Recreational boating in the UK has a long-established tradition of self-reliance and individual responsibility. Consequently, we all continue to enjoy relative freedom to pursue our boating activities, but this freedom cannot be taken for granted.

Today, our coastal waters and inland waterways face increasing pressure from competing commercial, environmental and leisure interests.

In addition, national security, public safety and progressive regulatory initiatives, together with economic pressures, are more significant in today’s political agenda.

For these reasons, it is vital that recreational boating interests are represented effectively to ensure that Government, in all its forms, takes full account of our activities when balancing competing interests.

At the RYA, we provide a robust, articulate and intelligent voice to represent recreational boating, working closely with our Home Country organisations (RYA Scotland, RYA Cymru Wales and RYA Northern Ireland).

We work tirelessly to ensure that legislators, regulators and other authorities understand, and take account of, recreational boating activity. This includes:

• Maintaining and promoting safe, responsible and sustainable recreational boating​
• Influencing legislation/regulation that may impact on any aspect of recreational boating or navigational safety
• Challenging proposals we believe to be disproportionate, ineffective or unenforceable