Clubs celebrate World Sailing's Steering the Course

Clubs across the country joined in with World Sailing’s Steering the Course festival and a follow-up webinar will now explore how we can actively continue to encourage women in the sport.

Steering the Course ran through 10 days in May, highlighting opportunities for women and girls in sailing and promoting pathways across the sport for female sailors.

A big thank you to all the clubs who took part in this year’s festival, whether hosting activities or sharing #SteeringTheCourse stories on social media to inspire the next generation.

Here’s just a few of the highlights for you!

Helen Derry, aged 82, a former commodore of Hythe & Saltwood SC, joined daughter Catherine to go sailing in breezy conditions off the beach at Hastings & St Leonards SC, where activities also included a women’s powerboat familiarisation session.
Stories from Women on Water groups including the Banbury SC group inspired to try racing and video shorts from Hayling Island SC, Hunts SC where Jemma at the club also shared her subsequent pathway into instructing, and the members of Colne YC WOW group.
A women’s keelboating day at London’s Queen Mary SC saw 27 women sailing RS21s supported by four female instructors; other activities included a ‘women at the helm’ club race.
Videos from Rudyard Lake SC and Tamworth SC spotlighted the role of women on their committees, which you can also read about here.

If you’re looking for ways to inspire women and girls at your club, you can find many more stories shared as part of the festival by visiting our RYA Steering the Course hub or by simply searching for #SteeringTheCourse on Facebook.

Sign up for our webinar

To continue the Steering the Course theme, we remain passionate about ensuring inclusive and equal opportunities for all to get out on the water and progress in the sport.

Clubs and centres are now invited to join us for an informal webinar on Wednesday 29 June at 7pm when we will be sharing ideas and hearing from those who are actively encouraging more women and girls to participate in sailing.

Many organisations in boating are promoting female participation and yet there remains an imbalance in the numbers who are actively involved at a grassroots level.

The webinar will explore this topic and ask: “Why are we not seeing more women and girls on the water? And what can we do about it?”

This online seminar is for those who want to engage, enable and empower women to take part in on-the-water activity.

A panel discussion will consider motivation and what types of activities are appealing, and how to maintain the momentum so women and girls want to keep coming back.