Yachting and Boating World forums: Does the RYA accept it has a PR problem?

We recognise that cruisers are a major part of our membership and they are very important to us and certainly RYA Cruising staff understand the average boaters budgetary constraints because they all do their boating operating within the same boundaries.

It is a fact that if the cruising boater is able to cruise freely in a largely unregulated environment, the RYA is being successful in its job of protecting the sport of cruising. Much of how we do this remains unseen and we agree that we should do a better job of promoting exactly how we do this. We aim to do this better in the future.

The RYA has a cruising department that is solely devoted to people who go cruising under sail or power. RYA Cruising staff (one manager, two officers and one and a half admin staff) spend their time answering queries, producing publications and copy for other RYA publications, dealing with journalists, attending meetings with government agencies and other maritime organisations and organising and running events for RYA members and other boaters.

RYA Cruising organises a national series of cruising seminars which tour the country each winter. We publish 4 books - one general safety handbook (revised and updated September 2002), two foreign cruising guides (updated alternately bi-annually with the CA) and a book on flag etiquette. We run a motorcruise and are piloting a sail cruise in summer 2003 to encourage those new to boating to extend their cruising boundaries and to increase their confidence. We also run the Honda RYA Youth Rib Challenge to introduce young people to motorboating. Our information services include the day-to-day handling of the myriad of questions from members, non-members, those new to boating and the media by phone, e-mail and letter. Plus we also provide a free presentation service to all affiliated clubs and associations and two members of the Cruising team are at the international boatshows to provide information and advice in person.

Direct consultation with the cruising boater is a challenge. We use the opportunities at clubs, seminars, the boatshows and other events to speak directly to members about issues that concern them. We also receive a lot of contact by phone and e-mail and so we certainly get to hear member's views. RYA members are generally well informed and are not shy about sharing their opinions - and we take advantage of that.

Consultation is challenging because of the time taken to get the message out, gather responses and evaluate them, but we do now utilise our website for official consultations (eg from Trinity House ref changes to aids to navigation) so that we can push out the information quickly. We acknowledge that there is more to learn and develop in this area, but we are making changes all the time and are certainly striving to improve the situation.

The allegation that the RYA does nothing about light dues, boat tax and user licensing is wrong. For example, the RYA picked up on the light dues review very early and was wholly responsible for informing other organisations such as the CA, RIN, BMF, the yachting press and all the affiliated clubs. We advertised it in the magazine, Cruising News and on the website - with a live link - and urged clubs, associations and private individuals to make the effort to respond so that Government was left in no doubt about the strength of the boating enthusiast's feelings. Since a great number of individuals and organisations sent us copies of their responses, we can wholeheartedly say that PR for light dues was a success. The RYA, of course, also submitted its own response. We are now waiting for some reaction from the Government, which has not yet responded officially in any way.

We also took pains to directly investigate the boat tax allegation when the freelance journalist who first uncovered the story approached us. We also took the opportunity to give our opinion on such a proposal to the MCA, but it turned out to be a non-story and we broadcast that fact.

The bottom line is that the RYA is committed to education not legislation and government agencies and other organisations that we deal with are left in no doubt about our stance.