The Hovercraft (General) Order 1972

Operational records

21.—(1) The captain of every hovercraft registered in the United Kingdom shall ensure that records are kept of the following matters relating to any journey of the hovercraft—

(a) Names of terminal and any intermediate points, and the times of departure from and arrival at such points;

(b) Weather conditions, such as wind, sea condition and visibility experienced;

(c) Any accidents or unusual occurrences on the journey;

(d) Any births or deaths which occur on the journey;

(e) A summary of all communications relating to distress, urgency and safety traffic.

(2) The operator of every hovercraft registered in the United Kingdom shall keep records of—

(a) crew emergency and distress drills (including names of persons present);

(b) the names of all crew aboard a hovercraft on any journey.

(3) The captain or operator, as the case may be, shall within a reasonable time after being requested to do so by an authorised person, cause to be produced to that person the records referred to in paragraphs (1) and (2) above respectively.

(4) (a) The records mentioned above shall be preserved by the operator for at least 12 months after any journey or drill to which they refer;

(b) The records referred to in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be delivered to the operator of the hovercraft to which the records relate by the captain at the time he ceases to be the captain, or when the operator requires their delivery;

(c) A person required to preserve any record by reason of his being the operator of a hovercraft shall, if he ceases to be the operator of the hovercraft continue to preserve the record as if he had not ceased to be the operator, and in the event of his death the duty to preserve the record shall fall upon his personal representative.