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Buoyant sailing school launches new boats

A SAILING school that has taught thousands of youngsters the skills of getting afloat in Bristol has launched four new boats. The racing vessels were put onto the water at the headquarters of the West of England Schools Sailing Association (Wessa) during a ceremony at Baltic Wharf. Donations of more than £10,000 had allowed Wessa to increase its fleet of sailing and power craft. The school's spokeswoman, Gill Hannan, said: "We have formed a Bristol racing squad, which can take part in regional and national competitions. The new boats mean we can now develop the racing potential of our young people. "They will allow our promising young sailors to compete at regional regattas, as well as in national events organised by the National Schools Sailing Association, giving our club sailors something to which they can aspire." She said team racing involved two or three boats being raced against a similar number, with those sailing them working together to beat their opposition. It brought tactics, good communication and team work into play, as well as the sailors having to know the rules of sailing "inside out". The money needed for the boats came from health insurance firm Simply Health, which gave £5,000, and pound-for-pound match funding from Sport England. A further £750 was donated by a private trust fund. Wessa is a registered charity and voluntary organisation that promotes sailing among school children in Bristol and the surrounding area. It is run by a voluntary management committee and has been in operation for more than 30 years, in that time teaching 15,000 students aged seven to 19 to sail. In the 1980s it took over the Bristol Sailing School, which now operates as the trading arm of the organisation to help fund Wessa activities. In recent years it has also broadened its scope to incorporate Bristol Sailability, which was set up to help people with disabilities to learn sailing. Wessa is recognised by the Royal Yachting Association as a training and Sailability centre and aims to provide water-based coaching and recreation to the widest range of ages and abilities as possible.

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