2026 RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show gets water lovers fired up for the season

The RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show once again signalled the start of the sailing season as thousands of enthusiasts headed to Farnborough International this weekend (21–22 February 2026) for two days of insight, innovation and inspiration.

Long established as the UK’s leading showcase for small boat sailing and boardsports, the much-loved annual event welcomed 9,000 visitors keen to sharpen their skills, discover the latest equipment and hear from some of the sport’s most accomplished names.

Across three live stages, a packed programme of Olympic and professional sailors, leading coaches and technical specialists shared stories, strategies and practical advice, while over 180 exhibitors filled the hall with everything from high-performance foilers to traditional dinghies, clothing, equipment, holidays, training opportunities and much more.

Dinghy sailing, windsurfing, wingfoiling, paddleboarding and foiling disciplines were all represented, reflecting the breadth of opportunity to get on the water. Clubs, class associations, training centres and marine brands all came together under one roof, united by a shared aim to support participation and help more people get more out of their time afloat.

Visitors travelled from right across the UK as well as internationally, including from Ireland, Italy, Denmark, Switzerland, Hong Kong and New Zealand, highlighting the show’s unique appeal and reputation.

A ‘buzzing’ start to 2026

Celia Edgington, RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show Manager, said: “It’s been fantastic to see Farnborough absolutely buzzing with excitement for the season ahead. The RYA is proud to bring the sailing and watersports community together through this show, and this weekend has once again highlighted the strength and spirit of our sport — from those early on in their journeys to experienced racers looking to hone their skills.

“What makes the event so special is the willingness of people to share their knowledge with others. Whether it’s on stage, on the stands or in the aisles, those conversations and connections are what help our sport continue to grow and thrive.”

Celia added: “We’re incredibly grateful to our partners Sunsail, Musto, Rockley Watersports, Insured Health and Bupa, along with our media partners YachtsandYachting.com, Sailing Today with Yachts & Yachting, Windsurf and SUPBoarder.

“Thank you to our exhibitors, speakers and everyone who joined us this weekend for making the show such a positive and inspiring start to the 2026 season.”

Highlights from across the stages

As ever, the show delivered a packed programme of standout speakers, blending elite performance insight with practical, on-the-water know-how.

On the Sunsail Main Stage, fresh iQFOiL world champions Emma Wilson and Andy Brown reflected on their 2025 triumphs, joined by coach Sam Ross and Olympic hopeful Islay Watson. Their session charted the resilience behind their rise and looked ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 cycle as well as a home World Championship in Weymouth & Portland this September.

Dinghy historian Dougal Henshall celebrated milestone RYA classes and their impact on the UK scene, while meteorologist Simon Rowell shared sharp advice on vital visual weather cues. Simon Conway, Roger Barnes and Steve White inspired exploration to help you find your own freedom on the water through the RYA Dinghy Trails.

Honing performance and analysis were key themes: Tom ‘Mozzy’ Morris demystified data-driven decisions, while Pathway Head Coach Jonny McGovern explored crew communication. In the Knowledge Zone, Michael McNamara and James Parker Mowbray shared rig-tuning and ILCA insights. Boardsports highlights included Peter Hart on windsurfing performance gains and Rafferty Read on getting started in wing racing, while The Female Futures group led career-focused sessions for the next generation.

Prizes awarded

The hotly contested ‘Concours d’Elegance’ prize for best boat in show was presented by judges Mark Jardine of YachtsandYachting.com and the British Sailing Team’s Hannah Bristow to Richard Le Mare’s beautiful Hadron H2 ‘Midas’.

The Yachting Journalists' Association also revealed the recipients of its prestigious Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards for 2025. Para inclusive sailor Jazz Turner claimed the senior honour for her record-breaking feat in becoming the first disabled sailor to circumnavigate the UK and Ireland non-stop and unassisted.

The British Sailing Youth Team’s Youth World Championship gold medallists, 29er duo Lila Edwards-Amelie Hiscocks and 420 team Sabine Potter and Merle Nieuwland, were joint recipients of the Young Sailor of the Year trophy, while the YJA‘s Team of the Year was named as the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team – winners of the season 5 championship and the Impact League.

Sunday at the show proved a lucky day for Whitstable Yacht Club, which won a fantastic prize package worth £9,850. Through a special collaboration with the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, RYA Affiliated clubs had the chance to enter and win a River Boat AM Safety 420 powered by Suzuki Marine with an Extreme Trailer to support their activities, with Whitstable winning in the draw from five finalists.

Prizes were also handed out to the latest champions of the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series.

What our exhibitors said:

Barracuda Bay

“I really like the show because it's a great opportunity every year, at the start of the season, to come and see the same familiar faces, do a bit of networking before the season starts and just touch base with everybody. It's a great opportunity to get the brand out there, see what everybody else is doing and just show off a little bit. It's my favourite show of the year and I love coming back.”

Rockley Watersports

“We absolutely love the Dinghy and Watersports Show. We've been exhibiting for, I think, 48 years. We really enjoy the buzz, all the boats, all the people and real dinghy enthusiasts come and. Lots of our customers come back and see us year on year.

“We’re celebrating 50 years this year and we really feel that this show kicks our season off so perfectly. It's a real opportunity for sailing enthusiasts, people wanting to book RYA training to get themselves started for the season. It’s amazing, it’s absolutely brilliant.”

Bishop Skinner Marine

“[The best thing is] just putting names and faces to our clients really, and actually being present with them. We talk to a lot of them over the phone through the year, but it’s really good to actually meet them and understand their needs and requirements. And it's also a really fun weekend. We've all taken our time looking at the Interactive Zone and having a go on with bits and pieces there. So it's just a fun weekend generally and a great chance to meet clients.”

Ocean Rodeo

“We love the Dinghy & Watersports Show. It's such a fantastic event. Everyone comes here. It's got a really nice social atmosphere. It's a great way for us to connect to our customers, meet them, find out how their seasons are going, just get involved in their plans and try and support them doing really cool things out the season coming.

“It's very different from other shows. It's not so retail focused in that way. Everyone coming here is a passionate watersports enthusiast and they all want to come and see new tech, cool boats and talk to their friends about the cool stuff they've got planned. So for us, it's just a great way to be involved in that community.”

Allen Brothers

“We love coming to the show because it's unlike any show in the world. We go to a lot of marine trade shows and there's nowhere where you get the enthusiasm, the amount of boats and get to catch up with everybody from the UK sailing scene.

“The best thing about the show has got to just be the vibe. Everyone's here to have a chat, find out new information, just come find out about what we're doing and, and just get involved in sailing really.”

RS Sailing

“We bring all our boats here, we are meeting with all our class association members. We show all the boats we have, it's a big thing for us. It's the start of the year – this makes or breaks the year for us, actually.

“It's just a community. It’s catching up with everyone, creating excitement to get back on the water. We know the earlier we get people to join events, the more successful the whole year is. And this is the place to get people into it.”

What our visitors said:

“We sail Toppers at the moment, we compete nationally and we're going the Worlds in the summer, so it’s [great] to look at what kit we need and what boats we can go into next to make the transition.”

“I would say like look at all the different brands as well and come with like a guide of what you want to listen to. There’s lots of very interesting talks so make sure you have a list and you know what you’re going for.”

“I like the show because there are people I know here. There are nice talks, very informative, and you can get to talk to people about things that technically, perhaps you don't understand and they do, and you always come away learning something.”

“It's easy to book. It's easy to get here. Come for the day or even two days, and enjoy it! All the facilities are here and it’s a fantastic day out.”

“It's a nice combination of technical expertise, the presentations are fabulous. It's a community. Everybody's here with a single mission. And it's thriving. The experiences of young coming in and old passing their knowledge down is thriving.”

“Come and enjoy it and embrace it, speak to people. Go and be brave. Speak to everyone you see. Get all the freebies you can get!”

“Make sure you bring a shopping list, and enjoy! It's been great. It's really useful to see all the different classes and the different opportunities you might not know were there before.”