Motor Boat & Yachting — August 2017

UKNEWS

New dealer announced

The iconic boat brand Wellcraft

returns to the UK. Now part of the

Bénéteau Group, the 20-strong

range of outboard-powered craft

stretches from 18 to 35ft and consists

of four lines, centre console, dual

console, bay boats and walkarounds.

Swanwick-based boat sales outfit

Sea Ventures is the new dealer for

the UK, and has just taken delivery

of two new models for stock. A

Wellcraft 222F will be fitted with

a Yamaha F200FETX for a top

speed of 45mph and will retail at

£60,192, including VAT and extras.

A slightly larger 242F will sport a

Yamaha F300BETU, giving it 47mph,

and will retail at £82,017 including

VAT and extras.

Wellcraft

returns to UK

Boaters urged to report pot snags

Boaters’ guide to UK wildlife

Leafl et published on having a whale of time - responsibly

RYA launches online form to collect data on fi shing gear entanglement

Environmental programme The

Green Blue has launched a new

wildlife guide for boaters. With

UK waters playing host to a wide

variety of species, the guide will

advise mariners on how best to

react to these creatures.

Jane Swan, The Green Blue

project manager, said, “Boaters

are always keen to learn more

about the wildlife they enjoy while

out on their boats. This new guide

offers some very practical tips on

what to do if you spot something

or if something chooses to

approach you. The excitement of

the moment is understandable,

but it’s always important to know

how to enjoy the experience

without risking you, your boat

or the animals themselves.”

With illustrations created by

Pete Galvin, the key message to

boaters who find themselves close

to marine wildlife is to think speed,

and be steady, predictable, quiet

and cautious. The guide also

provides up-to-date contact

information for boaters who wish

to record sightings, or who come

across strandings. It also signposts

boaters to further sources of

information on protected species

and relevant legislation. Visit

http://www.thegreenblue.org.uk to

download your free leaflet.

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA)

is urging boaters who have become

entangled in fishing gear to report it.

Data on entanglements is poor

and lacks detail, says the RYA. At a

recent meeting of the Maritime and

Coastguard Agency UK Safety of

Navigation committee, it became

apparent that new data is needed

to demonstrate the danger of poorly

marked fishing gear to recreational

boaters. Anecdotal information

100

THE MONTH

IN NUMBERS

Number of boats sold by Fairline

since its relaunch in 2016. The

100th, a Targa 48GT, was sold

by dealers Great Lakes in the US.

5th

36

Consecutive year of growth for

UK marine industry, according

to the British Marine Federation.

They quote the current value of

the industry at over £3 billion.

Number of waterskiing records

broken at the Evinrude Chain

of Records. The 36th was ‘most

records broken at a single event’.

doesn’t quantify the problem.

In response, the RYA has upgraded

its old paper reporting system for

a quicker, simpler online form.

RYA cruising manager Stuart

Carruthers said, “The RYA provides

boaters with a reporting mechanism,

but for it to generate data which

shows that the reality of the problem

is as significant as the concerns that

people voice, we need boaters who

have experienced an entanglement

to complete the form.”

Legislation currently focuses on

the marking of fishing gear for ID

purposes, not for collision avoidance.

The RYA points out that even if this

legislation was adequately enforced,

the problem would remain that gear

needs to be marked so it can be seen.

New guide gives information

on how to behave around

whales and dolphins

Poorly marked fi shing gear

is a recognised hazard but

numerical data is needed

The Wellcraft range

consists of 20 boats

across four model lines