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Changes to AALA Licensing – Adventure RMS Statement

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The following is a statement from Adventure RMS regarding pending changes to the AALA Licensing.
January 2025

The HSE have announced changes to the way they will operate the AALA licensing scheme from 1st April 2025.

These changes relate to:
· The method of determining/calculating licence duration
· The options available to inspectors when reviewing applications for a licence

If you currently hold a licence, you do not need to do anything different, as these changes will not affect your licence.

Any licence with a start date from the 1st April onwards will be issued using the HSEs new licence duration policy.

Inspectors undertaking application reviews from the 1st April onwards may decide to use a broader range of remote and/or in-person inspection methods.

Full information in relation to each of these changes has been emailed to existing licence holders by the AALA/HSE and is openly available in the ‘Guidance’ section of the Adventure RMS website or by clicking the links below.

Information from the HSE relating to – Changes to the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority

Transition arrangements for calculating AALA licence duration provided by Adventure RMS – January 2025

Information from the HSE/AALA – FAQs about licence duration

Information from the HSE/AALA – FAQs about remote inspections

Adventure RMS Safety Update – Capsize of traditional sailing vessel

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A traditional gaff rigged Norfolk Broads sailing vessel (cabin boat) recently capsized while being used on a cruise for young people.

Capsize of these craft is highly unusual but, as events have now proved, not unforeseeable.

Events –

The boat appears to have emerged from the shelter of a treelined stretch of water to experience the full force of the wind, at the same time as a stronger gust occurred. The boat reportedly behaved more like a dinghy than a yacht and capsized and then sank very quickly, putting everyone in the water.

Issues raised –

The incident highlights some important safety management questions for providers using these, or similar craft –

  1. All watercraft can capsize given the ‘right’ conditions – do your procedures take this into account?
  2. What type of personal flotation devices do you use and how are they used? Do your safety management arrangements consider the possibility of crew being inside the cabin of a capsized cruiser wearing a buoyancy aid or an auto inflating life jacket?
  3. Do your emergency arrangements allow for communication devices to be available and effective should all the crew be in the water?
  4. In complex areas of inland water, like the Norfolk Broads, do you have emergency arrangements that allow participants to know where they are at any time and how to direct emergency services to the nearest useable access point?https://adventurerms.org.uk/updates/