RYA Opens Landmark Survey for UK Sailing and Boating Community

RYA Opens Landmark Survey for UK Sailing and Boating Community © RYA

Sailing and boating in the UK are at a crossroads — participation is in decline, and we need to act.

As the National Governing Body for sailing and boating, the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) represents a community of over 100,000 members, working with over 24,000 instructors, 250,000 volunteers, and more than 2,000 Recognised Training Centres across the UK. Together, we all have the power to protect what we love — but the RYA needs your voice to do it.

Today, the Reflections on Water Survey launches — the RYA's largest open study to date — designed to capture the most complete picture yet of life on the water in the UK. From grassroots participation to professional pathways, the survey aims to understand what's working, what isn't, and where change is most needed.

Your Voice Matters

No matter what your connection to the water, from sailor to volunteer, club member to marine industry professional — your experiences matter. This is your chance to directly influence how the National Governing Body supports the future of our sport, strengthens career pathways across the maritime sector, and keeps our waters open and welcoming for all to take part.

Importantly, the survey is open to everyone, not just RYA members. Whether you've spent a lifetime on the water or are completely new to it, the RYA want to hear from you. Every response helps shape future initiatives, opportunities, and investment — ensuring sailing and boating continue to thrive as a key part of our national identity as a maritime nation.

Take Part

The survey is split into two 15-minute sections, open until Monday 1 December 2025 and can be completed online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/5XWRSPX

Aiming to gather over 7,000 responses, the review explores impact, support, and first hand experiences — identifying where improvements are needed across both sailing and the wider marine industry. With your honest reflections, the RYA will identify and remove barriers, helping our community thrive and keeping our waters open to all. Insights will be published in early 2026.

Part of the Reflections on Water campaign

The survey sits at the heart of the RYA's Reflections on Water campaign — connecting voices nationwide to drive real change. Guided by the Together on Water strategy (launched in 2023), it's part of the RYA's long-term mission to make sailing and boating more accessible, inclusive, and open to all.

Driving Change Across the Community

Reflections on Water has already delivered ground breaking initiatives within the sailing community such as:

The Urban Winds Project, providing training and employment opportunities for the next generation of sailing instructors in the UK's capital.

The Female Futures Group, working to make Great Britain the best place in the world for developing female sailors.

Through the RYA's Onboard programme, over 1.3 million children have been introduced to the thrill of sailing and windsurfing over the last 20 years— with a further 1 million young people set to follow.

The campaign has also shared inspiring stories from across the country, including Jazz Turner (26) who circumnavigated the UK to raise money for her local Sailability; Jean Paton (91), BBC Unsung Hero of the Year 2024, recognised for her lifelong commitment to volunteering; and Kai Hockley (19) of SailGP, who shared his experiences and journey into professional sailing.

These are the kinds of stories and work your feedback helps to make possible.

Through the Onboard programme over 1.3 million children have been introduced to sailing and windsurfing - photo © RYA

Act now

Have your say today — and ensure a future of sailing and boating for generations to come.

Take the Survey Now : www.surveymonkey.com/r/5XWRSPX

Quotes and Comments

"Sailing and boating aren't just pastimes — they're part of who we are. They're passions, traditions, careers, and, for many, a way of life. Right now, our community is at a turning point. The Reflections on Water Survey is your chance to be heard — to share not only the joys of life on the water, but the barriers too. This isn't a box-ticking exercise; it's about shaping a future where everyone has the chance to belong, to participate, and to thrive."- Sara Sutcliffe, RYA CEO

"Being disabled and being a female sailor, each come with their fair share of barriers but what I tend to find is that when you have the conversations and when people understand the challenges, the door opens for opportunities or solutions. Sometimes it might be something simple that can make a world of difference and as a sailing community, it's so important that we share our experiences because if you don't have the conversation, you stop something potentially ever happening." - Jazz Turner, Project Fear Sailor

"As a woman who's spent her life on the water, I know how powerful sailing can be in bringing people together and changing lives. But if we don't speak up, change can't happen. There has been some great work under way in recent years, and sailing is evolving however, there is still more to do. It's so important to make sure you take part in research like the Reflections on Water Survey as we all want to make sure we don't just survive as a community but that we thrive and grow." - Hannah Mills, Emirates GBR Strategist

"This is an opportunity to have your say and to help shape future plans and strategies. Like any journey, an understanding of where you are and where you want to be, allows you to chart a course to reach your destination most effectively. It's clear looking at data from our member organisations that being on the water is a significant contributor to maintaining wellbeing, a route to increasing confidence and an effective way to develop life skills. Taking part in this survey will help the RYA to understand how to remove barriers to participation so that even more people can benefit. We encourage you to share this survey with people you know as well as completing it yourself so that the results reflect all those who are currently involved or would like to be involved in life on the water in the UK." - Kerry McMillan, Chief Executive of the Association of Sail Training Organisations

"As a sailor, coach, parent, and volunteer in the sport of sailing, I've seen first-hand the remarkable opportunities, impact, and value the sport offers to people of all ages. However, like all activities, boating now faces intense competition from a wide range of other interests that are all vying for people's increasingly limited time, money, and attention. For sailing to continue thriving and to attract and retain participants from all backgrounds, it is essential that the sport listens, adapts, and evolves to remain accessible, relevant, and reflective of its unique strengths. This exercise is a vital part of that process and is to be applauded. I encourage respondents to think not only of their own immediate experiences or those of their families and friends, but to also consider what will be required to meet the needs of future generations of sailors. Doing so will give the RYA, its stakeholders, and the sport's wider workforce the insight needed to move forward with clarity and purpose." - Duncan Truswell, Strategic Lead, Talent and Performance - Sport England