Happy New Year! There is so much happening in the next three months, with the RYA providing a wide range of opportunities and activities for you, whatever watersport you favour.
RYA South West Cruising Conference
The RYA South West Cruising Conference takes place on Saturday 11 March at the Noss-on-Dart Marina – right in the heart of South West cruising country. The packed programme covers topics relevant to everyone, from those who stay local and coastal, to cross-channel and adventurers further afield.
- Get an update the latest safety equipment from Ocean Safety and learn about saving lives at sea from the RNLI’s Tony Mansell
- Discover the impact of Brexit on cruising and buying in Europe, and ask advice from RYA Cruising Manager Stuart Carruthers
- Hear crucial information from the UK Border Force and the Met Office
The event is being held at the recently opened South Devon Marine Academy, and this will be the perfect chance for you to see this state-of-the-art new facility.
Find much more information and the SW Cruising Conference booking form
Winter Forums
We have six dates confirmed for the 2023 SW Club Winter Forums. We will be looking at your members’ motivations and how you can plan your club around them. Discussing the club development cycle and the support RYA has to help your club development, we will be offering tangible support including documents and templates as well as revisiting some of the member motivation videos we used at the Affiliated Clubs Conference in November. These events offer you the chance to really ‘beef up’ your offer to your members.
| Club venue | Address | Date | Time | Booking link |
| South Cerney Sailing Club | Lake 16, Station Road, South Cerney, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 5TH |
16 February 2023 | 1845 | https://rya.eventsair.com/sw-cwfscsc-feb-23/cpd/Site/Register |
| Poole Yacht Club | The Yacht Haven, New Harbour Road West, Hamworthy, Poole BH15 4AQ |
20 February 2023 | 1830 | https://rya.eventsair.com/sw-cwftpyc-feb-23/cpd/Site/Register |
| Paignton Sailing Club | South Quay, Paignton Harbour, Devon, Paignton TQ4 6DT | 22 February 2023 | 1830 | https://rya.eventsair.com/sw-cwfpsc-feb-23/cpd/Site/Register |
| Royal Fowey Yacht Club | 3 Whitford Yard, Fowey PL23 1BH | 02 March 2023 | 1830 | https://rya.eventsair.com/sw-cwfrfyc-mar-23/cpd/Site/Register |
| Royal Cornwall Yacht Club | Greenbank, Falmouth TR11 2SP |
03 March 2023 | 1830 | https://rya.eventsair.com/sw-cwfrcyc-mar-23/cpd/Site/Register |
Sport England Small Grants Fund
Sport England has just re-opened its small grants fund.
Grants are now available up to £15k, but Sport England is being more specific than previously in terms of what it will support, and the criteria you need to fulfil. Read the details carefully, and please get in touch with me before you apply to make sure we can give you the best chance of success.
Heads up: Spring Conferences in February
If you haven’t already booked, now is the time to get places at the 2023 RYA Training Conference on 04/05 February – you can attend in-person in Oxford, or online.
And the Sailability National Conference is on Saturday 11 February at Wyboston Lakes.
Booking for both events ends very soon, so don’t miss your chance!
Dinghy & Watersports Show 2023
The 2023 RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show will be on 25-26 February at Farnborough International. Featuring dinghy sailing, windsurfing, and board sports, it promises a weekend of interactive family fun, watersports displays and demos, live coaching sessions, hundreds of boats and the biggest names in marine retail all under one roof.
Regional Training Days
The SW Regional Training Days for 2023 will be on 12 March at Roadford Lake and 25 March at Rockley Watersports. They are for anyone involved in the practical delivery of activities supported by the RYA small craft schemes. Look out for more information and booking details in next month’s blog.
Junior racing news from Regional Performance Manager, Duncan West
Don’t forget to plan your Race Coach L2 courses for spring and summer. If you want to host a course at your club, email me or call 07747 111447 and I’ll talk you through the process and get it organised.
Make sure the South West Regional Junior Championships are in your youth section diary. The windsurfing event is at Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club’s Axbridge Reservoir on 10/11 June and the dinghy event is on 17/18 June at Royal Torbay Yacht Club. Both will be a festival of junior sailing, with Rookie (OnBoard), Regatta and Championship fleets. Bookings will open at the end of February to coincide with the Dinghy & Watersports Show.
RDO Rob Howlett
07876 330374
rob.howlett@rya.org.uk
