Sailing Issues

This area of the Club's website was created to provide a "one stop shop" for information related to the Club's concerns about the various issues facing sailors in the area.

 

Navitus Bay - Wind Farm

For the Solent Yacht Clubs the RYS is taking the lead

Michael Campbell (Commodore, RYS)

"We at the RYS will now be putting our efforts into supporting Challenge Navitus and recommend that all other interested clubs do the same. "

Email from Challenge Navitus

“We in Purbeck are very grateful to you for organising and coordinating the response of the sailing clubs in the vicinity of the proposed Navitus wind farm. You may be interested to know that in Swanage and Purbeck we have set up a campaigning organisation called Challenge Navitus which has two main aims:

1. To provide accurate information beyond what the developer, Eneco, is presenting, including visual animations
2. To stop the proposal in its current form.

Last week we launched our website, the address of which is www.challengenavitus.org.uk.

Many of this group are local sailors and others represent local businesses, hoteliers and others involved in tourism and conservation in the area. We are particularly concerned at the visual impact such a windfarm would have on a world heritage coastline and on the potential hazard to navigation.

In the short term, we aim to energise as much local interest and opinion as possible in advance of the round of public exhibitions along the coast between 21st February and 3rd March.

I hope we may be able to coordinate our efforts in some way.”

Related
Websites & Documents



 

 

Balanced Seas - Newtown Creek

Newtown Creek Anchorage Under Threat Again

Natural England has now submitted recommendations to Government relating to Newtown Creek following the “Balanced Seas” conservation exercise.

We know that Natural England is trying to make the whole of Newtown Creek, including the anchorage zone, a “reference area”. This is despite an initial agreement (we thought) that would allow the anchorage to operate using the existing arrangements. No information has been provided on how Newtown Creek would be managed in the future.

The extracts from the report relating to Newtown Creek can be found on
http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/2030218?category=1723382

Government will start consultation on Maritime Conservation Zone proposals nationwide at the beginning of December. We should then be able to view exactly what is proposed for Newtown Creek and make comments accordingly.
We are sure that sailors want to preserve and protect areas that are especially beautiful and where there are environmental reasons to do so. We would prefer to work with Natural England to achieve satisfactory compromises. However to make sure that we can achieve our aims – of keeping the Northern end of Newtown Creek available to sailors as an anchorage - we will have to lobby very hard.

We need to expand the list of people and organisations that are concerned about the future of Newtown Creek and wish to raise objections.


2013 Update

Newtown Anchorage
The position that has been adopted by the RYA in the Western Solent is as follows:
  • Sailors generally are content with management of Newtown harbour by the National Trust and want to preserve and protect those parts of the harbour (south of the anchorage area) where there are environmental concerns.
  • There is no recent scientific evidence to support any management measures to restrict recreational use of the Northern part of the harbour, where members anchor, or the beaches.
  • We don’t know what measures might be imposed if the whole of Newtown harbour were to be made a “reference area”
  • All we know is that if the anchorage and mooring area is designated as a reference area it would be managed by a Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
  • The Government body involved, DEFRA, has not explained how MMO would work or how recreational sailors could have any input into its decision making process.
Responses are required by 31st March.
 
The Club wishes to ensure that all members that are concerned about Newtown should have the opportunity to respond to the consultation. The Club will reply to the consultation and members are also urged to respond. The following page therefore gives guidance on how and where to write. We have not provided a template, because individually worded letters are more effective. We have included a number of points which highlight some concerns, and you may wish to make use of some or all of these. As background, the RYA position and the link to the DEFRA are below
http://www.rya.org.uk/INFOADVICE/PLANNINGENVIRONMENT/MARINECONSERVATION/MCZ/Pages/MCZsEngland.aspx
http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2012/12/13/marine-conservation-zones-1212/ Following representations made by the RYA, DEFRA has agreed that sailors can respond by letter or email rather than using the form specified in the consultation document. If you are concerned about the future of Newtown Creek, please email me at [email protected] or contact me on 01590 677630.

David Brunskill

New Ferries

This area of the Club's website was created to provide a "one stop shop" for infomation related to the Club's concerns about Wightlink's introduction of new larger ferries on the Lymington - Yarmouth route.

Date Document or Article
   

15/10/10

Desmond Swayne's third adjournment debate

12/03/10

LHC Information to Stakeholders No 11

23/02/10

LHC Information to Stakeholders No 10

4/12/09

Ferry update December

07/10/09

Rear Commodore Sailing's October update

15/08/09

Stakeholders Update - New Ferries River Trials Information

26/07/09

Commodore's update to members

14/05/09

Press Statement

14/05/09

Commentary on Phase 2 Report

05/05/09

BMT Phase 2 Report

07/05/09

Ferry Environmental Impact Update: May 2009

11/03/09

Lymington Harbour Commissioner's statement No 5 - Peter Griffiths

25/02/09

The new ferries came into operation today. This has provoked a number of statements by the various interested parties

Lymington Harbour Commisioner's statement No 4 - Peter Griffiths

Wightlink statement

Solent Protection Society statement

13/02/09

The Solent Protection Society have published Natural England's advice to the regulators on the environmental aspects of the new and the existing ferries.   The HR Wallingford report to Natural England provides the scientific basis for that advice.  Click on the links below:

Natural England Advice to Regulators on Wightlink Ferries

The HR Wallingford Report on Wightlink Ferries

12/01/09

New statement from the Solent Protection Society

5/12/08

Club Comment on the information to stakeholders number 3 below.

Comments on the Lymington harbour Commissioners’ Ferry Update Number 3 v2

3/12/08

Update 3 from Lymington Harbour Commissioners on the latest meeting with Wightlink regarding their intention to introduce the new ferries in early January 2009.

LHC's information to stakeholders 3/12/08

2/12/08

Summary of the Environmental Impact Position

28/11/08

New Ferries Feedback Form (Excel version) (Pdf version)

Please use this form to collect any experiences you have afloat when encountering a Wight Class ferry. It will be used to collect evidence relating to the impact of the ships on small sailing dinghies but any relevant evidence will be welcome.

Send the form to the Harbour Master Ryan Willegers at [email protected].

24/11/08

Solent Protection Societies Press Release

21/11/08

Update from Lymington Harbour Commissioners Number 2

20/11/08

Commodore's Statement
Andrew Willson's Press Announcement
LHC's Stakeholder update
Adjournment debate (19/11/08)

18/11/08

Update from Lymington Harbour Commissioners

02/09/08

First Ferry Arrives in Lymington

25/7/08

Letter from Natural England to Desmond Swayne MP

23/7/2008

BMT SeaTech Risk Assessment: Phase 2 Trials (this paper is the LHC sea trials specification)

18/7/08

Lymington Wightlink Terminal Alternative Location

17/6/2008

Club's comments on version1 of Phase 2 Sea Trials specification

This paper by the Club sets out the comments that the Club made to a first version of the Phase 2 ("sea trials") specification. LHC accepted all the Club's points and the Club is satisfied that they are adequately reflected in the Phase 2 Scope below.

 

ABP Mer Appropriate Assessment (Large file 55Mb)

This paper was commisioned by Wightlink from ABP mer in connection with the title case appropriate assessment of the environmental impact of the new ferry.

June 08

Letter from Commodore to Desmond Swayne MP

30/4/08

Lymington Harbour Commissioners update

LHC Update published on their website - begins with Saltmarsh, scroll down for Ferries

Oct 07

NFDC Coastal Group Report

This paper was prepared for the Club as background to the loss of the Lymington Salt Marshes by NFDC's Coastal projects Group in October 2007

 

Slides of Marsh Errosion (large file 15mb)

This paper sets out with aerial photography over the last 60 years the extent and reasons for the loss of the Lymington marshes.

22/4/08

Solent Protection Society Forum

Commodore's Remarks to forum
Solent Protection Society Forum Contributions

 

BMT Report

BMT Phase 1 Report
RLymYC Comments on Phase 1 report

30/11/07

Letters of Support

YOSC Letter of support
Letter from RYA Southern Region Secretary

28/11/ 07

Desmond Swayne MP - Adjournment Debate

1/11/07

Lymington Society Public Meeting

Lymington Society Meeting Minutes
Commodore RLymYC's Remarks

14/11/07

Desmond Swayne MP - Question to DEFRA

06/11/07

A&T Article

Larger Ferries Article in the A&T
LHC Response to the A&T Article
RLymYC Response to the A&T Article
Covering Statement - A&T Article
Larger Ferries - FAQs (30 Sep 07)

17/09/07

Private Meeting with Wightlink

Questions for Wightlink
Wightlink Presentation

07/09/07

Club Position on new ferries

New Ferries Notice for Members


Marine Conservation Zones - The RYA Southern Region

Marine Conservation Zones - The RYA Southern Region

On the 24th November there was a private meeting in Ryde to meet the Minister responsible for implementing legislation on Marine Conservation Zones, George Eustice MP. The meeting was hosted by the Isle of Wight MP, Andrew Turner, and was one of a series of meetings where the Minister met the various stakeholders concerned about how MCZ legislation might be introduced.   This included fishermen,  Isle of Wight Harbourmasters (including from Newtown) and sailors.  Our delegation was led by the chairman of RYA Southern Region, John Pockett.   Although a “mainland” representative I was included because of the concerns we have in Lymington about restrictions to sailing in the Solent and specifically in Newtown and Alum Bay. 
 
We stressed our concern about the lack of information about any management measure for MCZs, the lack of any detailed environmental studies and the reliance that much of the economy of IOW and the Solent has from sailing activities.
 
The second meeting was arranged jointly by the Hampshire Wildlife Trust and RYA Southern Region at Lymington Town SC on the 1st December.  Whilst sailors and conservationists agree to disagree on some issues, there is now a constructive dialogue in place. 
 
The new head of Hampshire Wildlife Trust, Tim Ferrero, who spoke at the meeting, is a recreational sailor and an RYA member.  
 
John Pockett  summarised the RYA position on MCZ’s and we can expect formal proposals on the various IOW Marine Conservation Zones to be published in January.  After which it will be open to all of us, as sailors and voters to comment.

Tidal generator operations near Black Rock buoy from 7 – 28 May

The Royal Lymington Yacht Club does not necessarily agree with or endorse opinions expressed in the external links on the right, nor is it responsible for any content from these or any other external websites