Regulatory & Technical Services Group

The Cruising Association urges UK boaters to respond to HMRC consultation on the future of red diesel

IIn 2018 the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that the UK should not allow private pleasure craft to continue to use red diesel. HMRC has just issued its consultation document which outlines the proposed change to white diesel for the propulsion of powered leisure craft, including inland boats. The document contains a number of questions for owners of diesel-powered craft.

Following our piece last month on VHF radio checks, RATS has come across the use of National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) stations to check AIS transmissions. This seems to us to be good practice, certainly at the beginning of the season. A vessel’s AIS transceiver may use the same antenna as the VHF set or a separate one. As with VHF radios the most likely cause of any fault is the antenna or cable or the splitter (if the antenna is shared with VHF).

Buying a boat from the United States?

Watch out for extra duty, say RATS

Did you know that for the last few months, many US-made items – including boats – brought into the EU have been subject to an extra 25% import tariff?

CA’s RATS (Regulations and Technical Services Group) is actively examining the myriad of issues that may affect CA members post-Brexit, one of which is healthcare and the EHIC. The article below, by RATS Ted Osborn, is an example of the regular articles by RATS in the CA’s Cruising magazine, and the valuable information it provides to CA members.

The Cruising Association’s RATS (Regulations and Technical Services) Committee has been in discussion with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) about the use of calls to HMCG on Channel 16 requesting radio checks. RATS have anecdotal evidence of a proliferation of such requests and that these seemed to have spread from the Solent to other areas and Falmouth in particular.

The General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland are conducting a survey to gauge current and future user requirements for their Differential GPS service.

Differential GPS user survey

The General Lighthouse Authorities of the UK and Ireland—Trinity House, the Northern Lighthouse Board and the Commissioners of Irish Lights—operate 14 Differential GPS reference stations which provide corrections to GPS, thereby enabling greater positional accuracy and integrity in the user’s position.

RATS draws the attention of Members to this important MAIB report, attached below. and for them to consider the points in it if they have these or other throw bags.

RATS adds the concern of two of its Members about the need to check the integrity of ropes and halyards on craft and their degradation caused by exposure to the UV content of sunlight.