Day one of RYA Volvo Dinghy Show 2010 a great success 

A packed house of dinghy sailors at Alexandra Palace

Thousands of dinghy sailing enthusiasts flocked to Alexandra Palace, London on day one of the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show, in association with Yachts & Yachting and Suzuki, the only show in the world dedicated to all things dinghy sailing.  

From the blast of the starter’s horn to the Caribbean themed exhibitor’s party; once inside there were talks, prizes galore and plenty of action around the exhibitors stands.  

On arrival at the show visitors caught sight of the amazing Vestas SailRocket which dominated the Palm Court area and were also able to hear from pilot Paul Larsen who shared tales from his bid for the speed sail record; which also included some very breathtaking video footage of some spectacular crashes!  

Visitor Una Hodgkins from Datchet and Ranelagh Sailing clubs said: “Vestas SailRocket was amazing, a totally original concept and it was great not only to hear about the boat but to have the opportunity to see it too.”  

Many of the younger visitors enjoyed battling it out on the rowing machines in the Fitness Zone, as well as whizzing around the show collecting the clues in the Treasure Hunt and getting faces painted at the Sunsail kids zone.  

There were top tips galore in the Volvo Main Stage talks and coaching sessions.  Amongst the many talks that took place during the day, Skandia Team GBR’s Nick Thompson shared his secrets on up-wind sailing to a packed house, whilst the RYA’s Chris Watts gave a very informative talk on the rules out on the water. 

Chris was also joined on stage by Trevor Lewis who launched the brand new ‘Racing Rules Explained’ book.  

Another launch that took place was the National Windsurfing Week 2010.  Olympic bronze medallist Bryony Shaw joined the National Windsurfing Week team to announce the launch, Bryony said: “The things I love most about windsurfing are the lifestyle and the thrill of being out on the water so National Windsurfing Week is a fantastic opportunity to introduce these things to other people. The week is about having fun, as it isn’t competitive. It’s great to be able to spread the word about the sport.”  

Skandia Team GBR launched their brand new ‘Support Crew’ website, the RYA Sailability Marina was packed all day showcasing a wide range of sailing boats designed for disabled sailors and judges perused the many beautiful boats at the show in their deliberations to choose the winner of the Concours d’Elegance award.  

Paul Bayliss, show manager said: “It’s been fantastic to see so many people here today and we look forward to seeing just as many again tomorrow.  The atmosphere has been great and we hope that everyone went away having picked up a tip or two.”  

The show will also be open on Sunday 07 March and tickets are available on the door costing just £13.00 for adults and free for kids.  

All visitors to the show will receive a FREE show guide and a FREE sailing season wall planner.