Latest News Updates
Scottish Government Consultation
Published: 10th February 2012
The Adventurous Activities Licensing Authority was established after the Activity Centres (Young Persons' Safety) Act 1995 was enacted - following the Lyme Bay canoeing accident in 1993. The Health & Safety Executive was designated AALA in 2007 and contracted Tourism Quality Services Ltd to administer the scheme. No criminal charges have ever been brought in relation to the Act, though it is perceived to have helped establish Good Practice. Following Lord Young's review of health and safety legislation it is to be replaced in England with a voluntary system.
This area is devolved and the Scottish Government is consulting regarding the best solution for Scotland. The full consultation can be found here and runs until 30th March.
Clubs should appreciate that the majority of "providers" in this area are Local Authorities, and they believe that a replacement statutory scheme carries many attractions - e.g. a "Kite-mark" which would identify Scottish offerings as certified and potentially superior. The on-costs and complexities are of little concern to such organisations.
At present, club-provided activities (Sail Training and Racing Events for young people) are exempt from AALA. But Clubs need to realise that the Scottish Government could decide to include club activities within any new scheme. It is important that we act together to ensure that club conformance with RYA standards and procedures should be seen to be fully adequate, and that any new statutory scheme in Scotland, if decided upon, should NOT reverse the current club exemption.
Please read the paperwork, and respond to the consultation.
130% Overlap Requirement Removed
Published: 2nd January 2012
The Association is introducing a significant change, become effective for the 2012 season: the long-standing criteria associated with the Furling Headsail Allowance are being amended to remove the requirement for an overlap of 130% or more.
Overlap is traditionally measured using the ratio of LP (luff perpendicular, clew to luff) to J (stem to mast). For furling headsails, where this ratio is greater than 1.3 an allowance of 0.25 minutes per hour has been available. Additionally, since December 2009, it has been possible to claim for additional allowance related to Furling Drum Height (tack point height “up the forestay”) based on a sliding scale related to the percentage reduction in effective forestay length.
The Handicap Committee has become increasingly aware of a trend in yacht design which has led to masts being positioned further forward. Associated with this, headsails have typically reduced in size, and with that the overlap ratios have also been reduced. This has resulted in an increasing number of cruiser classes becoming ineligible for any allowance, despite being equipped with furling headsails.
In parallel, the 130% criterion has disallowed the use of smaller headsails that would frequently be more appropriate for owners wishing (or requiring) to sail short-handed.
Debate within the Association has been lengthy. It has long been recognised that the 130% requirement (still used in determining IRC handicaps) was intended to compensate for the considerable inefficiencies associated with furling a large-overlap sail. It can be argued that, without this requirement, boats will use sails which do not need to be furled – and will therefore receive an allowance to compensate for no real problem.
The counter-arguments proved to be more persuasive:
• It will still be a requirement that THE SAME FURLING SAIL must (other than a storm jib) be the ONLY headsail used in any event or series
• The smaller furling headsails used by today’s designs with forward-positioned masts are still significant design compromises, and an allowance is appropriate versus anyone using a non-furling headsail
• Anything which reduces the deterrents to participation in events must be a positive step
• Any perceived abuse of this change can be addressed via the normal handicap revision process
• Limitations will be applied whereby self-tacking jibs and foresails which are furled only for “storage” whilst going downwind will not be eligible.
Owners who have been unable to claim an allowance due to the 130% limitation can now apply for a revised handicap. For all applications made via email before 31st March 2012, a revised handicap certificate will be issued free.
For all other applications, including new requests for Dual Certificates, an admin fee of £5 will be payable.
Any questions on this change should be addressed to the CYCA Office (phone 01436-821234)
or email us.
Crinan Canal 2012 Plans
Published: 7th December 2011
The Crinan Canal Newsletter outlines various service improvements which will be implemented in 2012. The "assisted passage" arrangements will be of particular interest to the short-handed, stiff and/or infirm - and indeed to the fully-crewed who currently end up helping everyone else through!
CYCA Newsletter Nov 2011
Published: 20th November 2011
This newsletter provides an update on various items of relevance to constituent clubs, and in particular gives details of buoyage changes made - or about to be made - by Clydeport.
Planning to visit the Olympic sailing?
Published: 20th November 2011
This guide gives details of arrangements for owners planning to visit the Olympic sailing venue on the South Coast during summer 2012.
Keelboat Racing Meetings
Published: 8th November 2011
Turnouts have been disappointing in 2011, following a pattern of gradual decline in recent years. This is in spite of a reduced number of regattas in the calendar in comparison with 15-20 years ago.
It is recognised that this is a situation which is not unique to the Clyde, but it remains a serious concern. The meeting was convened to pull together interested parties for an open "no holds barred" discussion on what actions might be taken to reverse the trend.
Copies of the reports based on the 2008 Survey can also be accessed here via the links.
The Association has consolidated the significant amount of feedback from the meeting. A follow up meeting was held on 7th November, but limited support means that progress on action items will be slow.
Bio-diesel for Boats
Published: 29th September 2011
The problems with bio-diesel in marine engines
The key elements to the smooth running of any marine engine on bio-diesel are the volume of diesel used and good housekeeping on the part of the owner.
Boats such as motor boats with recently-built engines and which use a large volume of diesel and turn it over regularly should be less affected if they have bio-diesel in their tanks and engines – however, they will need to change diesel filters etc at very frequent (possibly inconvenient) intervals – see later.
The problems lie with older engines and those boats, particularly sailing yachts, who use very little diesel over the course of a year.
See the associated article.
Marine Activities Licensing for clubs
Published: 26th July 2011
There is a new form for renewal of section 34 consents for moorings, which should now be used (list all moorings but submit as a single application).
However, dredging by any means including water injection, agitation, or ploughing will now need to be licensed.
Existing CPA or FEPA licences will continue to be valid till their expiry date, after which the new Marine Licence will be needed. Note also that all Marine Licence applications must be advertised in a publication local to the proposed works area (Yachting Life does not count!).
The Licensing Operations Team of Marine Scotland (MS-LOT) are very much feeling their way into uncharted waters with these changes, which are transitional as discussions on activities that can be exempted or registered rather than licensed are still on-going. RYA Scotland tried hard to get all maintenance dredging exempted but was unsuccessful in this. It still hopes to gain some exemptions.
The MS-LOT web pages have not yet been fully updated. The team have been very helpful and have kept RYAS fully informed of what is going on but they are constrained by the legislation. Please contact them directly if you are in any doubt as to what you need to do. It would be helpful if you could report your experience with the new system to consultations@ryascotland.org.uk so that they can identify any problems that need to be addressed.
New ISAF RRS Q&A booklet available
Published: 27th April 2011
A comprehensive PDF is available from ISAF providing clarification of many of the finer points on the Racing Rules of Sailing.
Follow this link to download. (Note that the PDF is over 2MB in size.)
Advertising Code - regulations changed.
Published: 6th March 2011
ISAF via RRS and RYA via a Guidance Document have now set the default assumption to "advertising is allowed". The CYCA, as owner of the CYCA Handicapping System, is therefore no longer required to declare a position.
The ISAF/RRS position therefore prevails, and the CYCA guidance on this topic is withdrawn.
Race Management Guidelines
Published: 22nd February 2011
The CYCA meets with other estuary users in a number of forums, many focused on ensuring compliance with the Port Safety Code introduced after the "Sea Empress" and "Marchioness" accidents.
The Race Management Guidelines reflect agreed operational practice which is designed to avoid incidents between organised sailing events and commercial or naval shipping.
Particular note should be taken of the need for prior contact with Clydeport Estuary Control and the QHM Office at Faslane; and for laid regatta marks to be outside Shipping Channels and avoiding the need for racing yachts or dinghies to "bunch" at marks which may be close to a channel.
TCFs Revert to 4 decimal places
Published: 10th November 2010
The Association has decided to revert to 4 Decimal places for the Time Correction Factor (TCF) which is derived from the Clyde Handicap assigned in minutes per hour by the Handicap Committee. A handicap of n min/hr converts to a TCF of (60 - n)/60, and the TCF is used to multiply a boat's elapsed time for a race into the corrected time from which finishing position are determined.
When TCFs were reduced from 4 to 3 decimal places in 2003, most handicaps were assigned to the nearest 0.25 min/hr, and - although it was recognised that there would be winners and losers to the tune of a few seconds in an average race - it was felt that 3 decimal places adequately reflected the precision of the process. Since that time, boat designs have progressively introduced variants which have required subtle distinctions to be made. Recent efforts to recognise Furling Drum Height impacts on headsail efficiency have also seen small to medium handicap allowance increments awarded. Rounding to 3 decimal places risks losing the intended differentiations, hence the decision to revert to 4 decimal places.
Major results services such as the Eastmore/Raynet support for Scottish Series and Kip Regatta, and HAL's Racing Results (HRR) which is used by a growing number of clubs, will cope with this change for the 2011 season. In both cases, minutes per hour will be entered as per the boat's Handicap Certificate. Where clubs are using another handicap calculation tool, perhaps spreadsheet-based, appropriate changes should be made. The TCF/mph conversion table on this website has been updated and can be used to find the correct TCF. Any club requiring advice should contact the office.
All new certificates issued by the Association will show 4 decimal places, and any owner wishing a replacement certificate can obtain one at no cost by contacting the office.
WHISCA Status
Published: 10th April 2010
The website formerly maintained by the West Highlands and Islands Sailing Clubs' Association indicates that it (WHISCA) is being amalgamated with the CYCA. This is not strictly true. The Association has not been approached by WHISCA regarding any such union, but continues to welcome ex-WHISCA clubs which might be interested in joining, based on the services the CYCA is currently able to offer.
Time-expired pyrotechnics
Published: 10th January 2010
We have received the following statement from MCA UK:
From 1 April 2010 HM Coastguard will only accept out of date pyrotechnics at 18 designated sites across the UK from members of the public only. In order to use the service the public will need to contact one of the sites to make an appointment to drop items off. Information and contact details will be published formally in due course, however a press notice was issued on 21 December 2009 detailing the changes and the locations of the sites. A copy of the press notice can be found at this link.
The service at these sites will continue to remain free of charge.
The changes to the service have been necessitated following the changes of regulations for the storage of explosives on our sites which have required the MCA to instal completely new compliant storage facilities at each of these designated sites. Due to the requirements of meeting these regulations it has not been possible for MCA to make available additional facilities. It should be noted that the MCA has no obligation to provide disposal facilities and the service provided should not be viewed as the primary route of disposal within the UK. It should only be used if all other avenues of disposal have been exhausted. The government ultimately believes that the responsibility for the disposal of out of date flares should rest with the manufacturers and distributers of these items and should not be a burden on the public purse.
There will be no facility at MRCC Clyde (which is located at Greenock) because the current land owner, the MoD, will not give us permission to store either in date or out of date pyrotechnics on this site. The site has not accepted out of date flares since 2007.
The nearest designated site to Greenock will be Girvan; facilities will also be available at MRCC Forth and Cruden Bay.
It is intended that the current facilities will be systematically withdrawn over the next couple months as the new system is introduced which will be fully operational by 1 April 2010.
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