More than 80 delegates signed up to take part in the Salia BIG Weekend 2026 in Wales to stretch or refresh their skills, try something new or begin their journey towards becoming an instructor.
The annual RYA Cymru Wales event was hosted by Plas Menai National Outdoor Centre (10-11 October), sponsored by online booking platform Salia, and supported by Swansea Watersports.
With a wealth of opportunities both ashore and afloat, there was something for everyone from watersports enthusiasts and club volunteers to marine industry professionals keen to update and develop their knowledge.
Mixed conditions brought wind and rain on the Saturday - with the Northern Lights making for a memorable evening - then Sunday saw the sunshine breaking through and the wind filling in to enable another packed schedule of activities.
Organiser Hester Walker, Club Development Officer for RYA Cymru Wales, said: "It was rewarding to see so many people getting involved in so many different ways over one or both days. This year's Salia BIG Weekend attracted people from across Wales and beyond, including returnees and new faces, with beginner through to advanced sessions and RYA courses.
Many participants tried a new watersport, developed their knowledge and skills, gained a qualification or achieved important next steps towards becoming an instructor, including:
6 newly qualified RYA Safety Boat drivers
11 gained an RYA First Aid certificate
6 aspiring RYA Dinghy Instructors ticked off their Pre-Assessment
2 power boaters passed their instructor Pre-Assessment
3 sailors gained dinghy coastal skills and 3 acquired spinnaker skills
6 powerboaters learned how to plot and navigate a route from table to tide, 6 gained search and rescue expertise and 4 took part in a rescue and recovery session
14 participants gave wingsurfing or wingfoiling a go or progressed their skills
A dozen sailors took off with dinghy foiling
24 commercial skippers, instructors and principals attended a talk to learn from incidents and prosecutions in the marine industry
6 race instructors/coaches benefitted from CPD
8 enjoyed cruising on the Menai Strait including with Merched Y Mor
3 enjoyed a keelboat day sail and 4 ticked off their Keelboat Instructor endorsement
4 tackled AquaPaddle and 2 experienced Celtic Longboat Rowing with the Royal Welsh Yacht Club
Participants ranged in age from 13 to 75 and feedback included a heartfelt thanks from many who were inspired to have fun developing their personal experience and confidence on the water or gain qualifications to take back to their home clubs and venues.
"A massive 'thank you' to everyone involved in the organisation of the Big Weekend - I can appreciate the amount of hard work that has gone into making it such as success. My thanks also to Swansea Watersports and all the other instructors who generously gave their time in support of the Big Weekend. I will certainly be spreading the word amongst my water sport friends and recommending they come along to the Big Weekend 2027."
Look out for the return of the Sailia BIG Weekend in North Wales next autumn and in the meantime for our BIG Days Out in South Wales in Spring 2027, when RYA Cymru Wales will again be offering a breadth of opportunities for getting afloat to develop skills and gain qualifications on the water.
Remember to keep up to date with all the latest updates by following @RYACymruWales on Instagram and Facebook.
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