RYA Cymru Wales blog - the Big Weekend!

Club development officer Hester Walker assesses the impact…
16 Oct 24
 

People with winging equipoment on shore at Plas Menai as part of the Big Weekend 2024.

A sold-out RYA Cymru Wales Big Weekend saw participants from across north Wales and beyond enjoying sessions to stretch and refresh their skills – Together on our Waters at Plas Menai!

Our aim was to provide a wealth of opportunities for instructors and coaches, clubs and centres, volunteers, staff and watersports enthusiasts, with options to mix and match sessions over one or both days (5-6 October 2024).

It was an ambitious programme that proved to be a hot ticket. Sessions quickly booked up and the final reckoning has revealed that the Big Weekend was enjoyed by:

  • 76 delegates representing 16 clubs or affiliates, including 13 Welsh, 10 training centres and two schools
  • 46 people were inspired to attend both the Saturday and Sunday, and boding well for the future, 23 delegates were under 25 years
  • Qualifications achieved over the weekend included 11 RYA First Aid certificates and 6 completed the RYA Safety Boat course
  • 4 people completed their RYA Dinghy Instructor Pre-Entry and a further 4 were able to have their RYA Dinghy/Senior Instructor qualifications revalidated
  • The weekend also saw the qualification of 8 new Regional Mark Layers!

People taking part in an indoor powerboat maintanance workshop at Plas Menai as part of the Big Weekend 2024.

While the statistics alone demonstrate a successful weekend, it is the anecdotal feedback that has made the hard work behind the scenes so worthwhile.

Around half a dozen members of Gresford Sailing Club were among those who made the most of the Big Weekend to explore new activities and insights to take home.

The club’s Training Principal, James Eastbury, said: “We’re an RYA Recognised Training Centre but have a very small sailing area so going somewhere like Plas Menai was a good opportunity for members to diversify their experience and try different watersports.”

James revalidated his RYA Dinghy Instructor qualification and found out more about using OnBoard to benefit the club’s junior activities, while other members of the group signed up for Stand Up Paddleboarding, Safety Boat, keelboating and match racing.

“We came back with ideas and new enthusiasm for getting on the water and for what we can do at the club,” said James. “Another benefit was that a lot of people at Plas Menai helped us on our journey to becoming Training Centre, so visiting for the Big Weekend has further strengthened our relationship and provided valuable networking for future qualifications and joint initiatives.”

Group of four smiling people in selfie taken on a powerboat on the water at Plas Menai.

Three staff from Wirral Watersports Centre in the North West likewise enjoyed a team building ‘away weekend’. The experience of SUP instructor Sherril Buckles was typical of many in that it ticked a number of boxes. While the team picked up winging, SwimSafe and Paddle-Ability insights to take back to the centre, the Menai Strait SUP tour encouraged Sherril to think about advancing her own instructor qualifications to the next level.

She adds: “I also stepped out of my comfort zone to do the keelboat racing and day sail, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and that’s inspired me to take beginners’ sailing sessions at our centre.

“We attended the Big Weekend for the first time last year and as soon as it came around again three of us signed up. It’s nice for us to hear what’s happening in other clubs and centres and see how we can maybe take ideas back to offer as part of our activities.

“It’s such a great weekend in terms of being with like-minded people, the venue and the whole training team – it was really well run. For us, because we all work together and it’s been a hectic summer, to go away and stay overnight in the accommodation also gave us time to chat and get on the water for ourselves. I was still buzzing from the Big Weekend when I got home!”

People taking part in a SUP session with an instructor demonstrating standing on one leg and balancing holding out arm and paddle.

Others who came with friends from their home club/centre included a young group of instructors from Windswept Watersports in Pembrokeshire, with one windsurf/winging/SUP instructor enjoying a keelboat day sail and now looking to do a Competent Crew course.

Someone who had just moved to the area was looking to try something new, spotted the event on their doorstep and had a go at winging. A Port Dinorwic Sailing Club member also tried winging and by the Monday had signed up for a course at Plas Menai.

A massive thank you to all those who helped to make it such an amazing weekend, including the RYA staff and all the instructors and trainers; Plas Menai who celebrated their 40th anniversary in style by providing such a fantastic venue and team; and also Port Dinorwic SC and Swansea Watersports for their support.

As Plas Menai Chief Instructor Caroline Harold summed up: “Absolutely brilliant weekend! The centre had a real buzz about it. The instructional staff running the sessions really enjoyed working with the delegates. It was great having so many courses and sessions on. It really felt like the programme was what the students wanted and needed.”

Our RYA Cymru Wales five-year strategy – Together on our Waters – sets out an ethos designed to encourage people to get on the water, stay on the water and give back.

It was fantastic to be see this in action at the 2024 edition of the Big Weekend, which welcomed allcomers and provided a memorable two days of opportunities for people to enjoy getting afloat, try new activities, develop their skills and be inspired for the year ahead.

We had a blast and hope you did too!

See you on the water, Hester.

Keelboat sailing with the sun behind and sparking on the water, Plas Menai on the mainsail.