Last year Tom Machin was prevented from sailing the Scarborough-based MV Coronia – which helped with the Dunkirk evacuation during the Second World War – the 17 nautical miles from Scarborough to Whitby after the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) restricted it to a maximum journey of 15 nautical miles in response to EU regulations.

The legislation states class C vessels, such as the Coronia, may travel no more than 15 nautical miles from the nearest refuge point – but because the MCA never adopted the restriction it maintained the existing British ruling, limiting it to a journey of 15 nautical miles from its port of origin.

A total of 12,000 people signed a petition against the ruling – which also affected the Scarborough-based Regal Lady and the Bridlington-based Yorkshire Belle.

This week Yorkshire MEP, Labour’s Richard Corbett said there was hope for all three vessels after he heard from the EU Commission on the matter.

The MEP said: “It appears that as far as they are concerned all UK pleasure boats currently sailing in Britain’s waters are, in fact, adhering to the requirements of the Maritime Directive.

“I therefore see no reason why the UK authorities cannot apply the restrictions in the directive that would allow the Coronia and Yorkshire Belle to continue making their traditional voyages.”

He added that the commission had said that it was up to the UK authorities whether they apply the EU directive in full, or make a request that exemptions could be granted under certain circumstances to establish less stringent requirement than those contained in the directive.

Mr Machin welcomed the news and said: “After reading the letter it sounds promising. We couldn’t have had a worse season than last year. We had 24 days of fog and then in June it started raining. This year must be better than last year.

“I am leaving the matter in their hands because we can’t do anything until we’ve heard officially from the MCA. We will be running up to Robin Hood’s Bay and onto Bempton Cliffs near Flamborough.”

He added that once he received official confirmation from the MCA then the daily round trips to Whitby would be offered to visitors once more.