RYA

[Chris_Stannard]

Does anyone from the RYA read this forum to see what the general opinion of them seems to be (not very favourable on the whole). If so would they like to say so and what they are doing to correct some of the matters such as poor examination standards, bad sailing school etc., that have been raised recently.

I just had a request for my subscription with a letter saying that they hoped I had found my membership beneficial. Having paid, that is no doubt the last I will hear until my next sub is due, apart from a magazine which I find of very little interest.

Does anyone Know if the RYA reads this?

If I get no positive response I will call them to see what is going on.

Chris Stannard

 

[kimhollamby]

I do see at least a couple of people on the forums from the RYA on a fairly regular basis, so I know they do look.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[tony_brighton]

The RYA doesn't seem to exist to provide very many direct services to the individual yachtsman; more for the sport as a whole. So, for example, we could take the view that we get some benefit from certification of training courses generally improving the quality of education. This of course makes their activity almost invisible to us the paying punter which I think continues to be the source of complaint.

Like you, I pay the fees, sometimes get the mag (almost zero interest and you can get most of it off their website anyway); sometimes use the lounge at the boat show and generally put some faith that they are mysteriously representing my interests with HMG/EU/World. Not quite sure that the armies of staff they seem to be employing these days justify the service or fee but then they dont seem that responsive to criticism either - be it this forum or any other.

 

[walter]

Chris, I hope you get better luck if you phone them than I have recently E-Mailing them, seems they dont like replying to E-Mail very much having mailed them recently and even reminded them that I was expecting a reply still nothing, lets hope they do read this

 

[oldgit]

What they did for my club was this.Helped us to insure at a rate we could afford and prevented us being walked all over by our local authority.Bit like the AA really no use at all................untill you need em.

Service with a snarl.

 

[Guest]

I became a member for about 2 years (5 years ago). I haven't renewed for the following reasons:
1. Subscription brought very little direct benifit.
2. RYA Magazine that I found not particularly interesting. (Most RYA news appears in PBO etc)
3. Junk mail from the RYA asking me to take up credit cards, insurances etc. (How much of the subscription is spent on advertising services I don't want?)
4. Money was better spent on PBO, Sailing Today and owners associations/yacht club subscriptions. (I am also an RNLI off-shore member) All of whome produce much better publications and have assisted in my sailing and seamanship knowledge better than being a member of the RYA.
5. High cost of sitting RYA exams is another way of increasing the coffers of the RYA so why also pay to belong? (E.G. £19 to sit exam for VHF/DSC!)

The amount saved on any discounts to shows etc was "not very impressive" and RYA members lounge seemed superflouous to me. I found plenty of suitable and more inviting places to sit, rest and partake of food & drink at the shows that I attended.

Yes I am aware of the RYA's involvement in protecting my hobby and yes the courses, training manuals and RYA training certification is on the whole pretty good but I really think that the subscription is too high. Does it really cost this much to keep the RYA going? Remember also that most sailing clubs and associations are affiliate members of the RYA.

Until the RYA make individual membership for me more attractive for the required subscription then I will continue to do without.


An Ron Beag

 

[Guest]

TO: Chris Stannard.
Good question and timely put.
See my Thread under "Sailing School Standards", same forum.

I note someone else is still awaiting an e-mail response. I emailed them about a week ago (not very easy to phone during the day for some after all).

The RYA seems to have a large contingent of "Recognised" Schools. I have asked them to tell me what criteria they set for these schools. I will also be asking what they do, having given the accreditation, to monitor standards.

However, as I havent yet had an exchange of views with them, I'll reserve judgement on their capabilities and I'll keep the Forums posted.

More Power to the Internet !!

 

[Guest]

I’m the RYA’s marketing manager. We do read Scuttlebutt and we do take note of what’s said. Some comments are very helpful and genuinely inform our thinking on the topics that are raised. Our policies are shaped by many factors, not the least of which are the considered views of members and non-members. The views expressed in Scuttlebutt are as valid as any others (and usually more entertainingly put).

Past policy has been to not respond. But that doesn’t mean we’re not listening Indeed, this reply is proof positive that we do pay attention to Scuttlebutt – and are prepared to change policy when that seems the appropriate thing to do. Generally, though, we’d rather not pursue an internet debate. Neither will we respond to personal opinions, recognising as we do that everybody’s entitled to them (even if some get up our nose).

The ‘value’ of RYA membership is a good example. Some people want the maximum personal payback for their subscription, which is fine. We do our best to deliver and I’m sorry if sometimes we don’t make it. Others see that developing and maintaining training courses, or lobbying for boating’s interests in the EU as well as UK, or providing free legal, cruising and technical advice, or inspecting and monitoring schools (generally on an annual basis) all costs money that we’re not able to take from the lottery funding of Team GBR. That’s fine, too – and very welcome.

The answers to most questions that crop up over RYA policy are usually available on the website at www.rya.org.uk . They may even have appeared in RYA Magazine. Where a questions is raised for which we don’t have an immediate answer, we’ll do our best to find one even if that takes a little time to achieve.

Where people have contacted us directly over a meaningful issue and haven’t had a reply, that’s a genuine cause for concern. Email me with the details and I’ll try my best to sort it out.


John Bagnall
RYA Marketing Manager
email john.bagnall@rya.org.uk

 

[Shanty]

Nice to see a response from the RYA, but I am slightly puzzled as to why the response comes from a new user who joined today. How have the RYA been monitoring Scuttlebutt, and why was a new user necessary to make a response?

John makes the point that "past policy has been to not respond". Why? Is this policy contributing to the generally unfavourable image that the RYA has amongst users of this forum? Maybe the RYA should be reviewing their stance, and considering the benefits of a rather more open approach.

 

[Chris_Stannard]

I believe I can hear a rousing "Here, Here" from many of the contributors to the forum.



Chris Stannard

 

[BarryH]

Now I'm not a rag and stick man, Stinkpoter is what you call us. Now I'm a member of the RYA, and i can say that the responses i have had from the HQ is nil.

I emailed the motorboating section regarding the details, cost, itinery etc, and there was no response to that. Next course of action was to phone HQ. The young lady very hepful put me through to the section. Only response was the answerphone, again no-one got back to me. Well I wont be going now, I've made plans for that weekend. Just a thought, If the RYA are going to stage these events then please post details well in advance, as there are few long weekends to go boating as it is and things need to be arranged around other areas of life!!

 

[Guest]

Tim,

There's no mystery. I wanted to post a response under my own name - not my existing ybw.com id. Anyway, there's plenty of others here who read Scuttlebutt, too.

I hear what you're saying about being open, but priorities have to come into it. RYA Magazine has the potential to be read by 93,000 members, and www.rya.org.uk has had a peak of 10k daily visits. So when time is short, I suspect I'm always going to have to plump for those rather than be browsing speculatively around the forums.

John Bagnall
RYA Marketing Manager
email john.bagnall@rya.org.uk

 

[Guest]

As a supporter of the aims and objectives of the RYA, it is in my opinion that for every moan against the RYA, there is the greater silent majority that are in favour of the way that the RYA conducts its affairs. The norm nowadays is to create a noise when something goes wrong, but seldom do you hear a noise when in the majority of cases there is something good. Media headlines, for example, give us doom and gloom more often than we shall hear or read about in the good and kind attributes in a person or organisation.

The affairs and the responsibility of the RYA has expanded, with the increase in the number of different watersport activities that are now available for young and old. An organisation, run mainly by volunteers, needs permanent employed staff and financing to maintain it. With the advent of web-based technology, and the level of service that the RYA is offering to its members and others through their website, is another avenue to obtain the benefits of the RYA. This IPC website is no different, as it offers services as an extension to the respective magazines that it publishes. Websites are, in essence, a service that is offered free, but remember there are people out there that do not have access to a PC and therefore rely on the printed media.

I note the comments that are made with interest, from both sides, but if you can moan or give praise through this Forum, then it would be right and proper to send your comments to the RYA directly through its website, so that the persons there who are in a position to respond to you can respond.

As with all magazines, there will be articles of interest and some that are not read. However, we keep them for the time that they may just come in useful. The RYA magazine is treated in the same fashion.

How the RYA organises its protocol for sailing schools and other training establishments, I am sure that they will not be laxed about. The generally high standard of the ultimate goal of becoming a Yachtmaster Offshore can be seen in the different attainment levels that lead to this qualification. Earlier this year the RYA, with great media attention, gave us the new Yachtmaster Offshore profile and it is not suprising that this level of competency is recognised globally. Independent Yachtmaster Examiners are important to maintaining the high standard of yachtmasters, but remember when you took your car driving test for your licence it was just the beginning, as a basis to build your experience upon. It is no different for the Yachtmaster. Your Yachtmaster Certificate can be taken from you, as can your driving licence!

Really, if you do have a point to make about any organisation, take it up with that organisation directly. Any seriously minded organisation that is there for your benefit, and to which you subscribe, will listen and note your comments.

katoema@mpcee.co.uk

 

[Guest]

Come on, yachtsmen. Think about what you can contribute and put into things: not what you can get out of them.
I paid a life subscription some years ago; I hope it helped the RYA. (I get a little gold card!)

 

[david_e]

I joined last September, had lots of good help, information and advice with just one issue from the legal team so I consider it money well spent already, the mag is fine for an organisation, after all there is only so much you can write about and only so much news. Rather the money be spent on core resources than value added things like a mag which peeps are indifferent about, but if it generates ad revenues then fine.

When I was windsurfing racing (many moons ago) the RYA were great in developing the whole thing so for me they are good eggs. Membership is about the same cost as a meal out, also I recently saw a specialist on line legal service advertised on the net which has a subscription annually of £47 so maybe the RYA isn't too bad.

 

[Guest]

Tarquin,

Re this thread and your own on sailing school's, you might like to know that the RYA's Chief Instructor is in North Wales today, to inspect a school about which complaints have been made.

If a school fails to match up to our required standards, we will suspend their recognition. They then have a short period (during which they may not run courses) to put things right. Unless the issue is a minor one - in which case we mayaccept a self-declaration that it has been rectified - they will have to pass a further inspection before being allowed to resume teaching.

Inspections normally take place annually and are done while a school is operational. We have 10 inspectors for schools teaching the RYA Yachtmaster qualification, who are jointly trained and accredited by ourselves and the MCA.

The inspection covers a range of issues from instructor qualifications to insurance, admin systems, craft and equimpent maintenance. There are some 300 items in all, drilling down to specifics such as whether there's a spare impeller on board.

We also do spot checks on the water.

If an instructor is at fault, we will call a tribunal to look into the case and we can - and do - take tickets away.

Hope this helps. We're preparing some more detailed FAQs on the issues you've raised which will be up on www.rya.org.uk shortly.


John Bagnall
RYA Marketing Manager
email john.bagnall@rya.org.uk

 

[Shanty]

John,

No mystery to you, because you know what is going on. A source of puzzlement to me as an ignorant onlooker who is trying to make sense of what he sees.

My point about openess was aimed initially at fora such as this. However, for me at least, the point has broader significance. I first joined the RYA over thirty years ago, mainly because it was "the done thing". Of recent years I have come to wonder what, apart from force of habit, keeps me paying my subscription.

Some things that the RYA does - mainly to do with training - have my unqualified support. The message "education not legislation" is a vital one. However, once we move into the area of "representing my interests" the picture gets very hazy. Do the RYA know what my interests are? Are they prepared to support them? Are they interested? I have very little evidence upon which to make a rational judgement.

As a personal member, I receive the RYA Magazine. I try to read something from each issue, but struggle to find much with any real content, or interest. I visit the RYA website occasionally - I find Cruising News interesting and useful. However, neither of these seems to be an attempt to establish two way communication.

Maybe what I am looking for is more meaningful dialogue between the RYA and its members.

 

[Guest]

Promises and false interpretations aside, how can anyone expect to get individual representation, attention and services beyond what's already offered, for that kind of membership fee? It's just not realistic. Like someone else said, the only other thing this could possibly buy you is a dinner. I hate people who get to sit in the first row because of some special deal they've struck when I wasn't looking although I paid the same.

I joined the RYA about two weeks ago, because I am under the impression that the kind of activity I love, and thousands of people with me, does need some form of organisation like them to ensure everybody is treated fairly and equally.

Now for those who want more, how about introducing other forms of membership, at other rates, that entitle one to other/additional services and priviliges?