RETURN TO PLAY’ FOR BOATING IN ENGLAND FOR CREWS FROM DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDS

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is delighted to publish its guidance for a return to boating for crew from different households. This guidance has been reviewed by Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) after the RYA submitted its action plan two weeks ago as part of the Return to Recreational Team Sport Framework.

The RYA strongly believes that the highest risk will often be before and after going afloat, which is why the security of our venues remains a priority. The new RYA Guidance on sailing & racing with participants from different households during COVID-19 in England that has been published today outlines the ways in which skippers and participants should review risk and how they might mitigate against that risk in a team environment.

The guidance highlights the increased risk of certain on-board activities such as rigging, hiking out or two person winch operation. It also recognises that while social distancing of 1m+ may not always be possible on-board, it should always be possible to maintain a minimum separation of 0.5m. Mitigation of the risk of being separated by less than 1m can be provided by reducing the time spent in close proximity, avoiding face to face contact and not shouting.

.One activity highlighted by the review that remains high risk and for which there does not currently appear to be suitable mitigation is that of crews sleeping in communal areas down below on race yachts and the practice of ‘hot bunking’. Clearly it is not currently advisable for people from different households to share confined spaces for long periods of time..