As we look ahead to another exciting year on the water in Wales, we’re busy planning a whole variety of events and opportunities to help everyone get set for the new season. Some are already bookable, while others are ‘save the dates’ that you won’t want to miss!

Race coaching 

Are you an RYA Race Coach Level 2 or 3? We’ve lined up three FREE development days to inspire you! Join us for a practical and enjoyable day on the water with trainer Alan Williams to gain new insights for coaching, safety management and briefings, and network with fellow race coaches.

Booking is now live for these dates as follows:

• WEST: Saturday 14 February at Neyland YC
• SOUTH: Sunday 15 February at Cardiff Bay YC
• NORTH: Sunday 17 May at Port Dinorwic SC

If you’re a keen racing sailor and would like to qualify as an RYA Race Coach, there are also two courses coming up soon at Cardiff Bay YC and Neyland YC, with both now open to non-members as well as club members.

• Race Coach Level 2: 19-20 February at Cardiff Bay YC - book here
• Race Coach Level 2: 25-26 April at Neyland YC - book here

Stretch & refresh 

As part of our continuing drive to provide opportunities for all sailing and boating enthusiasts to develop their skills or try something new, be sure to save these dates!

Big Days Out: Join us at Cardiff Bay YC in the South on Saturday and/or Sunday 14-15 March 2026, when we’ll be running a whole variety of sessions and courses both ashore and afloat, including sailing, powerboating and a Regional Race Officer course. More details to follow!

BIG Weekend: This annual extravaganza of activities will take place 10–11 October 2026 at Plas Menai in the North, and will again provide a wealth of opportunities to upskill or try something new. Not been before? Find out more in our 2025 Big Weekend review.

Instructor courses

If you are an RYA Dinghy Instructor, there will be an opportunity to add the Foiling Endorsement to your ticket with a course at Cardiff Bay Yacht Club in March 2026.

The club is also running a Foiling Endorsement for RYA Race Coaches (Level 2/3) on Saturday 16 May – bookings are live for this already and you can sign up here for this one.

Also, look out for bookings opening soon for these dates:

• Powerboat Instructor Development Day: Wednesday 1 April with Sam Chisholm – share ideas about session delivery, the knowledge base and the question of ‘pass/fail/something else’.
• OnBoard Development Day: Thursday 2 April with the RYA’s Hannah Cockle – providing a boost and new ideas for instructors who deliver junior and youth sessions.

Youth & Junior

For our aspiring racing sailors - whether training with our national squads or making the most of open training at our four Pathway Clubs - the winter months have provided some fantastic opportunities to see friends and work on skills and tactics ready for 2026.

We are as ever also working with our dedicated volunteers and clubs across the country to bring together a vibrant calendar of Dragon Series dates, giving all our young sailors - whether they are rookies or experienced racers - a chance to enjoy competing in their regions.

In the meantime, we’re pleased to confirm the key dates and venues for all our major events:

• 20-21 June 2026 - Welsh Club Championships for youth and junior sailors at Cardiff Bay YC -main and regatta fleets – come and battle it out for individual and club prizes!
• 22-23 August 2026 - OnBoard Festival alongside the Welsh WASZP Championships at Bala SC – main and regatta fleets – ideal for those new to racing and something for experienced racers too, with try WASZPing and winging sessions as well!
• 12-13 September 2026 – Welsh Youth & Junior Championships at Plas Heli – pinnacle event of the year with main and regatta fleets – and a must-do indicator for those seeking selection to the Welsh National Sailing Team.

Find out more at our Welsh Sailing Hub.

And finally…

Please do share all our dates and opportunities with everyone at your club or centre, and keep up with all the latest news and announcements by following RYA Cymru Wales on Facebook and Instagram.

You may also want to stay connected by joining our RYA CW WhatsApp community.

We look forward to seeing you on the water!

James, Sian, Hester, Hatty, Sarah & Paula.
Your RYA Cymru Wales team