Bavaria C50 - In action

Fountaine Pajot New 45 sailing video

British Keelboat Academy launches new hunt for tomorrow's stars

The search for future keelboat racing stars has begun as applications open for the 2019/20 British Keelboat Academy. The British Keelboat Academy supports sailors aged between 18 and 24 in developing the skills they need to take their yacht and keelboat racing to the next level. The RYA has been running a programme for young dinghy racers wanting to make the transition to yacht and keelboat racing for nearly twenty years. Its graduates have gone on to hold top positions in some of the world’s biggest and best sailing events such as the America's Cup, The Ocean Race, the TP52 Super Series, Class 40 and Figaro campaigns as well as high level amateur sailing all across the UK. Successful applicants will receive coaching from a multitude of different experts across the sport gaining invaluable skills, experience and knowledge that will progress them in the world of keelboat racing. “The British Keelboat Academy gives sailors an opportunity to learn the skills to get them on a boat and keep them there," said BKA head coach Niall Myant-Best. "It’s not just about improving sailing skills, but the aim of the Academy is to produce well-rounded sailors who have the life skills to offer something valuable to any boat that they get on." Following a combined training weekend in Portsmouth in November where the sailors will get the chance to meet each other and network with sailing professionals they’ll have access to a series of skills clinics over the next three months covering match racing, symmetrical boat handling, inshore racing and high-performance asymmetric skills. But the BKA also strives to provide sailors with a community which supports them in their aspirations. “The BKA differs from a normal squad in that it provides a community of like-minded people that our members can access 24 hours a day to get advice, assistance and news of opportunities to go sailing,” added Myant-Best. Current BKA member Alida Lewis, 24, said she has benefited hugely from her time with the programme. “During my two years with the programme I have not only received top level coaching from hugely experienced sailors, but also had access to amazing opportunities,” she said. “In the first year I went from an inexperienced racer to creating and leading a British Youth Team to the SB20 European Championships. "The second saw me able to utilise the coach resources to refine and develop my skills. This has inspired confidence in my racing and led me to race on a variety of highly competitive boats.” Rebecca Coles, 18, added: “We have had the opportunity to access the world of high-level and professional yacht racing, and received training and mentoring from some of Britain’s best sailors. This has unarguably been a springboard for all of our sailing.” The deadline for applications is 22nd September 2019. For more information about the British Keelboat Academy and to apply for the 2019/2020 intake go to www.britishkeelboatacademy.co.uk.

GET THE BEST FROM YOUR RACING HARDWARE - Spinlock talk us through their ...

MYC WAYFARER SAILING AND AN UPDATE FROM HANNAH

Best Kitesurfing Beach in UK - Old Hunstanton

Your guide to Bridlington's Sailing Coble Festival

Expectations are high for the Sailing Coble Festival in Bridlington this year, as it is expected to be the biggest and best yet. It is hoped visitors and coble enthusiasts from along the coast will again support the festival in Bridlington for this unique maritime attraction. All the vessels will be moored near to the Harbour Heritage Museum, which will be open with free admission, and can be seen sailing in the bay from the various vantage points along the seafront and the North Pier.

Wind in their sails as veterans make a splash at Weymouth Regatta

Veterans from across the borough caused a ripple when they displayed their sailing skills on the national stage. A trip to the famous Weymouth Regatta was the culmination of the successful Rochdale Borough Council Sail After Service programme. The aim of the scheme was to boost mental wellbeing and provide a social outlet for local members of the Armed Forces’ community. Veterans were taught key sailing and navigational skills under expert tuition over an eight-week period at Hollingworth Lake, in partnership with Link4Life, the Royal Yacht Association and Moving Forces. Such was its success, a group of veterans were invited to display their maritime prowess in the multi-class tournament during Regatta weekend on the Dorset coast and the stand out performance by the veterans was a creditable eighth-place finish in the pursuit competition, with fine efforts in other disciplines including the dramatic keel boat race. Councillor Janet Emsley, cabinet member for the Armed Forces, said: “The Sail After Service scheme has been a success story from day one, helping isolation by bringing veterans together to socialise, learn new skills and enjoy life on the water. It was great to see so many veterans making waves at the Weymouth Regatta in front of hundreds of spectators. I am proud of the veterans’ achievements and I would like to thank everyone who delivered such a pioneering project. I look forward to it returning in 2020.” Caen Matthews, a veteran who starred in the Regatta event, said: “It was a fantastic weekend and we were honoured to be representing the borough of Rochdale at such a prestigious sporting occasion. There were plenty of thrills and spills out on the water, but we performed with credit and enjoyed every minute. The aim of the Sail After Service scheme was to bring veterans together with a shared purpose and, judging by the feedback we have had, it has been a resounding success.”

Dart 18 South West Championships 2019 - Windsport

Major Sailing Event Brings Welcome Tourism Revenue to Greystones

Greystones Sailing Club will host the Wayfarer International Championships this week (Monday 22nd to Friday 26th July) with boats coming from 13 countries around the world including the USA, Canada and across Europe and Scandinavia. The three largest team entries are from the UK, Ireland and Denmark, with a total of 65 boats planning on racing all next week. The Wayfarers’ (a 16-foot-long, open sailing dinghy) and their sailors arrived on Saturday and Sunday (20th / 21st July) to register and have their boats weighed and examined, in this exacting of one design classes. Daphne Hoolahan, Commodore of Greystones Sailing Club said that “the Wayfarer Worlds / International Championships has been running for over 60 years and this year we in Greystones Sailing Club are delighted to welcome so may international sailors and their families for the Championships. We are hosting over 200 people daily, between competitors, their families and the many volunteers from Greystones and surrounding sailing clubs, who will be helping to run this event. We are honoured to welcome so many people, from so many countries to the town and are delighted to be able to put Greystones firmly on the international sailing map.” Daphne added that “Greystones Sailing Club is punching well above its weight and size in recent national and international events with many notable wins for Greystones sailors and next week’s world class event will showcase the club and town again, as a landmark sailing centre on the East Coast of Ireland. The club already hosted the RS Eastern Championships in April this year and we will also host the annual Taste of Greystones Regatta in August, which brings in over 500 sailors in over 100 boats bringing more welcome tourism revenue to the town.” “Greystones Sailing Club has an active training and sailing program, providing sailing instruction to both children and adults and is open for membership. Everyone is encouraged to try sailing on our many adult or child courses, and we welcome new members to contact us, to be part of this growing, vibrant club,” she added. The Club has over 300 members sailing a variety of dinghy classes and offers exciting and enjoyable dinghy racing for all ages and abilities. It has a well-earned reputation as one of the top sailing clubs in Ireland with its sailors competing successfully in many open events, both nationally and internationally. The Club also boasts an active and growing keelboat fleet with over 30 keelboats giving competitive racing on a twice weekly basis.

Watersports fun for young sailors at Chichester Harbour OnBoard Festival in August

Dozens of young boating enthusiasts from sailing clubs around the Chichester and West Sussex areas are expected to come and take part in next month’s RYA OnBoard Festival 2019 at CYE & Cobnor Activity Centre. The event takes place on Saturday 31 August. The fun-filled on-the-water festival is open to all children aged 8 upwards who are already being taught sailing through the RYA supported OnBoard schools programme. The day will be filled with games and sessions on the water, where the youngsters can sail all types of boats. There will be a BBQ and a programme of shoreside activities to support the marine-based learning too. All in all it will be a great day and it is completely free of charge. Run by the RYA, OnBoard is a grass roots programme which introduces sailing and windsurfing to young people aged 8 to 18, through schools, youth groups and training centres. Being on the water creates multiple situations where young people are challenged as they learn this new and exciting sport. From problem solving, and decision making, to leadership and teamwork, young OnBoarders will learn valuable life skills, all whilst having fun and making friends on the water. OnBoard provides a safe structure for this to happen and a great environment to help develop, stimulate and strengthen both mind and body. The low cost sessions are designed to promote equal access to sailing for young people from all social and economic backgrounds, whilst encouraging their character development. Since 2005, OnBoard has introduced more than 900,000 children to sailing and windsurfing in the UK, converting some 70,000 of them into regular participants. For more information about how to get involved in sailing visit the OnBoard web page. www.rya.org.uk/go/onboard.

Solo sail from UK around Iceland in mini transat '241 Blue One'

Norfolk Broads: Sailing in July 2019