Updated March 09, 2021

Condensed and edited, what I think is relevant to TCC

Andy McRoberts

Part of Troon Cruising Club Covid Team

Travel exemptions have been confirmed as allowing owners of private boats to travel to their vessels to undertake essential maintenance.

Essential maintenance is work which if not undertaken would cause failure or become an imminent safety issue. Some examples are; repairs to prevent water ingress, winterising engines, pumping out bilges and maintaining/ replacing mooring and berth warps.

National Regulations are intended to be flexible to allow a person to leave home for a genuinely essential purpose. Rather than setting out an exhaustive list of every reasonable excuse, it leaves it to the individual to make a judgment as to whether a purpose is essential or not.

The Scottish Government will try to ensure examples are included in future guidance but where this is not explicitly stated, it would be for the individual to determine the circumstances whether or not travel would be acceptable and essential.

Essential maintenance should be completed as quickly as possible. Travel for essential maintenance should not be used as a pretext to spend the day aboard ‘pottering’ or for a weekend away. You should not stay longer than the length of time required to undertake essential maintenance.

As the entire sector is currently closed as part of a national lockdown, only travel for essential maintenance is presently allowed.

For the future

Travel for cosmetic improvements or preparatory work for the coming season, will open-up as restrictions are relaxed in the coming weeks, on par with other sectors.

Following the announcement by the First Minister, RYA Scotland will be reviewing the current guidance in full with further links for advice for members, clubs, classes and training centres, as well as recreational boating in the UK and abroad.

Andy McRoberts