B
billyturbot
Guest
JUST LOOK AT THE FINES THESE SKIPPERS GET
Defendant: George Howarth of In2Sail Ltd and Colin Thomas of Straits Sailing at Southampton Crown Court
Date of Hearing: 4 February 2011
Date of Offence: Dates in 2008/2009
Offence: Contravening Section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995
Details: The two separate operators had taken advantage of the growth in demand for trans-Atlantic sail training. Both used the internet to sell training courses for those wanting to go from novice to Yachtmaster Ocean. They ran inclusive costly courses but did not have vessels equipped to the minimum levels of lifesaving equipment.
It was shown that George Howarth had sent students on a voyage from Cowes to St Lucia WITH A SKIPPER WHO WAS NOT QUALIFIED on a yacht that had only the basic equipment to operate no more than 60 miles from a safe haven. The yacht “Quay Three” had only one valise liferaft stowed in a locker and the only means of distress alerting was by a VHF radio (of limited range) and an EPIRB. The vessel had no qualified mate. Events on the voyage included collision with a whale and defective steering. The parents of one of the students were horrified at the lack of safety. They had financed the cost of their daughter attending by renting out their home and living on a small yacht throughout a hard winter.
Colin Thomas of Straits Sailing was endeavouring to try and get his yacht, “Summer Breeze of Haslar” up to the required coding to legally do trans-Atlantic crossings from Gibraltar to the Caribbean, but could not get the vessel through the required stability test. He had already taken bookings from students and sailed without a qualified mate and with only one liferaft. Mr Thomas, an experienced Yachtmaster did not have the required qualifications to take an uncoded yacht across the Atlantic.
As soon as the RYA learned of these matters, they suspended their recognition of In2Sail and Straits Sailing.
Penalty: George Howarth of In2Sail was fined a total of £16.000 including costs and Colin Thomas was fined a total of £17,549. Both were given a default prison sentence of 6 months if the fines were not paid within 6 months.
Defendant: George Howarth of In2Sail Ltd and Colin Thomas of Straits Sailing at Southampton Crown Court
Date of Hearing: 4 February 2011
Date of Offence: Dates in 2008/2009
Offence: Contravening Section 100 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995
Details: The two separate operators had taken advantage of the growth in demand for trans-Atlantic sail training. Both used the internet to sell training courses for those wanting to go from novice to Yachtmaster Ocean. They ran inclusive costly courses but did not have vessels equipped to the minimum levels of lifesaving equipment.
It was shown that George Howarth had sent students on a voyage from Cowes to St Lucia WITH A SKIPPER WHO WAS NOT QUALIFIED on a yacht that had only the basic equipment to operate no more than 60 miles from a safe haven. The yacht “Quay Three” had only one valise liferaft stowed in a locker and the only means of distress alerting was by a VHF radio (of limited range) and an EPIRB. The vessel had no qualified mate. Events on the voyage included collision with a whale and defective steering. The parents of one of the students were horrified at the lack of safety. They had financed the cost of their daughter attending by renting out their home and living on a small yacht throughout a hard winter.
Colin Thomas of Straits Sailing was endeavouring to try and get his yacht, “Summer Breeze of Haslar” up to the required coding to legally do trans-Atlantic crossings from Gibraltar to the Caribbean, but could not get the vessel through the required stability test. He had already taken bookings from students and sailed without a qualified mate and with only one liferaft. Mr Thomas, an experienced Yachtmaster did not have the required qualifications to take an uncoded yacht across the Atlantic.
As soon as the RYA learned of these matters, they suspended their recognition of In2Sail and Straits Sailing.
Penalty: George Howarth of In2Sail was fined a total of £16.000 including costs and Colin Thomas was fined a total of £17,549. Both were given a default prison sentence of 6 months if the fines were not paid within 6 months.
