Essentials 

Don't Forget to Insure

Everyone going afloat should have at least third party insurance cover which means that you are insured if you happen to collide with anyone else and cause damage to them or their equipment.

If you want to insure your own equipment as well (against damage or theft) then you should consider taking out more comprehensive insurance. 

Free insurance

To help keep costs down, third party insurance is available FREE when you join the RYA and list windsurfing as one of your interests. 

RYA Membership - Essential For Inter-Club

For those children taking part in T15 inter-club challenges, it is a requirement that you are an RYA personal member. You must take your membership card with you to the T15 inter-club challenges and present this at event registration.

RYA membership starts from £5 for Junior Membership and £11 for Youth Membership, whilst Family Membership costs from £59 (by direct debit).

Good news for Team15 members! There is a discount of £5 off RYA membership costs in your first year, if you pay by Direct Debit. That means Junior Membership is free for the first year and Youth Membership is only £6. Just ask your T15 coach for the Team15 discount code - you can use it whether you’re joining online or over the phone.

As well as supporting the RYA and the Team15 intitiative, having RYA membership also means that you won't have to worry about insurance cover at events - because it's automatic!

To receive FREE third party windsurfing insurance cover ensure that you join the RYA as a windsurfing member (mark windsurfing as your primary interest on the membership form and ideally join ahead of the event via your T15 club or online).

RYA membership - what's in it for me?
We would like to encourage as many people as possible to become RYA members - whether attending the T15 inter-club challenges or not - so that we can increase our voice when it comes to fighting windsurfing and boating issues and defending your interests.

From a Team15 perspective we also need more members so that we can continue to expand the T15 initiative.

In return there are a number of benefits provided to all RYA members. Here are just a few...

'See also' for the full list of RYA membership benefits and information on how to join.

Free third party insurance
This is included in your RYA membership when you specify windsurfing as one of your interests. It covers you for £3,000,000 on inland and coastal waters of the UK and Europe, and up to 30 days in any one period of insurance worldwide.

FREE sail number, normally £26
RYA windsurfing members can get a free windsurfing sail number. Email windsurfing-competition@rya.org.uk and provide your RYA membership number as reference.

Whilst you don't need a national sail number for T15 inter-club events - because you wear colour coded team race vests - you will require sail numbers for RYA Zone Squad events, UKWA events, etc.

We are also encouraging all T15 sailors who qualify for the T15 Champions Cup to register for a national sail number due to the clash of race vest colours at this national event. Remember, it's a free benefit of RYA membership and in order to participate in the event you have to be an RYA member - so it makes sense to get one!

Discount on RYA publications
RYA Members now receive a 15% discount every time they buy books, CDs, DVDs or regalia from the RYA whether it be in person, by mail order, over the phone (0845 345 0372) or from the RYA Web Shop.

PLUS, don't forget that as an RYA Member ordering books to be delivered within the UK, you now receive standard postage FREE OF CHARGE when you spend more than £20. 

So why not use this offer to purchase your RYA Youth Windsurfing Logbook or for the more experienced T15 inter-club sailors, the Racing Rules of Sailing? There are lots more windsurfing publications too, which you might find useful.

More membership benefits...
The above are what we believe might be a few benefits for windsurfers (and were correct at the time of publication). From time to time these membership benefits are updated and you may think some of the others are more to your liking - reductions on Volvo cars, etc.  

'See also' for the full (up to date) list of RYA membership benefits and information on how to join.

Don't Forget Your RYA Logbook

To help you develop your windsurfing skills in a structured and progressive way, you should make sure you have your own copy of the RYA Youth Windsurfing Scheme Syllabus & Logbook (available from the RYA online store). Keep it in your kit bag and make sure you take it to every T15 club session so that your coach can sign off the appropriate skills that you have achieved.

This book is suitable no matter what your ability, since it takes you from a complete beginner through to intermediate skills and up to advanced racing. It will help build confidence and allow coaches to see what level windsurfer you are and what events would be suitable for you to attend. The same book is used by sailors in the RYA Zone Windsurfing Squads.