On 19 March 2025, the CA’s Regulatory & Technical Services (RATS) group hosted their fifth 'Evening with RATS', which was open to members and the cruising community. The recording of the CA’s ‘Evening with RATS’ is now available to watch below.
Aimed at seasoned sailors and those beginning their cruising journey, the panel of RATS experts – Tania Nieveen, Rick Ballard, Roger Bickerstaff and John Burbeck – addressed some of the hot topics for cruisers. They share knowledge and practical advice on:
- Sailing with pets: what you need to know / Travelling from Great Britain to the EU with pets involves many regulations. Tania Nieveen's talk outlined the complex EU entry requirements, arrival points for private boats and stricter rules for returning to Great Britain. It also covered crossings between Great Britain, the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland, including the new pet travel document for Great Britain to Northern Ireland. From microchipping, pet passports and health certificates to vaccination, worm treatments and penalties for non-compliance, this was a great overview on preparing to travel with pets.
- Low voltage electrics on small craft / Rick Ballard presented updates on low voltage, direct-current electrical systems on small craft. He shared a spreadsheet designed to help estimate electrical energy consumption on-board. He also addressed some of the issues that have arisen around the retrofitting of lithium-Ion batteries to replace lead-acid batteries, including insurance and CE/UKCA marking. He concluded with a summary of RATS’ work on Technical Basics articles, including the first on DC electrical systems.
- Wave and tidal power: Navigating New Developments Roger Bickerstaff gave an overview of developments in wave and tidal renewable electricity projects and their implications for yacht navigation. While these technologies are always likely to be smaller in scale and complementary to wind generation, their placement often occurs in constricted navigation areas, creating potential hazards. Tidal schemes are typically in narrow, high-flow channels, while wave projects are seabed located near shore or in widespread arrays of closely spaced devices, such as buoys.
- Orca encounters: staying safe on the water / John Burbeck shared the latest updates on orca interactions off the Atlantic Iberian coast. He noted that since 2020 there have been approximately 380 boats damaged by orca. Although reported interactions declined by around 30% in 2024, two sinkings still occurred. Data on recent interactions and locations, along with risk-reduction strategies, passage planning and safety advice was presented. John emphasised the CA’s approach is to treat encounters as a serious risk that crews must prepare for.
The webinar also presented updates on ongoing CA campaigns, including updates on ETA / EEA / ETIAS travel systems, Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), VAT and black/grey water regulations.
If you missed the event or would like to see the webinar again, you can soon watch now:
Discover the CA Regulatory & Technical Services (RATS) group
As well as the key topics detailed above, RATS plays a vital role in supporting cruising sailors by addressing regulatory and technical challenges. From engaging with government bodies to advocating for sailors’ interests, RATS ensures your voice is heard. Find out more at www.theca.org.uk/public/rats
2 April 2025