Regulatory & Technical Services Group

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.

The Cruising Association’s Regulations and Technical experts team has been looking into the possibilities regarding British yachts sailing abroad, post Brexit.

From discussion with EC Brussels and the Embassies of Spain and Germany, the CA explained: ‘The Schengen region includes 25 countries including most EU member countries and a Schengen visa allows travellers to gain access to all 25 countries. Travelling within the region is similar to travelling among states in the U.S.'

As previously publicised by RATS, the MSI VHF Channels are changing on the 6th September.

A list of the new Channel numbers and forecast areas covered for each Coastguard Station are shown in the attached file.