The government has made it clear that activities on the water, including sailing, are permitted under the new version of lockdown that we are now in. We have been keeping a watching brief on the RYA’s position in reaction to this, as well as liaising with the Port of Blyth.
The headline position is that members are permitted to sail and the Harbour Master has outlined some helpful guidance received from the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) which provides further detail.
In summary, so long as Club members maintain and observe social distancing and regularly wash their hands then they are permitted to:
- Go sailing with members of their household if they wish or with one member from another household so long as they remain 2m apart on the boat. We cannot see any prohibition on solo sailing so that it is done safely according to the conditions;
- Come to the pontoons and sit in the sun on their yachts with members of their household;
- Work on their boats in the boatyard and on the moorings (as outlined earlier this week).
Members are not yet permitted to stay onboard overnight.
If a Club Member intends to go out sailing, in order to minimise any potential risk of a callout to the RNLI or Coastguard then the RYA is keen to remind sailors that they should:
- be well prepared when going out;
- only go out with members of your household (or if the boat is big enough to enable social distancing, with one member from a different household);
- wear a life jacket when going sailing;
- make sure that you have appropriate means of communication.
As to point 2 above, the guidance that we have received states:
“On larger private boats, where possible we recommend that you avoid sharing a boat with a person from a different household. If you do share a boat with someone outside of your household, then where possible, you should stay at least two metres apart – and it should only be with one other person. Cleaning protocols should be put in place to limit coronavirus transmission on boats. It is advised that touch points (e.g. handrails) should be particular areas of focus for increased cleaning. Frequent cleaning of boats, using your usual cleaning products, is advised. As is removing waste and belongings from boats when finishing a day-trip.”
Club members must call in to the harbour if they are going out, and where possible and practicable you should advise someone on shore if you are going out. There is now more than ever an emphasis on conducting your own risk assessment as to whether it is safe to go out sailing and put in place any mitigation where relevant. These steps are necessary in order to minimise the risk of a callout to the emergency services.
As always, it is the responsibility of each boat owner to ensure that it is safe for them to sail. We hope that this new guidance from DCMS will enable sailors to enjoy some time on the water in the days and weeks ahead.
Best wishes and stay safe,
Helen Park
Vice Commodore
