Cruising Association to host free webinar on Orca encounters this week
The Cruising Association (CA) in the UK will be hosting its fifth evening with its Regulatory & Technical Services group (RATS) on Wednesday 19 March 2025 where experts will discuss topics including Orca encounters around France, Portugal and Spain, low voltage electrics on small vessels and wave and tidal power developments.
In recent years, the boating season across Europe has seen a spate of orca interactions, with the animals apparently ramming and damaging yachts off the coast of Spain, Portugal and France.
Registration for the Zoom webinar is free of charge for members and non-members, and you can attend in-person at CA House, London, at £4 members or £7 non-members.
Topics to be covered:
- Orca encounters: staying safe on the water – John Burbeck will share the latest updates from the CA Orca Project, covering recent interactions, risk-reduction strategies, and safety advice for sailors navigating waters off France, Portugal, and Spain.
Read the latest news stories on Orca encounters - Sailing with pets: what you need to know – Tania Nieveen will guide attendees through the regulations and preparations required for cruising with pets, especially when entering EU waters or beyond.
- Low voltage electrics on small craft – Rick Ballard will discuss RATS’ ongoing work on low-voltage systems for small boats, including technical basics, battery energy consumption models and the pros and cons of switching from lead-acid to lithium chemistry batteries.
- Wave and tidal power: navigating new developments – As wave and tidal electricity generation expands, Roger Bickerstaff will provide an overview of these advancements and their navigating their developments.
The new RATS chairman, Simon Hampton-Matthews, will introduce the evening’s talks with a brief history of RATS.
RATS is an executive committee of the Cruising Association (CA) made up of CA volunteers.
RATS work on behalf of cruising sailors to represent their interests and address issues of concern or interest on regulatory and technical aspects of small boat cruising as they arise.
