CRUISING ASSOCIATION

CRUISING MATTERS

The latest news and views from the Cruising Association.

he was founded in specifi cally to meet the needs of cruising sailors and pro ides ser ices, information, help and ad ice to thousands of members worldwide. or more information isit www.theca.org.uk.

ptain s ate award

(l-r) Bob Garrett, CA Chair of Council, and Lucy Hyslop, CA General Manager, receive the Equipment Innovation of the Year Award

Image: Marcus Holdsworth / Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting

The Cruising Association’s CAptain’s Mate won the Equipment Innovation of the Year category at the British Yachting Awards.

Held at the Royal Thames Yacht Club in London, the British Yachting Awards reward the best examples of excellence and celebrate the leading marine products, services, yachts, destinations and achievements across 11 cruising and racing categories.

Derek Lumb, president of the Cruising Association, said: “It is a tremendous honour and I am thrilled that CAptain’s Mate is the winner in the Equipment Innovation of the Year category. The British Yachting Award is a superb recognition of the vision, effort and hard work that has gone into CAptain’s Mate, and a colossal tribute to our mission to deliver a unique digital cruising platform. We are proud to have won amongst such an impressive line-up of nominees.”

Rob Peake, group editor of Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting, said: “The winners are decided by public vote and it is no surprise that sailors showed their support for an app that offers such a huge amount of up-to-date cruising advice. CAptain’s Mate is a great app on many levels, but at its core it creates a better informed, safer cruising community. Congratulations to the Cruising Association’s team.”

The app provides up-to-date, accurate and trusted location data on anchorages, marinas, ports, harbours, boatyards and quays. Users can look up facility criteria such as the nearest fuel or water, view by map or zoom out and search by geographic area, switch to a satellite view or enter a specifi c location name query.

Since its initial launch in 2012, CAptain’s Mate has evolved to set a standard in digital cruising information, featuring 7,500+ locations in 100+ countries.

Major upgrades in recent years have ensured the app remains a leading platform, with improved user control, data presentation, search and fi lter functions.

Receiving the British Yachting Award, Bob Garrett, chair of the CA Council, said: “The Cruising Association’s objective is to share knowledge for members within the Association and also to the broader cruising community. CAptain’s Mate has massively boosted their cruising experience and discovery of new cruising waters. It was wonderful to see fi nalists from across the sailing and cruising industry coming together, and to share how we are all playing a key part in evolving better products and services across the sector.” www.theca.org.uk/public/captainsmate

Seminar in ite

Orcas, Wind Farms and Taxes Seminar

Led by the CA’s expert Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS), this CA Seminar on 8 March will feature a number of short presentations giving updates on several live topics including orcas, cruising through windfarms, cruising in Europe post-Brexit, including the latest on VAT and the Recreational Craft Directive, followed by a Q&A session.

The RATS Seminar will be hosted in-person at CA House in London and also available by live webinar. Find out more: www.theca.org.uk/events/ca-london-lecture-080323

S Y S

One of the consequences of Brexit is that the UK has had to recreate its product safety laws, as formerly encompassed by CE (Conformité Européenne) marking. This has implications for importing second hand vessels.

Good news; the Government has confi rmed that any changes have been deferred to the end of 2024. This gives an additional two years for the implications to be fully understood and any appropriate actions taken.

The Cruising Association’s Regulations and Technical Services group (RATS) are studying the new statutory guidance that has been released and continue to liaise with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the department responsible.

Under the forthcoming changes, owners who repatriate a boat to the UK will be faced with the need to demonstrate how they satisfy, or are exempt from, the UKCA legislation. Most will be able to point at past history to get over this and selfcertify. But, rather like with VAT, there are some awkward examples of boats which get caught.

CE marking for yachts is covered by the UK Recreational Craft Regulations 2017, implementing the 2013 EU Recreational Craft Directive. For new products a new regime, the UKCA mark, is to come into force but is now delayed until 1 January 2025. This will apply to all new yachts, though for the time being the underlying requirements will be identical to the CE mark that it replaces.

Unfortunately, certifi cation against these standards is required on “fi rst putting into use in a territory”, and the UK is now a separate territory from the EU. Thus, boats fi rst brought into this country after 31 December 2024 may also need to demonstrate how they satisfy, or are exempt from, the standards.

It is understood that many categories of yacht will qualify automatically, though the guidelines are still far from clear. RATS are working with RYA and others to try to get clarifi cation. CA members can read the new guidance online.

easons to oin the

The Cruising Association is at the heart of the world’s sail and motor cruising community as a leading provider of trustworthy knowledge and information. Whether you are just starting out and cruising in UK waters, are planning to journey under power along the inland waterways of Europe or are a seasoned boat owner heading for more distant shores and blue water sailing, the benefi ts of membership are many and varied.

The CA is your most valuable, knowledgeable and practical cruising asset, providing services, information, help and advice to its members… wherever you are.

You will fi nd comprehensive cruising information on the CA website, in its publications and through its community. This includes fi tting out, where to cruise, laying-up, staying in touch, national and international regulations, ports and pilotage around the world, maintenance, how-to, top tips, crewing service, marine discount partners, socials, an events programme and much more.

Membership is £155* per year (for up to two persons in the same household), and if you have a discount code from a CA member or are a member of a listed owners’ club or sailing club, you can save 25 per cent. Find out more about member benefi ts and joining at www.theca.org. uk/public/benefi ts.

Turn to page 18 to enter this month’s competition to win a year’s Cruising Association membership for two.

*paying by Direct Debit

YOU ARE INVITED: The CA runs a comprehensive autumn/winter lecture and event programme from October to April. All lectures are open to members and to support the wider cruising community and many are open to ‘non-members’ too. The calendar is really interesting, so take a look and book at www.theca.org.uk/events/all.