most marinas have closed.

We are acutely aware that our members currently have valid concerns about the inability to undertake checks in respect of security and essential maintenance. In response, the RYA is writing to key Government Ministers seeking definitive guidance that will give a clear and practical way forward to give owners immediate access to their boats whilst respecting current measures to control COVID-19.

Over recent weeks the RYA has been in discussions with the Government officials making the case for limited and controlled access to boats locked down in marinas. The RYA believes that visiting marinas and spending time working on a boat that is moored or ashore can be readily achieved within the parameters of the existing core Government advice regarding hygiene and social distancing. With representations to date not delivering a solution to what is evidently a critical issue for affected members, the RYA is taking the case to Ministers and calling for the support of Members of Parliament.

Boat owners need access to their property to undertake essential maintenance, for example checks for water ingress, maintenance of engines and electrical installations that cannot be undertaken by marina staff. Many boat owners are also obligated by their insurers to visit their vessel regularly to avoid cover being refused in respect of maintenance related claims. The RYA’s advice to members is that you should check this aspect of your insurance policy with your insurers no matter what the policy states. A lockdown insurance update has also been published on the RYA website.

Sarah Treseder, RYA Chief Executive, says: “We acknowledge and appreciate that marina operators are working as hard as possible under difficult circumstances, and are doing their best to take care of boats during the lockdown. However, marina staff obviously cannot undertake the sort of essential maintenance that responsible owners would do.

“The significant number of approaches that the RYA has received from members demonstrates that this is a critical issue for boat owners. We believe there are measures that could be permitted immediately within the existing Government guidance to allow access for essential maintenance. All are predicated on the overarching need to keep people socially distant from those outside their immediate household, to shield the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, and prevent unnecessary travel.

“The RYA fully supports the measures that the Government has put in place to tackle the spread of the virus and we understand the motivation of marina operators to support Government action and safeguard their staff and customers. We will engage with them to work collaboratively to deliver a solution for boat owner access within the parameters of existing Government guidance on hygiene and social distancing.

“As a membership organisation, the RYA will continue to robustly represent members’ interests and support personal members who contact us directly in respect of their experiences with individual marinas. Concerned members should contact cruising@rya.org.uk and use the RYA Coronavirus hub, which outlines current advice and information for recreational boaters.”

With all sports starting to consider recovery, the RYA is developing a ‘Return to Boating’ strategy aimed at getting the message over that there is a very strong case for boating to be one of the first activities that could be resumed safely within any necessary parameters for social distancing, once we start to see a relaxation of the current restrictions.

“We remain committed to representing the interests of our valued members and the wider boating community and we look forward to seeing you back on the water when as soon as it is safe and advisable for us to do so,” Sarah concludes.

 

[John_Silver]

That is welcome news - the search for a New Normal is on! More power to the RYA's elbow.

Funnily enough I dropped MDL a note along similar lines earlier today. Maybe mine is not as authoritative a voice as the RYA's, but it can do no harm. Feels as if we could be at a national tipping point.....

Dear Michael

Thank you for the open letters to berth holders, sharing your thoughts, as we went into lockdown. As a berth holder of over 20 years (at Woolverstone, Cobbs Quay and now Chatham) I already felt very much a part of the MDL family. A sense which your open style of communication has only reinforced. As we feel our way into the New Normal I am very much looking forward to you sharing your insights into what the transition will look like for MDL berth holders.

I manage a, family run, food manufacturing business. We are fortunate enough to be classified as an Essential Business and have therefore remained operational throughout the lockdown. This has brought some challenges BUT has also given us the benefit of evolving new ways of working on a daily, sometimes hourly basis, as new best practice on Social Distancing, Personal Protective Equipment, Hand Cleansing Regimes and Working from Home has emerged. The ingenuity and adaptability of the team has been a delight to behold! I am sure you will find the same Can Do spirit within your own business.

With MDL in full lockdown for the past five weeks, I appreciate that you do not have the benefit of the gradual transition to the New Normal to assist you. I would however urge you to urgently share your plan for such a transition, modelled on the proven steps taken by other businesses.

A first step could be admittance, under Social Distancing rules (perhaps including mandatory face coverings in public areas) of berth holders for Essential Maintenance to boats – in readiness for the season (I know – to be a sailor first you have to be an optimist!). The potentially transformational benefits to the mental health of boat owners, of simply being aboard, is not to be under estimated. The key, I have found from my own business, is to get started (safely), on the transition to the New Normal, and to evolve the approach in a controlled manner from there.

No doubt the question of non-essential travel will raise its head. Whilst it is true that many berth holders live remotely from their boats, many live close by. I, for example, live within walking distance of my berth. My impression is that Chatham is a predominantly ‘locals’ marina. In any event, the swipe card technology now installed across the MDL estate would provide the means to control access (via said swipe cards) to those living within a given radius of the marina. Please note that cards have not been issued to all berth holders (myself included). This is a step you would need to take, were you to go down this route.

I can imagine that the question of how to safely emerge from lockdown and transition to a New Normal is very much top of mind for you and look forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter.

Fair Wind

Doug

 

[Parsonsheath]

As Secretary of RYA East (unpaid, voluntary post, before incoming fire is directed) I thought fellow East Coasters would like to see the following Press Release from RYA HQ. Criticism or shots to them, please, not to me........

The press release reads:-

With the current COVID-19 pandemic forcing the country into lockdown, the RYA has received a considerable number of enquiries from members who are not able to gain access to their boats now that most marinas have closed.

We are acutely aware that our members currently have valid concerns about the inability to undertake checks in respect of security and essential maintenance. In response, the RYA is writing to key Government Ministers seeking definitive guidance that will give a clear and practical way forward to give owners immediate access to their boats whilst respecting current measures to control COVID-19.

Over recent weeks the RYA has been in discussions with the Government officials making the case for limited and controlled access to boats locked down in marinas. The RYA believes that visiting marinas and spending time working on a boat that is moored or ashore can be readily achieved within the parameters of the existing core Government advice regarding hygiene and social distancing. With representations to date not delivering a solution to what is evidently a critical issue for affected members, the RYA is taking the case to Ministers and calling for the support of Members of Parliament.

Boat owners need access to their property to undertake essential maintenance, for example checks for water ingress, maintenance of engines and electrical installations that cannot be undertaken by marina staff. Many boat owners are also obligated by their insurers to visit their vessel regularly to avoid cover being refused in respect of maintenance related claims. The RYA’s advice to members is that you should check this aspect of your insurance policy with your insurers no matter what the policy states. A lockdown insurance update has also been published on the RYA website.

Sarah Treseder, RYA Chief Executive, says: “We acknowledge and appreciate that marina operators are working as hard as possible under difficult circumstances, and are doing their best to take care of boats during the lockdown. However, marina staff obviously cannot undertake the sort of essential maintenance that responsible owners would do.

“The significant number of approaches that the RYA has received from members demonstrates that this is a critical issue for boat owners. We believe there are measures that could be permitted immediately within the existing Government guidance to allow access for essential maintenance. All are predicated on the overarching need to keep people socially distant from those outside their immediate household, to shield the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, and prevent unnecessary travel.

“The RYA fully supports the measures that the Government has put in place to tackle the spread of the virus and we understand the motivation of marina operators to support Government action and safeguard their staff and customers. We will engage with them to work collaboratively to deliver a solution for boat owner access within the parameters of existing Government guidance on hygiene and social distancing.

“As a membership organisation, the RYA will continue to robustly represent members’ interests and support personal members who contact us directly in respect of their experiences with individual marinas. Concerned members should contact cruising@rya.org.uk and use the RYA Coronavirus hub, which outlines current advice and information for recreational boaters.”

With all sports starting to consider recovery, the RYA is developing a ‘Return to Boating’ strategy aimed at getting the message over that there is a very strong case for boating to be one of the first activities that could be resumed safely within any necessary parameters for social distancing, once we start to see a relaxation of the current restrictions.

“We remain committed to representing the interests of our valued members and the wider boating community and we look forward to seeing you back on the water when as soon as it is safe and advisable for us to do so,” Sarah concludes.

This seems particularly relevant today as I have just received an email from Titchmarsh Marina to say that they have been told by Essex police that they must close their marina despite the fact that they are abiding by all guidance from their federations.
I do think that the police should have set out their reasons for taking such action.
I appreciate the restrictions on boat use and travel but when more shops and businesses are opening and more people will be congregating I would have thought that social distancing on a boat is far less of a problem than the High Street.
While I can appreciate the reason for care at this time, and do strictly adhere to guidance, I would like to know the basis for this police action.

 

[ianc1200]

I too am at Titchmarsh (or boat is, live 130 miles away). Had a phone call about 4pm from friend who keeps her boat there as well - she related police turned up on Saturday. There was about 40 cars in carpark. The police closed the site, marched people off the pontoons, said shower/toilet blocks to be closed. Discussed with my wife, thought it was information from somebody who was there, who phoned somebody who will be working on my friends boat, then to me, perhaps something of the story was true but perhaps getting embellished with the telling, to also a couple of hours later get the e mail from Titchmarsh. I do worry about the liveaboards of which I estimate there are 20-30, some living on small boats on the hard with their dogs etc. Also the several small businesses operating out of containers, one man bands probably never having to go near another person all day.

The email starts "Dear Berth-holder, It is with great regret I have to inform you, that despite operating within the guidelines set out by the British Marine Federation and the Yacht Harbour Association, both of which we are members, along with the first-rate efforts of all our team and customers during this pandemic – we have been instructed by Essex Police to completely close the site.

As a family, we have always welcomed our customers and treated them with the utmost respect. I find this instruction extremely distressing however, the Police reminded me, these are unprecedented times and everyone has been instructed to stay at home. If anyone has a query they should contact Essex Police direct. So, this is the situation we find ourselves in. "

 

[Parsonsheath]

Thank you for that information but it does still leave me feeling it should not be for the individual to contact the police, far better for them to have explained the reasons they felt compelled to take such steps, particularly as there are live aboard there who use the showers and toilets and will not have those facilities on their craft.

 

[anpgr]

I had been calling Titchmarsh for the past month and hadn't managed to speak to anyone so I visited on Saturday/Sunday. There were about 30 cars I'd say. People working/sitting on their boats with minimal interaction. I didn't see police on pontoons or people marched off or showers/toilets being closed. Perhaps I didn't notice. But was told by gate security that police had told them to restrict access. It's a shame because I felt more safe there compared to shopping at Tesco's. If most boat owners visited at the same time it would be more risky, but certainly safer than Tesco's.

 

[Tintin]

Essex Police creating laws that don't exist.

 

[ianc1200]

Anybody able to confirm Essex Police did the same at Burnham Marina?

 

[John_Silver]

Perhaps a good moment to back up the RYA's initiative (OP) with an e mail to our respective local MP's? Need some clarity and direction to address the current confusion - and the fact that we have all got to find a way to live, long term, with Covid. Just got the e mail address of mine by Googling "name + e mail"

Dear Kelly

I am writing to you, both in your capacity as my local MP and as Transport Minister, to seek your support in establishing a Covid Safe new normal for the leisure boating industry.

The Medway marinas have been locked down and leisure use of the river prohibited since March 23rd. A valid and essential move, whilst initial control was established. The situation has now moved on. More is understood about the virus. Businesses (my own food business included) have found ways to adapt to Social Distancing, PPE, Hand Hygiene and Remote Working best practice, as it emerges.

As a boat owner and leisure sailor, I know the toll which the lockdown is taking on my own mental health and exercise regime. Both revolve heavily around the maintenance and use of my boat, moored (in Chatham marina) within walking distance of my home (on St Mary's Island). Sailing friends are suffering in this regard too. None of us require to travel to access our boats.

I would ask you to support the RYA (Royal Yachting Association) communication to Government on these points and engage with them to create a Covid Safe new normal in the marine leisure industry. It is clear that the virus and its effects are with us for the long haul. We must therefore find a way to live with it. This for the sake of local employment in marine businesses and for the mental and physical well being of constituents.

Yours Sincerely

Doug

 

[Plum]

Anybody able to confirm Essex Police did the same at Burnham Marina?

On the Crouch recently the Police Marine Unit were patrolling marinas by boat and, for the three people I saw them speak to, were very polite and certainly did not march anyone off the pontoon and did not close the site. They were just reminding people of the stay at home rule and the notices from the Crouch Harbour Authority

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[ianc1200]

Thanks Colin. You will know who I got the phone call from yesterday, just concerned re the liveaboards & small businesses. Somebody from Shotley said he'd heard of a heavy handed approach at Burnham.

 

[DavidofMersea]

As Secretary of RYA East (unpaid, voluntary post, before incoming fire is directed) I thought fellow East Coasters would like to see the following Press Release from RYA HQ. Criticism or shots to them, please, not to me........

The press release reads:-

With the current COVID-19 pandemic forcing the country into lockdown, the RYA has received a considerable number of enquiries from members who are not able to gain access to their boats now that most marinas have closed.

We are acutely aware that our members currently have valid concerns about the inability to undertake checks in respect of security and essential maintenance. In response, the RYA is writing to key Government Ministers seeking definitive guidance that will give a clear and practical way forward to give owners immediate access to their boats whilst respecting current measures to control COVID-19.

Over recent weeks the RYA has been in discussions with the Government officials making the case for limited and controlled access to boats locked down in marinas. The RYA believes that visiting marinas and spending time working on a boat that is moored or ashore can be readily achieved within the parameters of the existing core Government advice regarding hygiene and social distancing. With representations to date not delivering a solution to what is evidently a critical issue for affected members, the RYA is taking the case to Ministers and calling for the support of Members of Parliament.

Boat owners need access to their property to undertake essential maintenance, for example checks for water ingress, maintenance of engines and electrical installations that cannot be undertaken by marina staff. Many boat owners are also obligated by their insurers to visit their vessel regularly to avoid cover being refused in respect of maintenance related claims. The RYA’s advice to members is that you should check this aspect of your insurance policy with your insurers no matter what the policy states. A lockdown insurance update has also been published on the RYA website.

Sarah Treseder, RYA Chief Executive, says: “We acknowledge and appreciate that marina operators are working as hard as possible under difficult circumstances, and are doing their best to take care of boats during the lockdown. However, marina staff obviously cannot undertake the sort of essential maintenance that responsible owners would do.

“The significant number of approaches that the RYA has received from members demonstrates that this is a critical issue for boat owners. We believe there are measures that could be permitted immediately within the existing Government guidance to allow access for essential maintenance. All are predicated on the overarching need to keep people socially distant from those outside their immediate household, to shield the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, and prevent unnecessary travel.

“The RYA fully supports the measures that the Government has put in place to tackle the spread of the virus and we understand the motivation of marina operators to support Government action and safeguard their staff and customers. We will engage with them to work collaboratively to deliver a solution for boat owner access within the parameters of existing Government guidance on hygiene and social distancing.

“As a membership organisation, the RYA will continue to robustly represent members’ interests and support personal members who contact us directly in respect of their experiences with individual marinas. Concerned members should contact cruising@rya.org.uk and use the RYA Coronavirus hub, which outlines current advice and information for recreational boaters.”

With all sports starting to consider recovery, the RYA is developing a ‘Return to Boating’ strategy aimed at getting the message over that there is a very strong case for boating to be one of the first activities that could be resumed safely within any necessary parameters for social distancing, once we start to see a relaxation of the current restrictions.

“We remain committed to representing the interests of our valued members and the wider boating community and we look forward to seeing you back on the water when as soon as it is safe and advisable for us to do so,” Sarah concludes.

Tim, could you write to the Police in your capacity as RYA secretary saying you have had complaints about the Police restricting activity in various Marinas and boat yards in Essex and ask for a justification?

 

[TimfromMersea]

Tim, could you write to the Police in your capacity as RYA secretary saying you have had complaints about the Police restricting activity in various Marinas and boat yards in Essex and ask for a justification?

Outside my pay grade (which, after all is nothing!) I’m afraid. Best way would be for individual RYA members to raise with Legal at Hamble and get them to do it. I’m just a local volunteer.

 

[DavidofMersea]

Outside my pay grade (which, after all is nothing!) I’m afraid. Best way would be for individual RYA members to raise with Legal at Hamble and get them to do it. I’m just a local volunteer.

Tim, could you write the Legal at Hamble. We are much more likely to get some action if the RYA secretary speaks on behalf of many, than individuals writing

 

[Motor_Sailor]

Tim, could you write the Legal at Hamble. We are much more likely to get some action if the RYA secretary speaks on behalf of many, than individuals writing

Tim, no need to write on my behalf. I'm sure I've read about this 'pandemic' thing in the newspapers and apparently we all have to stay at home except for some very specific exceptions.

I think David must have missed it somehow as he's been jet-setting around Europe.

 

[MikeB.]

I read into todays papers that the CAA guidance to private owners of Light Aircraft is that they may visit their airfields to carry out checks and even short flights to ensure safety of their craft. How is that any different to visiting a craft in a Marina?

 

[alandalus11]

Oh Dear. I feel it coming on. Only have to look at the other postings about boats moving about and allowed on boat. Wait for it. ???

 

[johnalison]

An email came from Titchmarsh today saying that Essex police have instructed them to close the marina completely. I had assumed that it was effectively closed anyway, but if anything, I would prefer it to be cut-and-dried so that those of us following the rules don't feel they are being taken advantage of by those who are making up their own.

 

[DavidofMersea]

Tim, no need to write on my behalf. I'm sure I've read about this 'pandemic' thing in the newspapers and apparently we all have to stay at home except for some very specific exceptions.

I think David must have missed it somehow as he's been jet-setting around Europe.

if you read the earlier part of this thread, you will see that people are not staying at home

 

[Motor_Sailor]

if you read the earlier part of this thread, people are not staying at home

So why do you need clarification as to why the Police acted in the way they did?