Berthon makes boats not only race-ready, but race-winners
Tel: +44(0)1590 673312 E-Mail: enquiries@berthon.co.uk
Tel: +44(0)1590 673312 E-Mail: enquiries@berthon.co.uk
March 5, 2021
Berthon COVID-19 Protocol Update 15 18.05.2021
NB All italics (brown & purple) are quoted Govt Guidance; purple & brown denotes latest updates throughout the document.
Information for boat owners, Berthon staff & contractors using our marina and boatyard based upon Government guidelines and our own Risk Assessments:
Social contact
Gathering limits have been eased. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 30 people and indoor gatherings are limited to 6 people or 2 households (each household can include a support bubble, if eligible).
New guidance on meeting friends and family emphasises personal responsibility rather than government rules. Instead of instructing you to stay 2m apart from anyone you don’t live with, you are encouraged to exercise caution and consider the guidance on risks associated with COVID-19 and actions you can take to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Remember that the risks of close contact may be greater for some people than others and in some settings and circumstances there will be specific guidance that you will need to follow even when you are with friends and family.
To help protect yourself and your friends, family, and community please continue to follow all of our guidance even if you’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19.
UK Government’s summary COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 Roadmap out of lockdown.
Coronavirus advice and information for recreational boaters from the RYA.
British Marine Coronavirus information hub.
Berthon (including all its subsidiaries) has continued to be fully operational, working within the government guidelines in a Covid safe environment: This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting sectors and employers’ businesses providing manufacturing [&] repair services, storage and distribution facilities.
The sun has brought out more servicing demand, but as predicted spare parts are much more difficult to procure with ease or speed.
As previously, we request that you consider your visits and use of boats in the context of the latest lockdown regulations and guidanceas a whole:
We will carry on performing bespoke virtual security checks on boats at owners’ requests so please contact our Dockmasters if you would like to make use of this service.
Berthon Lymington Marina is providing a full service for overnight visitors, short stays (up to 4 hours), long term casual visitors (over 5 nights) and annual berths starting throughout the year. Please call the Dockmasters on 01590 647405 or VHF Channel 80 to arrange your stay with us.
Overnight on Board is now sanctioned subject to certain rules and Govt Guidelines (see Useful links below, at end of document)
You can travel to the marina irrespective of distance, providing you are not quarantined owing to the area of your residence or having travelled from an overseas amber or red zone.
We ask individuals to distance themselves 2m from our staff and other owners at all times. All piers are more than 8’ (>2m) wide; individual finger pontoons are between 2’and 5’ (<2m) wide. Accordingly, please be alert and move into a finger when someone is coming in the other direction.
This is for the safety for all parties and we specifically request owners, buyers and contractors not to make impromptu visits if jobs are outstanding in case a contractor or we are working aboard.
We will welcome any yachts returning from overseas and will assist in their 14-day mandatory quarantine (if not from a country with a travel corridor to the UK) quarantine or the balance of 14 days if you have been outside the common travel area and have isolated at sea by providing a berth, fuel, water, power and a provisioning service where needed to allow diligent quarantining for the mandated time period. Please check herefor the latest country guidance. Yachting has always been a community sport and now more than ever is the time to look after one another. Please contact the Dockmasters for more information.
If you have been in a country or territory on the:
You cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the red list unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.
If you’re a resident or visitor travelling to the UK from any country, you must provide your journeyand contact details.
You’ll also need to self-isolate in the place you’re staying after you arrive. It is not permissible to visit your boat during this period or undertake any activity away from that address. Further information under Useful Links, below or call the dockmasters and we can do a specific Risk Assessment for you.
The Dockmasters regularly patrol the piers and gantries to ensure the overall safety of our property and in the process may notice and correct issues that may cause damage. If this involves a berth holder’s boat, an email is sent as an aide memoire. We offer bespoke security checks on boats (often with FaceTime) at owners’ requests; contact the Dockmasters if you wish to take advantage of this.
The marina washrooms have had a rigorous cleaning routine since early summer 2020 and until further notice the marina washrooms will be unavailable between 1500-1700hrs seven days a week whilst being decontaminated (fogging); additionally, we are cleaning washrooms regularly throughout each day whilst open.
We politely request that after you have used the lavatory you close the lid before flushing. This prevents airborne particles (possibly containing bacteria and/or viruses) being released into the air. Wipes will be provided for cleaning loo seats, door handles etc, including those at the exit; bins for the wipes are inside and outside the washrooms.
However, we cannot guarantee washrooms will be Covid-19 free at any given time. Where possible and for your own safety purposes, owners are asked to use their boat’s showers & toilets please.
Whilst the dockmasters and cleaners will continue to monitor the washrooms, please do report any situation that merits immediate attention at the Dockmasters’ office.
Please return trollies to the trolley pound having first cleaned the handle with wipes provided; we stillrecommend NO touching other parts of the trolley, that are not easy to clean. Please convey this to children.
BHG’s boat show trailer carries on as a centre for brief discussion with managers; 2m distancing is mandatory and we request only one-on-one meetings where possible.
The security gatehouse at the marina entrance demonstrates that we are private property and general access is not permitted to the public; it will be manned at weekends. Please inform dockmasters if you have a guest arriving in another vehicle from March 29; they can mention your name or boat name to verify access.
Dockmasters Office
The office continues to hand out sanitised keys using the protocol we adopted prior to lockdown. This includes sterilising keys on return.
We thank those who filled in the annual review form. We scored between 8.2 and 9.5 /10 over the nine questions and this year we still plan more changes to ensure we continue to improve where we can. If you have time, please add a comment to Trust Pilotor Google. We appreciate your support.
Our staff continue to take regular tests along with sub contractors and crew that we are working closely with.All of our management team and skilled employees are at work along with all 23 of our apprentices.. Our collective challenge is still to monitor when you, contractors, and we are aboard boats on site if we are to be working on them or showing them for sale (virtually at present) – see link for viewing boats. With Covid-19 surviving airborne and on surfaces we have been quarantining boats with a 72-hour moratorium between individuals going aboard. The amount of work and demand for separate skills has necessitated a change in protocol.
The reception on the 2nd floor remains closed to owners. If you would like to discuss works with a member of the YMR team please call the project manager and he will meet you downstairs.
Yacht Maintenance and Repair (YMR) phone numbers:
Berthon Offices and sheds remain closed for owners; meetings can occur by Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
We are all aware boats have a habit of hiding problems until the last minute. With necessary parts taking longer to arrive, and labour needing to be allocated carefully in advance, why not be certain that your boat is running well, and include windlasses, electronics and other moving parts within your service instructions and ask us to perform a sea trial. This will avoid any angst after a long drive when overnight staying on board is eventually permitted.
Thank you to all owners and contractors who have diligently checked in and out at the Dockmasters office, as part of our collective challenge to work on as many boats as possible. We will continue to monitor when owners, contractors, and our staff are on board, to comply with 2m social distancing and either with a 72-hour quarantine period or subject to availability, decontamination.
The above renders the boat safer for all parties.
The boatyard-gated entrance at Bath Road will remain closed and access to sheds is for Berthon staff only; owners and contractors are simply not permitted unless accompanied by a project manager. The stores are operating with a closed counter and all items and materials ordered via your project manager for delivery to our Berthon staff. Project Managers can place orders for owners.
We continue to ask that owners do NOT come to watch the launch/lift of their boat during these hazardous times.
Please email drysailing@berthon.co.uk to specifically request a boat movement.
Berthon International have a specific protocolfor viewing boats for sale. Please call direct on 01590 679222 to make an appointment.
We thank you all for your continued patience and determination to see off the virus. We, collectively, now need to ready ourselves for a different way of boating that is mindful of the safety of all boat owners, your household members, and the wider Berthon and contractor workforce, as well as maintaining sensible behaviour afloat to prevent poor press that might jeopardise the gift that has been returned to us, IE going to sea.
