UK GP14 National Championship is scheduled for 27–29 June.

The GP14 National Championship is scheduled for 27–29 June. Put your entry in now! WEYMOUTH AND PORTLAND NATIONAL SAILING ACADEMY is a great venue for this three-day event, with accommodation available so close. Very good value at £99.50 entry fee. Eight races are scheduled over the three days, free beers at tallying – what more could you ask for? Two course-evening meals are arranged for both nights and can be booked and paid for at registration – exceptionally good value. Weymouth offers lots to do for families and non-sailors, with great beaches and good walks along the world-famous Jurassic coastline. Finally, let's see which club can send the most entries to the event. There will be a PRIZE of a bottle of champagne (or maybe two!) for the club with the largest entry.

Third Time Lucky As Staunton Harold Named Best Sailing Club Finalist

Staunton Harold Sailing Club is hoping it's third time lucky after once again being named as a finalist for the prestigious RYA Club of the Year Award. The Midlands-based club was shortlisted in the final five for the award in 2012 and 2013, and will discover if they have landed the 2014 accolade of Britain's best sailing club at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show at Alexandra Palace on Saturday 1 March. The annual RYA Club of the Year, presented by sailing's national governing body, recognises clubs who excel at promoting the sport of sailing, encouraging people on to the water and making their activities varied and accessible to the community. Staunton Harold has an enviable record of attracting people to, and keeping them, sailing. The club has generated a 50% increase in membership over the past three years, thanks to its friendly, welcoming ethos, range of RYA training courses, work with schools and the local community and significant programme of facilities investment, totaling £150,000 to date. Its Open Day regularly welcomes over 100 visitors yearly, and its popular annual 'Sailability Day' attracts well over 100 disabled participants. Meanwhile, those who sail at Staunton Harold have countless opportunities to improve their skills, take part in competitive racing and make the most of the club's buzzing social scene, including its massively popular summertime Friday Night Club, where fun, informal sessions are run for adults and kids complete with BBQ. Nick Waters, Staunton Harold Club Commodore, said: "We're delighted to have been shortlisted for the RYA Club of the Year again. Last year saw us build on the success of the previous two years with success stories in every part of the club. "Over 100 volunteers directly contribute to the running of the club on committees, training, race management, safety, maintenance, bar and galley, and this nomination would not have been possible without their dedication and diligence." The other shortlisted clubs are Brightlingsea SC (Essex), Horning SC (Norfolk), Sussex Yacht Club (West Sussex) and Ulley SC (South Yorkshire). All five clubs will collect finalist awards from the British Sailing Team's Megan Pascoe, before the overall winner is revealed by RYA CEO, Sarah Treseder. In more great news for Staunton Harold, rising star, Ellie Craig, 14, will also be presented with an RYA Regional Youth Champion Award for the East Midlands at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show. Ellie, previously a member of the RYA North Zone Topper Squad, is progressing towards the RYA National Junior squad in the junior one-person class. As an RYA Champion Club, Staunton Harold has enjoyed much success feeding talented youngsters like Ellie into the RYA's hugely-successful Junior and Youth Racing Programme, on the pathway to Olympic classes sailing. Jackie Bennetts, RYA Club Support Advisor, said: "Without the ongoing support and commitment from individual members, clubs wouldn't exist and certainly wouldn't offer the range or quality of activities which are crucial to the continued success of both clubs and our sport." Staunton Harold certainly won't be resting on their laurels in 2014. The club's RYA learn to sail courses start on Saturday 19 April for adults and Saturday 10 May for juniors. Meanwhile their Open Day, when anyone can go along and try sailing for free, takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 25 August. For more full details about everything going on at Staunton Harold SC this year visit www.shsc.org.uk or for information about sailing in Derbyshire visit www.rya.org.uk/regions/eastmidlands Thanks to Gallagher Heath, supporters of the RYA Club of the Year Award, and Sailing Awards, who have donated the Club of the Year trophy.

£100,000 donation will keep Sail for a Fiver scheme afloat

THE popular ‘Sail for a Fiver’ scheme that has helped thousands of youngsters to learn the sport will continue thanks to a £100,000 donation. The Chesil Trust, which oversees the scheme, has received the donation from Mrs Elma Shipley in memory of her husband Rod who died in 2012. This donation will enable the popular “Sail for a Fiver” scheme to continue for at least another three years. Mr Shipley owned Chesil Beach Motors and was a popular local businessman. Born in Pickering, North Yorkshire he was educated at The Royal Hospital School in Holbrook where he experienced sailing for the first time. In recognition of this inspiration, his wife Elma, who lives on Portland, donated £100,000 to the trust to give local school children a chance to experience sailing. Di Ludlow, Chairman of The Chesil Trust said: “The ‘Sail for a Fiver’ scheme has enabled more than 12,000 Dorset children between the ages of 10 and 11 to experience sailing on our Olympic waters. “The scheme will be renamed the “Rod Shipley Sail for a Fiver” scheme in recognition and thanks to Mrs Shipley for the generous donation in memory of Rod”. Mrs Ludlow added: “To formally thank Mrs Shipley and to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the scheme we are hosting a cake and coffee reception at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy at 11am on Thursday February 27 where Olympian and Patron of the Chesil Trust, Simon Hiscocks will receive the cheque from Mrs Shipley”. The Trust works with providers – the Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre and the specialist sailing school based at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing academy who in turn work closely with schools throughout Dorset. The programme allows Year 6 schoolchildren to sail for a charge of just £5. The Trust then tops this up to make sure the providers can cover their costs

Ahoy Centre and Greenwich Council offer free sailing tasters ahead of Tall Ships Regatta

GREENWICH Council has joined forced with a Deptford sailing centre to offer free taster sessions ahead of this summer's Tall Ships Regatta. The sessions are for 15 to 24-year-olds from the borough during the Easter school holidays. They are particularly aimed at those who want to join a crew during the regatta, as they race from Falmouth via the Isle of Wight and into Greenwich for a four-day festival from September 5 to September 9. The sessions, which offer a RYA sailing qualification, have been funded through the Woolwich United sports programme, being delivered by Charlton Athletic Community Trust. Anyone interested in signing up to the sessions should call 020 8293 5355 or email katy.mcardlecastle@cact.org.uk

East Coast Sailing Trust offers bursaries for school trips

A sailing barge offering trips for school children is awarding bursaries to some organisations and schools. The Thalatta offers five day cruises from Maldon or Ipswich, and children sleep in hammocks and take turns to crew the boat, while learning about estuaries and the sea. The East Coast Sail Trust can now offer a £1000 bursary, reducing the cost of the trip from £3600 to £2600 for a group of ten. Applications should be submitted by email or post to Christopher McArthur, Director of the Trust, at chris@cimcarthur.co.uk or Mr C I McArthur, Berry Farm, Hoo Road, Charsfield, Suffolk, IP13 7QH by March 25.

Havering Sailing Club

The Havering Sailing Club was founded in the late 1950s by a group of teachers from Hullbridge. Their aim was to provide outdoor activities for schoolchildren, and in turn themselves, and the activity that became dominant was sailing. “When the club’s lease at Hullbridge expired, it moved to Grangewaters, South Ockendon, before finally relocating to Stubbers in Upminster. “Havering Sailing Club is a small, friendly, group which meets from March through to November. “There are various club boats for members to use for a small fee. “Club members own many different classes of dinghy, so the handicap principle is applied to races, enabling each boat to participate on equal terms. “Generally four races are held each Saturday. There is also a rescue boat which is on the water all afternoon and buoyancy jackets and helmets are available for use. “Two week “Come and try” sessions for new people thinking of joining the club are offered for a charge of £20 and if these people join they get £10 of that back. “Currently the fees are £75 per adult for each eight-month sailing season, with a person under the age of 18 paying £35.” www.haveringsailingclub.org.uk

Focus on Tall Ships: Luxury Gulden Leeuw to visit

The former Danish government ship Gulden Leeuw is the third to be featured in our series profiling some of the vessels due in port for August’s Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta. The ship was built in 1937 on behalf of the Danish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Then named M/S Dana, it was designed and built as an ocean-going ice class ship and was frequently used for marine biological research. Over the next few years she was sold and re-named a few times before being used as a training ship for the Danish Nautical College in 2000. In 2007 she was finally sold to P&T Charters and converted into a fast three-masted topsail schooner. The company claims: “We built our dream, a big, sturdy sailing ship reminiscent of the 30’s and with the deck layout of a classic yacht.” The ship is fitted out in luxury, with the Captain’s VIP lounge offering an open fire and Chesterfield sofas, the deckhouse housing a central bar and a dining room that can be transformed into a dancehall, seminar room or dormitory. As well as offering day trips and quayside parties, the Gulden Leeuw also provides sail training opportunities for up to 60 people. They claim: “On board the Gulden Leeuw we truly believe in sail training and the influence this experience has on the life of young people. “You can see people change during the time they are on board. Our crew is trained to support trainees within every task; sailing, steering, navigating but also cooking and cleaning are part of the program.” For more information on the ship visit www.guldenleeuw.com.

The fantastic A-Cats

Ian is happy with his Volvo Ocean Race crew

HAMPSHIRE round the world racer Ian Walker has bolstered his Volvo Ocean Race crew with a host of Hampshire sailors. Southampton-based Justin Slattery, Simon Fisher, Phil Harmer and Andrew McLean have all been snapped up by Walker for his third stab at victory in the 40,000-mile race. Between them they have sailed in 12 past editions of the Volvo Ocean Race, and Slattery and Fisher were key members of Walker's 2011-12 squad. Harmer sailed with French winners Groupama in the past race while McLean was onboard Team New Zealand. The four new recruits join Emirati crewman Adil Khalid, Australian Luke Parkinson and onboard reporter Tom Bushell on Walker's Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team. The final member of the nine-man crew is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. “Phil, Andrew, Simon and Justin each bring unique skills and invaluable experience to the team and I couldn’t be happier to have them aboard,” said Walker. “We all enjoy sailing together and that can be an important factor in the pressure cooker environment of a nine-month yacht race around the world.” Hamble's Neal McDonald, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing's performance manager, played a key role in selecting the sailors to take on yachting's premier ocean race. ADOR performance manager Neal McDonald was instrumental in the selection process. “I’m confident we have the right people. “It’s a solid mix without any big egos. “This is an international lineup, but the common factor is that they are all very much focused on winning.” Walker and his team are set to take delivery of their brand new Volvo Ocean 65 yacht in the next few weeks and will then head to Lisbon, Portugal, to train. The Volvo Ocean Race starts from Alicante, Spain, in November.

Tenby Sailing Club gets OnBoard

West Wales children will get more chances to give sailing a try thanks to Tenby becoming the latest sailing club to join the successful national scheme OnBoard. It is aimed at providing as many opportunities to sail to as many children as possible, particularly those who would not normally get the chance to try the sport. Tenby is already the host of many Welsh and national championship sailing events, recognised as one of the best stretches of water for sailing on the British coast, so it is one of the best venues to learn to sail. By improving links with schools and clubs in the Tenby area, the sailing club will look to bring sailing to increased numbers of children between the ages of seven and 16. "Tenby Sailing club has been a proactive club for a many years. By becoming the 22nd OnBoard partner in Wales we hope that it will enable them to grow and develop their family, youth and adult membership further," said Hester Walker WYA West Wales Club Development Officer. Run by sailing's national governing body, the RYA, OnBoard is a highly successful industry supported grass roots programe which seeks to make sailing easier to get into for young people. Over a ten year period the programme aims to introduce a minimum of 500,000 children to sailing in the UK, converting over 10% of them into regular participants. So far it's nicely on track. Cat Ferguson, OnBoard Operations Officer, said, "It's great to welcome Tenby Sailing Club to the OnBoard programme. "Sailing is a fantastic sport no matter your age, background or ability. We look forward to working with them and the local community to get as many people as possible enjoying our great sport." Tenby commodore Paul Evenden added, "We are delighted to have been recognised by the OnBoard scheme and this will help us to develop sailing in the area even more. "We have so many natural advantages at Tanby sailing club, but this will allow us to open up those opportnunities to even more children in the area. "We are looking forward to being more involved in Tenby schools and giving a chance to sail to those children who would not normally come across these opportunities." For more information about how to get involved in sailing visit the RYA's website www.rya.org.uk or the OnBoard website www.ruob.co.uk

Honoured For Landmark Disability Sailing Work

A Stoke sailor who has driven the quest to build a new fully inclusive, state-of-the-art £550,000 training centre and boathouse for disabled sailors at Rudyard Sailability, near Leek, has had his efforts recognised by sailing's national governing body, the RYA. Rudyard Sailability Chairman, Dennis Priebe, himself a wheelchair user after suffering a spinal injury in 1993, received the Exceptional Contribution Award at the annual RYA Sailability Volunteer Awards on Saturday (8 February). Having been instrumental in founding Rudyard Sailability 12 years ago, volunteer Dennis has transformed the site from a 'shed' to become a venue for all. In the past 18 months alone he has raised over £400,000 towards the new facilities, spending days and nights at the site in sub-zero conditions last winter overseeing the project. With the ethos to make sailing as accessible as possible to absolutely everyone, regardless of severity of disability, the centre's design promotes total independence. Whilst work continued last year, Rudyard ran shoestring activity for the local special schools, social services users and the Aiming High for Children with disabilities project. But having now achieved official RYA Training Centre status, this season will see the centre bid to achieve its aim of full family inclusiveness and sailing for all. Dennis said: "I'm ecstatic to have been given this award. I'm even smiling and I'm supposed to be grumpy! I would like to thank all the volunteers who helped with this project without whom this award would not be possible. "So far we've received no Sport England or Lottery funding. We tapped into one European fund but everything else has come from private investment, donations, bucket funds, buy a brick, fundraisers, you name it we've probably done it! We've relied so much on goodwill and volunteers, and their efforts and generosity can only be described as extraordinary." Some of the highlight features of the new facility include a remote sensor controlled 4ft wide solid wood entrance door, designed specifically to enable fully-ventilated users with the biggest wheelchairs hassle-free access, an interior painted in contrasting yellow and blue following recommendations from visual impairment groups and open space and kneeholes designed in consultation with mobility groups. The building also has two hearing loops, while sensors and finger tip touch for access is commonplace throughout. All of this is housed in a beautiful traditional stone building that looks like it has been standing at Rudyard Lake for 100 years. Jackie Griffiths is Rudyard Sailability Secretary, and her daughter Tilly, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy and is a full-time wheelchair user, is a regular Rudyard sailor and now also teaches others to sail. Jackie said: "This facility simply wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Dennis. He's been project manager, site foreman, he's wheeled and dealed and just not taken no for an answer from anyone! Despite impaired mobility himself, Dennis and up to 20 volunteers each week were digging trenches, laying stones, everything and anything in spite of sub-zero Arctic conditions last winter. He thoroughly deserves this award." Debbie Blachford, RYA Sailability Manager, said: "Dennis' total dedication, commitment and determination have made this project successful and he has ensured disabled people are part of the management committee and board of trustees so disabled people have a voice in every decision of the project. He lives and breathes Rudyard Sailability, and his vision of accessible sailing for all. I can't think of a better role model for accessible sailing and volunteering." To find more about learning to sail and getting involved at Rudyard Sailability this year visit www.rudyardsailability.org.uk

Great things planned for the GP14 International Class 2014

Lots of great things planned for the GP14 International Class. Check out the 3 dinghies at London Dinghy Show 1st and 2nd March. Get entered for some fabulous Racing Events, including Weymouth for the Nationals, then the World's in Ireland this year. Look forward to visiting the Caribbean in 2016 for the next World Championship to be held in Barbados. Mainsail will be out to GP14 Association members in March, but look out for your newsletter this month. Not an Association Member, then check out details to join on the website www.gp14.org

PARALYMPIC CHAMPION SUPPORTS UKSA

Paralympic gold medal winning sailor Helena Lucas has teamed up with youth charity UKSA to become one of their ambassadors. Helena made history claiming gold at London 2012, becoming the first ever female winner of the male dominated Paralympic class and Britain’s first ever Paralympic sailing gold medallist. UKSA offers transformational opportunities to young people through sailing and watersports, from their main base in Cowes, Isle of Wight, and other sites around the UK. Helena explained: “I’m proud and excited to be ambassador for the wonderful youth charity, UKSA. UKSA uses sailing and watersports as a catalyst to help young people. They know that being out at sea, facing a challenge and working both individually and as a team can make you a more positive, more able person. It gives you confidence, it raises your self-esteem. This is something I strongly believe in and I am very happy to be lending my support to such a fantastic charity.”