Author Archives: nsiross1

New Award

Prestigious award for National Coastwatch

The National Coastwatch Institute have been given a new award- The Royal Cruising Club Medal for Services to Cruising, following their 20th anniversary. The Royal Cruising Club is an influential organisation in the world of serious cruising and membership is limited to those whose cruising record places them amongst the most significant sailors of their generation.

In announcing the decision, the club made it clear that the award is in recognition of NCI’s first twenty years and the growing contribution NCI are making to the safety of yachts at sea.

National Coastwatch keeps watch from 50 lookouts and has over 2,000 trained volunteers. In the North West, the only station is situated at Fleetwood and the volunteers there have clocked up an impressive 4,821 volunteer hours in 2014, a record for the station.

They now have 41 members who train both in the station at Fleetwood and at Fleetwood Nautical College. The station is open 365 days a year.

Steve Martin, Station Manager at Fleetwood said, ‘’ It’s been a tremendous effort by the team and I can’t thank them enough for ensuring our commitment to the Coast Guard was met. To also be awarded the RCC medal for Services to Cruising, is national recognition for our volunteers and the work they freely give’’.

VHF Channel 65 News (NCI)

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) has been allocated a national licence by
OFCOM for the use of VHF Channel 65, which becomes operational on 1 October.
It will provide a communication channel between NCI lookouts and seafarers on a variety of routine matters.

Stations will be able to respond to requests from passing, as well as local sailing craft and fishing vessels for radio checks as well as actual weather and sea state conditions. They will also be able to provide on request information on a range of local facilities including, for example, local moorings, charted anchorages, water taxi contact details and local hazards.

It become operational on 1 October 2014 when Fleetwood Coastwatch along with all other national stations will go live for the first time on Channel 65. In the meantime, stations will be equipped with a dedicated radio for this purpose and the service will replace the practice of some stations currently holding a licence to operate on Marina Channel 37. This will no longer be available.

Commenting on the allocation, Alan Richards, Chairman of the National Coastwatch said: “NCI has long aspired to have the use of a dedicated national marine VHF channel to facilitate radio
communications between stations and seafarers. “This is a major milestone for us, not least as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the start of our organisation. It is indeed a significant and welcome step forward for NCI and is an acknowledgement of our professional capability to communicate effectively with all who use our coastal waters and with our Search and Rescue partners at both local and national level”