RYA criticised in OCR race death
OCR style boats like this were involved in the fatal accident
OCR: The RYA says head to head racing in Offshore Circuit Racing (OCR) style boats has been temporarily suspended for the remainder of the 2011 season.
The decision will affect the two remaining events at Guernsey and Stewartby, although time trials and “Top Gun” match racing can continue.
“Clearly this is an extremely serious decision and one that we have not taken lightly,” said the RYA powerboat racing manager John Puddifoot. “We have consulted with the chairman of the Powerboat Racing Committee and the chairman of the Offshore and Circuit Racing Committees, as well as the clubs which were organising the two remaining races of the season.”
The safety of the competitors and the long term sustainability of the sport lay at the heart of this decision, he added. “The reason for this decision arises out of concerns regarding side impact protection for drivers and navigators.”
This goes back to the 2009 accident in Dover Harbour where two OCR boats collided in a side impact that resulted in the death of one crew. In the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report into the accident the RYA was heavily criticised and the systemic lack of a health and safety culture at the RYA was highlighted as being a contributory factor.
On 14 September this year, Dover Coroner’s Court returned a verdict of accidental death. But the coroner added a rider to her verdict saying she would write formally to the RYA expressing her dissatisfaction with its actions and asking why it had never added side impact protection as a safety requirement.
The RYA says a full safety review will be conducted for all classes in Offshore, Circuit and Jetsport disciplines and that recommendations arising from this review will be incorporated into the racing rules for 2012.
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