Tweaks made as ramp membership scheme set to open

Registration for our new membership scheme for the coastal launch ramps will open next Tuesday (9 March).

From 1 April, barriers will be in place at the public ramps and you will not be able to launch from them without membership. Find out all the details on our website.

We began promoting the scheme in early February and it attracted lots of feedback and questions. Two key issues were raised.

The first was the requirement for a RYA personal watercraft proficiency certificate or RYA powerboat level 2 when qualification courses are not running due to Covid, and the second was concerns from fishermen who did not want to join a local club in order to get associate membership.

We have considered both of these. Firstly, we have decided to waive the requirement for all qualifications in 2021 only. Clearly it is not practical to require these if the courses cannot be taken due to Covid.

Even without the qualification, a key feature of the membership scheme is that we will have full details of who's using our ramps, which will allow us to better manage any issues with unwelcome behaviour as seen last year.  

And secondly, we will introduce an option for fishermen to apply for membership directly with us instead of via a local club. The fee for fishing vessels will be £50.

This is the first year of the membership scheme, so it's a learning process for us all. We have listened to the considered feedback that we received and made reasonable tweaks to the scheme as a result.

Published: 4 March 2021