UK Atlas of Recreational Boating 

In 2005 the Royal Yachting Association, supported by The Corporation of Trinity House and the Cruising Association, compiled and presented a comprehensive set of charts which defined the cruising routes, general sailing and racing areas used by recreational craft around the UK coast. This information was published as the first edition of the UK Coastal Atlas of Recreational Boating.

The Atlas has proved to be a valuable tool during the Government’s drive to develop offshore renewable energy by providing data for consideration during the planning, design, and approval process. The data also supports the work of making informed comment on details of individual offshore development proposals.

As the UK moves towards a new system of marine spatial planning, vital for managing the increasing demands on our seas, so the need for up-to-date information on how people use the sea has grown. As a result, in January 2009 at the London Boat Show, the RYA launched the second edition of the coastal atlas.  This revision provides an accurate picture of coastal recreational boating currently influential in informing the marine planning process.

The updated document is available on CD from the environment team at RYA. The GIS data is also available for an annual licence fee. Please contact the environment team for further information on environment@rya.org.uk.