Centre Management 2


The secret of a good inspection


013 was a remarkable year for inspections, with most UK and overseas regions reaching


between 80 to 100% inspection rates. An amazing achievement, thanks to the hard work and dedication of a wide range of people. RYA Training is grateful for your support, whatever stage you are involved in. Without this, the process would be impossible. Such great dedication creates a


robust regime, high inspection rates and a healthy administrative process supporting it. In turn this enables strong partnerships and confidence in our programmes with external bodies such as the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), Adventure Activity Licencing Service (AALS) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE).


Keeping up to date Last year we combined the various RYA Guidance Notes into one document for all RYA recognition. Little has changed this year, but please still spend time familiarising yourself with the relevant areas for your operation. Any updates or changes made


to the RYA Guidance Notes during 2014 can be downloaded in a loose leaf printable format from www.rya.org.uk, enabling you to tear out and replace relevant sections.


General inspection points Please ensure your 2014 inspection report form is correctly completed and signed. Unfortunately almost 40% of 2013 inspection forms were incorrectly completed and therefore required follow up calls or emails to clarify details. Below are a few of the main offenders: Online registration of certificates: It is a requirement that all RYA PW, Inland Waterways, Powerboat Level 2, Powerboat Advanced, practical Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper course completion certificates are registered. Please ensure this is happening.


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Course Length: RYA courses have a required length. Make sure you are correctly advertising and delivering all RYA courses as detailed in the relevant publication. National Sailing, Windsurfing Schemes, Powerboat Level 1, Level 2, Safety Boat and Inland Waterways courses can be delivered over a number of days, evenings or a number of shorter sessions, but must add up to the required time. Instructor qualifications: All staff relevant to the courses you wish to run must be listed on the inspection report form. Without the correct staff and equipment in place for the courses requested, we will be unable to grant recognition. Equipment: All boats and equipment being used for RYA Training must be listed on the inspection report form. Most importantly, ensure you have sufficient craft of the right level for the courses you want to offer. If members’ boats are used, you should list a selection of boats suitable for your courses and ensure they can be seen by the inspector.


Power schemes Further to the Padstow accident, the MAIB report on Milly provided recommendations to the RYA for communication, including the continuation of the kill cord message. We all need to work hard to highlight potential hazards associated with more powerful craft and higher speeds during powerboat courses, ensuring students are aware of higher level courses to enhance their skills. Most importantly we must lead by example and be kill cord ambassadors. The new RYA kill cord stickers are available from RYA Training.


Cruising scheme Level 1 and 2 courses: Centres can now offer National Sailing Scheme courses Level 1 and Level 2 as part of the RYA Cruising Scheme (see page 3).


If you have any questions as an RYA Principal or Centre Inspector, contact us on training@rya.org.uk.


Certificate registration P


hoto ID certificates have been in use for four years now. The first ones to be


introduced were Powerboat Level 2 certificates in 2010, followed over the next two years by Advanced Powerboat, PW, Inland Waterways and practical Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper certificates. With the introduction of each new certificate a phase- in period allowed centres to use up old certificates before the issuing and registration of the new photo ID certificates became mandatory. All the certificates which


are now only available as photo ID can lead to either a statutory RYA/MCA commercial qualification or an International Certificate of Competence. Most centres have managed the transition well: their customers appreciate the improved style of certificate, the centres have an easily accessible record of their registered certificates and the RYA has the central record that is so important for these particular certificates. Bearing in mind that these benefits were the main drivers behind the change, the system is largely doing its job. But there’s always a BUT. We have a significant number


of certificates submitted to us for ICCs and commercial endorsements that have problems with them. The problems are many and varied, including: 1. certificates not registered by the training centre;


2. old style paper certificates issued instead of photo ID certificates;


3. the name on the certificate doesn’t tie up with the name that it’s been registered to;


4. the date of birth registered is incorrect;


5. certificates issued without photos.


All of these problems cause delays and inconvenience for


students while our Certification Department works to ensure the certificate is genuine. All of these problems also


contravene the RYA Recognition Guidance Notes and could jeopardise a centre’s ongoing recognition, as detailed in the excerpts below: ‘Appropriate RYA certificates, signed by the Principal or Chief Instructor, must be awarded on successful completion of a course and, where appropriate, registered with the RYA.’ ‘For courses that have online


certificate registration there is no requirement to keep a local record. It is a condition of recognition that these certificates are registered through www. rya.org.uk and that the holder’s details are completed in full, the photo applied and laminate sealed before being presented to the holder. Failure to do so may result in the centre’s recognition being withdrawn.’ The central registration of


certificates was put in place to protect students and also to protect our training centres from having to compete against operators who were tempted to issue fraudulent paper RYA certificates. For the process to work we rely on the complete support of our training centres in ensuring certificates are registered. Occasional mistakes can’t be helped but can be catered for, whereas ongoing and regular problems will be monitored. Now that the registration system is fully bedded in, it’s time for us to take the hard line with the few centres that do not comply with the requirements. If a centre continually fails


to issue and/or register photo ID certificates in the required way, they will be contacted and required to rectify the problem. If no progress is made, recognition may be suspended and potentially withdrawn.


www.rya.org.uk


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