Clive Edwards reports on the 61st Three Rivers Race, one of the toughest endurance races in Europe, with over 100 sailors from all over the world to taking part
Clive Edwards shares the MNA Waterwatch responder guidelines on how to rescue someone from the water whilst keeping yourself safe, whether on land or in a boat.
The WaterWatch Safety & Surveillance Initiative is committed to helping reduce the number of drowning fatalities in the UK's coastal and inland waterways.
Clive Edwards alerts us to the new MNA Boat CLub campaign to save lives on the inland waterways. Eyes Save Lives is an extension of the RNLI Waterwatch Campaign already operating on our coast and trialled on the Norfolk Broads.
I have just sold my lovely Hardy Pilot 20SE “Felice” and have bought Simon Kidd’s Hardy 25 “Lady Helen”, largely because age suggests that my wife Lois and I probably ought to go over to the dark-side as fair-weather sailors and confine our boating to inland waterways.
The MNA Boat Club is working with the RNLI to develop a Local Ambassadors focus aimed specifically at promoting safety on and around our inland waters.
Merchant Navy Association Boat Club continue with their basic boating guide with detailed instruction for manoevres such as turning, mooring and navigating locks. They also suggest further reading with guides from the RYA and the NSBA.
This publication has been produced by the Merchant Navy Association Boat Club with the aim of providing basic information for anyone venturing onto the water for the first time. As we anticipate that most of those likely to benefit will be planning to hire a boat on inland waterways, we have concentrated on how to handle a boat on rivers, canals, lakes, the Broads etc.
Before putting to sea after such a long period of inactivity we recommend that boat owners should:
1. Take extra care to access their craft safely and in accordance with government guidance on travel and social distancing
2 Carry out a check to ensure that their craft has remained seaworthy and mechanically sound
Given the involvement the MNA Boat Club now has with the RNLI in respect of promoting the Respect the Water campaign on inland waterways the Boat Club is now in the process of launching its “MNA WaterWatch” scheme whereby MNA Boat Club members will undertake the same “Spot, Plot and Report” activities in respect of the UK’s inland waterways, including rivers, canals, lakes and the Broads.
CLive Edwards, commodore of MNA Boat Club, suggests more Merchant Navy Association members should take the opportunity to work alongside the RNLI on coastal and inland waterways.
Having enjoyed a brilliant cruise on the beautiful Canal du Midi from Le Somail to Agde last year in a cruiser hired from French boat hire operator Nicols Boats my wife Lois and I, and our Lifeboat Station colleagues Malcolm & Jill, plus our three dogs, decided we’d like to do something similar again this year, but having explored the eastern stretch of Canal du Midi before we thought we’d try the section north of Carcassonne this time.
