The Department of Transport wishes to highlight the provisions of SOLAS Chapter V to small, privately owned recreational craft.
Although regulation 34 of Chapter V — “Safe navigation and avoidance of dangerous situations” — only applies when proceeding to sea, the department advises all recreational craft users to comply with the voyage planning principles.
These were previously highlighted in Marine Notice No 19 of 2021 following an MCIB report into the rescue of five Kinsale Yacht Club sailors from the yacht Loa Zour amid severe storm conditions off the Spanish coast in June 2019.
In Marine Notice No 30 of 2023, the department underscores this as well as the benefits of radar reflectors, the need for access to an illustrated table of the recognised life-saving signals, requirements around the assistance of other craft, the consequences of misuse of distress signals and more.
Full details can be found in Marine Notice No 30 of 2023 attached below.