What's on at the RYA Dinghy Show 2020
There’s less than a month to go until the RYA Dinghy Show once again fills the halls of Alexandra Palace, London, with everything dinghy sailing (29 February- 01 March).
Whether you’ve been sailing your whole life or you’re new to the sport, the RYA Dinghy Show in association with Yachts & Yachting has something for everyone and is the perfect place to start the new sailing year.
Featuring more than 170 exhibitors, over 100 boats, a full line up of expert speakers and plenty of interactive features and activities to inspire the whole family it’s the perfect opportunity to catch up with friends.
Here are some of our show highlights…
New theme: The 2020 show theme is ‘a world of opportunity- see where dinghy sailing can take you’. From competing on the race course, to travelling the globe, an exciting career on the water, or simply spending valuable time outdoors with family and friends, the show will celebrate the unique wealth of opportunities that dinghy sailing provides.
New zones: Whether you come to the show to snap up deals on the latest kit or to check out the hundreds of dinghies, it will be even easier to explore everything on offer. Over 170 exhibitors will be filling the halls of Ally Pally across the four zones; shopping and equipment, buy a boat, holidays and training, classes and clubs.
New Hosts: This year we will see three hosts take to the stages, two-time Olympic Gold Medallist Sarah Ayton (OBE), the British Sailing Team’s Sam Whaley and Olympian Annie Lush.
New talks: We’re delighted to welcome a whole host of new speakers for, Q&A sessions and workshops presented across the show’s three stages. So what’s on when?
The Great Hall Stage: Keeping with our show theme, Sarah Ayton, Sam Whaley and Sailability sailor Hannah Shelmerdine have all been on very different journeys with their dinghy sailing. Hear their stories of where the sport has taken them at 11.00.
Record-breaking adventure sailors Will and Rich will keep you entertained with stories of their non-stop circumnavigation around the British Isles in their wayfarer Nipegigi (12.30) We will also be live gaming at 15.00 with the launch of the GBR National E-sailing Championship so join us and find out how to get involved.
The West Hall Stage: From lifestyle and confidence to responsibility and determination, young sailors including the British sailing Team’s Eilidh McIntyre share their experiences growing up in the sport at 12.00.
Neil Peters – alter ego Stick Daring tells his incredible tale of sailing the wrong way around Britain in his 13ft Laser dinghy (3.00pm) and leading coach and owner of SailingFast Duncan Hepplewhite discusses how Dinghy Sailing may evolve in the next decade and how to attract young people (16.00).
Knowledge Zone: Let’s talk tactics! Whether you’re looking to understand wind shifts better, start fast, use a race compass or get round the marks first, Olympic coach Mark Rushall can help get you there (12.00).
How do you communicate in the boat when the pressure is on? Olympic medallist Luke Patience will be joined by British Sailing Team’s Eilidh McIntyre to share their top tips on how to ensure you are a winning team (16.00).
Find a full schedule of speakers for the show
Preparing for Tokyo with TeamGB
As well as an exclusive insight into the world of British Sailing Team at 11.45 on the Great Hall Stage, the show welcomes the return of Sailors Corner where you can swing by to rub shoulders with sailing champions.
Don’t miss the chance to capture your ‘insta’ moment and an autograph from TeamGB sailors! Meet and greets will take place in the Panorama Hall (10.30) and Sailors Corner at (13.00) with free posters of the team ready to be signed.
Meanwhile all weekend in the Panorama Hall younger visitors can feel like champions and jump on the podium, create origami boats or make a good luck card with a message for the team.
Returning favourites and expert advice
Back by popular demand are the Boat Repair Workshops (buy a boat zone) and Trailer Workshops (shopping and equipment zone) which will be running throughout the weekend.
In the Panorama Hall once again visitors of all ages will be able to enjoy family-friendly show favourites including the 360° ‘On the Water’ VR experience, sailing simulators and the model boat pool. The famous Treasure Hunt will keep youngsters entertained as they navigate through the halls, collecting clues and treasure along the way.
From Membership to Training, the RYA will be on hand in the Panorama Hall to share a wealth of knowledge and information. You’ll also find RYA Sailability who can tell you everything you need to know about inclusive sailing and RYA OnBoard for youngsters aged 8-18.
RYA Publications can be found on stand C69 over in the Great Hall so check out the new edition of bestselling title RYA Tactics and newly launched audiobooks with a special 20% show discount.
Are you ready?
Buy your tickets in advance and save – Advance tickets start from £10 for RYA members and £12.50 for non-members. Weekend tickets start at £15. Advance ticket sales and RYA Member and group discounts are only available until midnight on Saturday 29 February. Don’t leave it too late, get yours today!
Check out the official Show Guide – Available now! This year’s Show Guide is jam-packed with everything you need to know about the show. Browse the exhibitor listings and find out more about this year’s speakers.
Download the App – You can use the RYA Dinghy Show App to purchase your tickets, plan your journey, navigate your way around the show and discover all the latest news. Available on Google Play and the Apple App Store – download it today!
Plan your travel in advance – Alexandra Palace is situated between Muswell Hill & Wood Green and served by all forms of public transport. It is easy to reach by underground, road, rail and air. Check the Dinghy Show website for further details.
Stay connected - Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest show news. Get involved and stay in touch in the lead up to the show #DinghyShow.