City youngsters take part in learn to sail event 

Youngsters from five Bristol schools brave windy conditions to have their first sailing experience...

The docks around Baltic Wharf became a windy outside classroom when 77 youngsters from five Bristol schools and youth clubs had their first-ever experience of sailing there last week (5/6/7 July).

The youngsters, aged between 8 and 16, were learning to sail through the RYA OnBoard scheme, with the West of England Schools Sailing Association (WESSA).

They came from Bristol Brunel Academy, Bristol Metropolitan Academy, St Anne’s Park Primary School, City Academy and Full Circle Youth Group. Sailing coach Femi Osmotosho, from London, assisted by three instructors from WESSA, ran a series of two-hour sailing sessions in the docks, as ferries and yachts passed through the area.

The youngsters negotiated around some of the many moored boats including The Mathew, and even had the opportunity to sail past the SS Great Britain. Sailing in good sunny weather, and sometimes challenging winds, the youngsters, and most of their teachers, also became the focus for an RYA OnBoard film crew, who are producing a new DVD to promote sailing to schools across the UK.

Nigel Cooley, School Sports Co-ordinator, went sailing himself, and was delighted with the results of the event: “It’s been a pleasure to work with the RYA and WESSA on this unique project, where we are trying to get young people from different backgrounds enthused with sailing.”

Leon Ward, RYA OnBoard Development Officer, added: “The event was used to introduce the children to sailing and to encourage them to join WESSA’s regular weekly sailing sessions.

“Both kids and adults showed a huge interest in doing more sailing. “We are now in the process of creating better links between the schools/youth groups and WESSA, so that more children can come sailing more often.”

The programme was put together in collaboration with City Academy Bristol School Sports Partnership.

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.

Over a ten year period OnBoard aims to introduce a minimum of 500,000 children to sailing and windsurfing in the UK, converting over 10% of them into regular participants. So far it’s nicely on track.