The News

RYA revises guidance on Flares

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The RYA has issued revised guidance on the carriage and use of flares by non-commercial yachts.  The new guidance has been approved by both the Maritime Coastguard Agency and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The guidance note can be downloaded here.

The carriage and use of flares by small leisure craft has recently been a matter of some controversy.  We ran an editorial a few years ago, following an horrific accident to an RYA Instructor who was demonstrating their use, arguing that with the increasing use of Personal Locator Beacons, Electronic Position Indicating Beacons, and the mandatory use of DSC VHF, the carriage of what are in reality dangerous exposives that can't be easily disposed of when out of date is an anachronism.

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Best Round-the-Island for years!

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On a gloriously sunny morning, one thousand, four hundred and fifty one assorted yachts, from Ben AinslIe's America's Cup Catamaran to tiny 'Old Gaffers' set off early this morning on the 2013 Round the Island race.

I salied with Glenn Smallcombe of Quantum Sailing on their Sunfast 37, and we were round in just over seven hours - slightly longer than Ben Ainslie's two hours and fifty two minutes!

Read more: Best Round-the-Island for years!

GPS replacement rolls out in Channel

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The UK’s pursuit of technology to counter the threat of GPS jamming has achieved a significant milestone, and is setting the benchmark across the globe.

It was announced today that seven differential eLoran stations will be installed along the South and East coast of the UK, following approval by the Department for Transport. The stations will provide alternative position, navigation and timing (PNT) information to ensure that ships equipped with eLoran receivers can navigate safely in the event of GPS failure in one of the busiest shipping regions in the world.

Read more: GPS replacement rolls out in Channel

Olympic Yachtsman dies in capsize tragedy

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The British Olympic sailor Andrew Simpson, 36,  was killed when his team's ultra-modern catamaran capsized on Thursday in strong winds in  San Francisco bay and trapped him underwater during training for the America's Cup.

The 72-foot Artemis catamaran flipped over at around 1.15pm local time, sending its 13 crew members into the water and trapping Andrew under the vessel's platform for about 10 minutes.

Rescuers pulled him into a support boat but despite attempts to rescusetate him, he was declared dead about 20 minutes later.

Simpson won a gold medal for Britain in the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a crew member in the star class, and he also took silver last year at the London Games.

"The entire team is devastated by what happened," said Artemis chief executive Paul Cayard, a sailing world champion and America's Cup veteran. "Our heartfelt condolences are with Andrew's wife and family.