JPMA Maintains High Teaching Standards, Despite Major Fire
After suffering a major fire on the morning of 11th May 2010, JPMA (formerly John Percival Marine Associates) moved all students from their training centre to Hoylake Community Centre.
All classes continued as normal, and Anna Williams, Managing Director of JPMA/Hoylake Sailing School Ltd, tells us that the school has maintained its' high pass rates:
"Since the day of the fire, our pass rate for MCA Deck and Engineering oral exams has been over 80% on first attempt.
Our instructors have rallied together, ensuring the same high quality course delivery that we are known for. Be it on an RYA Dayskipper course, or Master <3000gt oral prep, students are excelling. We have now opened our temporary admin office, which is a short walk from the community centre. We are very proud of all our staff, and thank everyone for their emails and messages of support." The JPMA/HSS training centre is expected to re-open in Autumn 2010. A full programme of RYA and MCA courses will run throughout the year. Visit www.sailorsworld.co.uk for further details. Contact info: Anna Williams, MD JPMA/HSS Ltd. Tel +44(0)7740866096 E: mate@hss.ac.uk
SUNSEEKER CHARTERS WINS 'Yacht Charter of the Year' at the Quintessentially Awards
Sunseeker Charters beat off strong competition to claim the accolade of ‘Yacht Charter of the Year’ at the inaugural Quintessentially Awards in association with The British Virgin Islands - Click Here for the full story.
NAVIMO RECALLS XM FAR EASTERN LIFERAFTS
WHAT CAN THE MLA DO FOR YOU?
Click here to read the article from April 2010 Sailing Today magazine.
ROCKLEY INTERNATIONAL STRENGTHENS ITS GLOBAL CONNECTIONS IN KOREA
Sailing specialist, Rockley International, has returned from the International Sailing Federation’s conference in Korea with strengthened connections to member nations wishing to develop participation in sailing. As training partner to the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), Rockley International played a pivotal role in helping to increase awareness of the ‘Connect to Sailing’ initiative during the ISAF Annual Conference. Peter Gordon, managing director of Rockley International said: “The ISAF Conference in Korea was very successful for the Rockley team. It gave us the opportunity to meet member nations, namely in the far and middle east and speak to them about the ISAF Connect to Sailing, which aims to develop watersports globally by revitalising grass roots participation. “Having just signed a five year Connect to Sailing partnership with ISAF and with two of our experts, Pip Woods and Richard Percy, announced as official ISAF trainers, the conference came at a time where our association with Connect to Sailing and our vision to increase worldwide participation of watersports is strengthening. “Rockley International has already worked with the Oman sailing team this year, in an initiative aimed at inspiring a new generation of young Omanis to take part in sailing. As a part of the project Rockley offered six weeks of expert tuition and training at our Poole centre. “Rockley International will also be designing and delivering a training syllabus for the Turkish Yachting Federation, with our experts running instructor courses in the New Year. “Rockley International’s aim to develop watersports globally from grassroots participation, as part of the ISAF Connect to Sailing initiative, is certainly well on its way to achieving its vision!” Rockley International, part of the Rockley Watersports group, is developing its vision of global participation in watersports through a variety of services all designed to increase the number of individuals given the opportunity to partake in sailing. For further information visit www.rockleyinternational.com
HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR EPIRB?
If your Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) or Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is more than a few years old, it may be set up to transmit on a frequency that will not be monitored from early next year. From 1 February 2009, the 121.5/243 MHz satellite processing service will be terminated. All EPIRBs and PLBs that transmit on 121.5/243 MHz will cease to be monitored, after which, beacons transmitting on this frequency can only be used as a short-range homing signal. Cruising Manager Stuart Carruthers of the Royal Yachting Association explains: "All modern beacons transmitting on 406 MHz, will not be affected by the change. "However some of the older ones transmit on 121.5/243 MHz and following a number of issues and the negative impact caused by large numbers of false alerts arriving at search and rescue services, the decision was taken to discontinue monitoring this frequency. "The important thing is that people check their beacons and make sure that they are not redundant. From a safety point of view, this is paramount." For further information see Cospas-Sarsat Phase-Out of 121.5/243 MHz Alerting Services
RNLI NEW SYSTEM SAVES LIVES
The lives of three UK fishermen have been saved thanks to the RNLI's new and unique MOB Guardian man overboard and vessel locater alert system. This is the first time that the system has demonstrated its full effectiveness in helping to save lives in a real emergency situation. The RNLI Operations Room in Poole, Dorset received a vessel overdue alert off Sark at 18:00, 24 June. After verification the alert was transferred to the agencies responsible for coordinating maritime search and rescue - first to Falmouth Coastguard, who then passed it to the Channel Islands Search and Rescue authority. The RNLI St Peter Port lifeboat from Guernsey was then tasked to search for the missing fishing vessel, Guyona. Using the last MOB Guardian verified position and taking into account weather and tides, the RNLI lifeboat worked out the likely position of the fishing vessel. At the time the lifeboat was on exercise only 12 miles away from the predicted position and the fishermen were located in a liferaft at 18:50, 25 minutes after the lifeboat was alerted. The MOB Guardian system, which has been developed by the RNLI gives an early alert to an emergency, helps reduce search time and provides the rescuers with an up to date position for the vessel or man overboard by satellite. It means search and rescue agencies including RNLI volunteer crews on lifeboats don't have to start a search with little or no information about the location of the casualty. If a single-handed fisherman falls over the side of their vessel the system will automatically alert search and rescue agencies and can also shut down the boats engine remotely. A fob can also be worn incorporating a panic button, so should a crewmember become ill or caught in machinery, they can easily request help. The system is confidential so location information about a particular vessel is not available publicly. For more information, visit www.rnli.org.uk. Press Report/Yachting World, 26 June 2008 ROYAL MAIL GIVES RNLI LIFEBOATS STAMP OF RECOGNITION
Pippa Wilson, Sarah Webb (centre) and Sarah Ayton pictured with RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew from Weymouth lifeboat station on board RNLI Severn class all-weather lifeboat 'Ernest and Mabel'. Photo by Geoff Caddick/PA Wire. Olympic medal hopefuls and current world Yngling sailing champions - Team Mirabaud's Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson - gave the new Royal Mail 'Mayday - Rescue at Sea' stamps their seal of approval aboard Weymouth's RNLI all-weather Severn class lifeboat, as the stamps go on sale March 13.
The marine search and rescue work of the charity's volunteer lifeboat crew is recognised in a special 'Mayday - Rescue at Sea' Royal Mail stamp issue, which commemorates the centenary of the adoption of S-O-S as the worldwide Morse code distress signal at sea. To mark the 100th anniversary, Royal Mail worked with printers to re-create the famous sequence of 'dots' and 'dashes' along the top and bottom edges of the stamps. The six stamp Mayday - Rescue at Sea issue will run to over 30 million stamps. Each stamp features a striking photograph* that captures the testing weather conditions encountered by RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews and HM Coastguard rescue helicopters in saving lives at sea. Four of the set of six stamps feature RNLI lifeboats: Appledore in Devon (46 pence stamp), St Ives in Cornwall (54p stamp), Tenby in Pembrokeshire (78p stamp), and Barra in the Western Isles of Scotland (1st class stamp). The other two stamps in the Mayday - Rescue at Sea issue feature the work of HM Coastguard helicopters from Lee-on-Solent (69p stamp) and Portland (48p stamp).
The RNLI in-shore (St Ives) and all-weather (Appledore, Barra and Tenby) lifeboats featured in the stamps launched a total of 67 times in 2007, rescuing a combined total of 56 people. For information on ordering special limited edition RNLI first day covers and stamp sheets visit: www.buckinghamcovers.com www.rnli.org.uk
SCUTTLEBUTT EUROPE
Updated daily news from Scuttlebutt Europe. Please click here to view todays edition
THE RNLI SEA SAFETY GUIDE
This fantastic guide has been produced by the RNLI to give all who go to sea essential information. The Complete Guide is available FREE OF CHARGE from the MLA and other leading organisations. The booklet that is packed with vital advice is accompanied by an interactive CD-ROM, click here to view the CD and test your skills. If you would like to receive a copy of the RNLI Sea Safety Guide, please contact us.
RED DIESEL INFORMATION
For the up to-date news regarding Red Diesel, please click here
RECALLED MARINE PRODUCTS
For the latest recalled marine products, please click here
MARINE SURVEY NOTIFICATIONS
For the latest Marine Survey Notifications, please click here
 Your ONE PORT OF CALL to get afloat It is estimated that around 4 million people in the UK which, equates to 6-7% of the total adult population, participate in boating and watersport activities. Leisure boating is an extremely popular recreational activity with more and more people wishing to gain qualifications or experience before venturing on the water. HOW can you get afloat safely? and WHERE can you find all the necessary information? Our NEW website www.marineleisure.co.uk is your one-stop-information PORT OF CALL. click here for more information
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