Dear Members,


We wanted to let you have some information about the club following the new lockdown announced by the Prime Minister on Monday 4th January and that came into law on Wednesday 6 Jan.

General position

The new government guidance states that you must not leave or be outside of your home except where necessary.  The overwhelming message from the regulations and government guidance is ‘stay at home’.  The new regulations require closure of certain businesses including water sports.

Boating during lockdown


Exercise is permitted during the lockdown and it is the RYA understanding that boating is a permitted activity, as long as:

  • you are able to launch and recover your boat from a publicly accessible place
  • you are able to do this without leaving your local area
  • the relevant waterway authorities permit boating, and
  • you do so alone, with members of your household, childcare or support bubble, or you do so with one other person who is not a member of your household respecting social distancing requirements at all times.

With respect to the waterways, the Conservancy website contains the following statement:
“Recreational boating is contrary to Government guidance and has the potential to place extra strain on emergency services”


Impact on the Club


Club house and buildings - The guidance and regulations are clear that the club house and other buildings must close.

Rowing Boat – Although use of the rowing boat might fit within the guidance in limited circumstances, the General Committee has decided that it must not be used, as use and cleaning requires access to the buildings, which must be closed.  

Racing and Club Events – The guidance is clear that no club organized events or racing, can occur.  

Dinghy Park – There are some inconsistencies and complexities in the regulations which means it is not clear that the dinghy park must close.  However, we ask members to consider the spirit of the government guidance and that of the Conservancy.

Working on boats - There is no clear permitted exception to the ‘stay at home’ rule which would allow working on boats or similar in the guidance or regulations.  The prudent course would be to avoid working on boats until some of the restrictions are lifted.

Staying on Boats - Overnight stays are prohibited.  

Please continue to stay safe and we look forward to opening the Club and restarting organised activity at the earliest opportunity.


Yours,
General Committee


For further information, see the following links:


Conservancy Website – Latest News
RYA Guidance and FAQ
Government regulations and guidance