The RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show - What's on from the RYA

by Susie NationGrainger on 14 Feb 2015 Alongside the hundreds of exhibitors, boats and gear at this year’s RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show, the RYA will be sharing a wealth of knowledge and showcasing a whole range of activities and events.

Taking place at the magnificent Alexandra Palace in London on the 28 February and 01 March, the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show is brought to you by the RYA, in association with Yachts and Yachting.

First stop is the Panorama Hall where you’ll find the RYA. Under the watchful eyes of the experts, test your harnesses and trapezing techniques on the RYA Magic Marine Trapeze rig. The RS Sailing Simulator is also back by popular demand giving you a real-life feel for the motion of the boat without getting wet!

We’ve teamed up with RS Sailing to offer you the chance to win your very own personalised RS Tera worth £1,735. There’s still time to enter (the competition closes on 23 February), all you have to do is design, colour and decorate the RS sail sticker which can be downloaded here. The RS Tera and all competition entries will be on display throughout the weekend in the Panorama hall and the winning design will be unveiled on Saturday at 15:45 on the main stage.

The show is the perfect place to chat with many of the RYA’s experts who will be happy to answer any of your questions from training courses to membership. If you’d like any advice on finding a club, training centre or details on how to get started, the RYA Regional Development Officers (RDOs) will be on hand throughout the weekend and can help you to get afloat.

Also returning to the Panorama Hall will be the RYA Club Clinics supported by Arthur J. Gallagher. These offer one-two-one sessions with leading RYA experts, giving sailing clubs the opportunity to discuss key issues. The 30 minute sessions will run throughout the weekend in the Panorama Hall on a number of different topics including legal, club development and RYA training.

Alongside the club clinics, on Saturday (10:30-11:30) the RYA Club Briefing will provide expert guidance for clubs to make the 2015 season a success. There are also opportunities for clubs to book onto exclusive workshops on CASC changes (Community Amateur Sports Club) and Push the Boat Out.

Come along to stand G28 and meet the RYA Sailability team for information and advice on sailing opportunities for people with a disability. Find out where to start sailing and get the latest guidance whether you’re a sailor, sailing group or club. You can also learn more about Disability Awareness Training, the Certificate of Achievement Scheme and other Sailability schemes.

The Green Blue can be found on stand F34 and younger visitors are invited to turn detective by helping the RYA mascot Bob the Buoy and The Green Blue Forensic Team solve four mysteries about who polluted the marine environment. Parents can also pick up some top tips on how to make their boating as environmentally friendly as possible.

On stand (G30) the RYA publications team will be helping you build confidence through knowledge. Showcasing a selection of 45 dinghy and racing titles along with the latest releases, visitors can enjoy a 20% discount on all show purchases. Don’t worry if we don’t have the book you’re looking for on the day, you can buy online and you’ll still get your 20% discount and postage will be free; just ask the publications desk for the online voucher code.

Staff will also be demonstrating all the additional features of eBooks and visitors to the show will receive a 20% discount on all eBook purchases through the RYA Shop

On Saturday the winner of the prestigious RYA Club of the Year Award 2015 will be announced at 16:00 on the main stage. The five finalists are Brightlingsea Sailing Club, Bury Lake Young Mariners, Himley Hall Sailing Club, Horning Sailing Club and Llangorse Sailing Club.

There’ll be celebrations all round when we mark the 10 year anniversary of the RYA OnBoard programme which has introduced over half a million youngsters to sailing and windsurfing with 50,000 remaining in the sport. Join us on Sunday at 1:30 on the main stage. After this we will be unveiling the 2015 winners of the RYA Regional Youth Champion awards which recognise the outstanding achievements and performance of young people in sailing, windsurfing and powerboating.

So what are you waiting for? For more information and to book your tickets to the World’s only show dedicated to dinghies visit website.