Practical Boat Owner April 2015

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is objecting to a number of harbour authorities being designated until recreational boating interests are represented on Port User Groups. It follows the RYA’s participation in the Government’s consultation on applications received from statutory harbour authorities for 26 harbours in England and five non-fishery harbours in Wales requesting to be designated with the power to give harbour directions, pursuant to the Harbours Act 1964 (as amended by the Marine Navigation Act 2013) Gus Lewis, RYA head of legal and government affairs, said: ‘The Code of Conduct stipulates that any harbour authority using the powers under the act should set up a Port User Group for consultation and dispute resolution purposes. ‘Provided those groups include representation of recreational boating interests and users’ organisations in the harbour,…

An investigation into the grounding of an historic tall ship, which sank off west Cork, Ireland with more than 30 people on board, has found a catalogue of failures and breaches of international regulations. The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) report, published on 21 January 2015, highlights poor route planning before the Dutchregistered Astrid sail training passenger ship set sail past the Sovereign islands. The ‘immediate cause of the ship grounding and subsequent sinking’ on 24 July 2013 was attributed to loss of power from the main engine, which stopped as a result of freshwater contamination of the fuel. This was due to ‘human error’ when taking on fresh water in Brighton on 12 July 2013 and then ‘insufficient action’ to remove the freshwater from the fuel system. The report…

Situated in the charming New Forest village of Brockenhurst, Careys Manor Hotel & SenSpa is a four-star, quintessentially English country manor hotel. The hotel and spa provides a wonderfully serene retreat, a great base from which to explore the beautiful New Forest and an indulgent treat for you and your loved ones. The award-winning SenSpa (voted ‘Best Spa in the South-East’ in 2012, 2013 and 2014) offers a unique spa experience where you can enjoy the finest treatments, immerse yourself in calming and sumptuous surroundings and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the SenSpa’s state-of-the-art hydrotherapy facilities2. For more information about the hotel, visit www.careysmanor.com PLUS! 9 pairs of Boatjumble tickets for runners-up! Nine runners-up will each receive a pair of tickets to the Beaulieu Boatjumble which includes entry to the…

Boat owners cruising in Turkish waters are facing more difficulties because a new law regarding residence permits is confusing everyone concerned, the Cruising Association (CA) has revealed. Visitors’ visas to Turkey for cumulative visits of up to 90 days in a rolling 180 days are easily obtained online – an agreement that matches the Schengen regulations for non-EU citizens. But boat owners wishing to cruise for longer then have to apply locally for a residence permit before the 90-day limit is reached. The new law – 6458 – which came into force last April, means that anyone cruising in Turkey can only apply for a residence permit for a 3-12 month period, and this requires diffcult documentation. Before that, cruisers wanting to stay longer could easily apply for a residence…

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) has been awarded the Royal Cruising Club’s (RCC) prestigious Medal for Services to Cruising, for its contribution to sea safety. Paul Heiney, RCC Vice Commodore, told the voluntary organisation: ‘In recognition of your frst 20 years, and also the growing contribution you are making to the safety of yachts at sea, we are awarding the National Coastwatch Institution this year’s Medal for Services to Cruising, which we very much hope you will accept.’ NCI chairman Alan Richards said: ‘I am delighted to accept this recognition of our work on behalf of the 2,000 or so volunteers who make the whole operation possible. I know how much it means to them to see that their efforts are appreciated, and there can be no better example of…

A decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) not to include sailing on the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games sports programme has shocked the sailing community. The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and its 139 Member National Authorities have pledged to fight for sailing to be reinstated at the Paralympic Games. ISAF is asking sailors across the world to unite on behalf of all disabled sailors and to email letters of support to disabled@isaf.com. These will be sent to the IPC with a package of information about Paralympic sailing. The Paralympic Games is the ultimate pinnacle for disabled sailors, with many varied disabilities competing on equal terms. A Royal Yachting Association spokesman said it would support ISAF ‘if there is any further recourse to be had’, and added: ‘As we understand it,…