Everyone a winner at Sutton Bingham OnBoard sailing festival

OnBoard kids at Sutton Bingham © RYA

The emphasis was fun when 111 children and 25 adults gathered at Sutton Bingham Sailing Club for a day of practising their sailing skills on Saturday (29 August) in the RYA’s OnBoard Fun Festival 2009 for beginner sailors in Weymouth, Portland and Dorset.

On a perfect sunny and breezy day youngsters came from all over the region, not just from Sutton Bingham but from the Sail Laser OnBoard Club, Weymouth Outdoor Education Centre OnBoard Club, Lyme Regis Sea School, Weymouth SC, Castle Cove SC, and West Wilts Sailing. Some had also come independently.

“111 was a great number of sailors to have taken part, especially as it is known as ‘Nelson’ a nautical term!” said OnBoard organiser Tony Wood. “Everybody who attended was a winner with a very good standard of sailing being demonstrated”.

Most of the youngsters had sailed before in OnBoard sessions at one of these OnBoard centres, but some were there for the first time.

Run by sailings National Governing Body, the RYA, OnBoard is a highly successful industry supported grass roots programme 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.

Sailors were divided into mixed ability teams with team captains. Sailing in Laser Bug dinghies, teams competed against each other in the various activities, including relay races, ball games and an exciting treasure hunt. Learn to sail and improvement sessions were also organised. Adults were also given a chance to sail in the club’s own dinghies.

The youngest sailor was just five years old. One young sailor Sam Mottershead (12) from Weymouth was having a great time: “The on-water treasure hunt was really good fun”, he said. “ It was great to meet loads of other young sailors. The OnBoard Festival was fantastic!”

Tai and Jet Thomas Day aged 9 and 6 from Weymouth said “It was really good fun sailing on the lake because we could relax and felt safe. The games were great fun!”

“Tony added “Fantastic support was given by Sutton Bingham SC and OnBoard volunteers from throughout the area. Of special mention are Mark Talbot (OnBoard Coordinator from SBSC), Ian Ohnstat, Chris Hutton and John Chapman (SBSC), Richard and Angie White (Castle Cove SC), Matt Berry and Kit Fortescue (Lyme Regis SC). It would have been completely impossible for the OnBoard Festival to take place without the enormous amount of help from hard working volunteers.

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