Netley Sailing Club

Grow your club’s crew with OnBoard

Do you need to expand your club’s instructor pool and train new instructors? Sign up to OnBoard and we’ll help you coach your most enthusiastic young sailors, channelling their energy and passion into becoming committed instructors for your club.

OnBoard, the RYA’s grassroots programme, provides safe, fun and equal access to sailing and windsurfing for anyone aged 8-18 through a structured and progressive programme. It aims to offer every child a place on the water; a place to experience exhilaration, joy and wonder while developing skills like teamwork, communication, and determination.

This energetic approach resonates with young boaters and windsurfers - a recent survey showed that 81% of OnBoard participants felt more confident in themselves after taking part in an OnBoard session and 82% felt better able to work as a team. Netley Sailing Club based in Royal Victoria Country Park in Southampton, is one club that have harnessed the enthusiasm for OnBoard to develop their instructor talent

“What we wanted to do was to inspire the youngsters to get into sailing, whether it’s racing, teaching, Sailaways or anything like that being inspired by slightly older youths,” explains Ruari Chisholm, Training Principle for Netley Sailing Club. “Instead of getting taught by us oldies, they’re getting taught by really enthusiastic, upbeat youngsters.”

OnBoard supports Netley in offering their youth instructors free training, so junior members like Peggy can enjoy the water while giving back to their club.

“I looked up to my Instructors when I was a little nipper and I wanted to be like that,” says Peggy, who is now a qualified Instructor. “Netley’s given me a really good opportunity to go straight to instructing. Now, I’m teaching the same age group that I was when I decided I wanted to be an instructor.”

“It’s a great investment in the youth because it does mean that they get their qualification which gives them a life skill for the future,” adds Polly, Commodore for Netley. “Their give back is to come back and instruct for us.”

Instructors like Obi, who took part in the training, are happy to give back in return for the confidence gained through instructing.

“It’s really, really helped with my communication. I used to struggle a lot with that, but now I find it really easy to talk to people,” says Obi, who enjoys the friendly environment at Netley and the chance to form bonds with his fellow Instructors and the children he teaches.

Ruari is so pleased with the results of the club’s investment in OnBoard. He’s seen the ways in which his youth members have gained confidence and learnt to problem-solve and delegate.

“I would seriously recommend that if any club isn’t an OnBoard member that they really should become one,” he says. “It worked for us.”