Impact Award for Pembrokeshire Powerboating & Sailing Academy founder

The founder of Pembrokeshire Powerboating & Sailing Academy has been recognised for his contribution to watersports with an RYA Cymru Wales Impact Award.

Richard ‘Taff’ Owens set up PPSA in 2013 and has not only enabled hundreds of people to enjoy getting on the water but also trained a significant number of instructors, who have likewise gone on to contribute to the sport of sailing and the marine sector.

In nominating him for the award, RYA Powerboat Instructor Richard Rhodes said: “Taff has an ability to motivate instructors to deliver high quality and safe sailing experiences in both dinghies and keelboats to a wide age range and ability of people, and to go way beyond what they thought possible.

“He has invested heavily in terms of time and sharing to develop multi skilled instructors capable in the instruction of both sailing and powerboat, and the provision of safe, practical opportunities for young people to develop through the RYA structure.”

After first enjoying sailing with Scouts, Taff joined Barry Yacht Club. Then after leaving school he continued to develop his racing skills when he joined the Army in 1981. Competing with the Army Sailing Association and Royal Signals Yacht Club, it was while serving in the forces that Taff also started his journey to becoming an instructor.

His 32-year army career included becoming an officer, and secretary and then interim commodore of the Army Sailing Association Dinghy Section; he also became an RYA Senior Instructor and Powerboat Instructor and qualified as an RYA Race Coach.

“I love sailing and I wanted to teach other people, and with my background of delivering training in the Army, I thought why not turn that into a job,” said Taff. “I decided when I left the Army I wanted to set up my own business, but I was learning that side of it from scratch, so it was a massive learning curve from starting out small scale to where we are now. It was also a bit of a mindshift from teaching soldiers and service personnel to teaching that includes lots of children and young people, but it has been a fun change.”

After launching in 2013, PPSA was initially based in Dale, then moved to a multi activity centre, and is now located at Neyland Yacht Haven, offering RYA keelboat and powerboating activities and courses. Along the way Taff has also gained shore based instructor qualifications including RYA Yachtmaster, Radar, VHF and Sea Survival.

Taff’s aim with PPSA has been to promote the skills and enjoyment of powerboating and keelboat sailing to the local community and visitors to the area, and the wider commercial sectors in Pembrokeshire.

A key part of the PPSA ethos has been to also develop new instructors and provide opportunities to young people, who have included one of RYA Cymru Wales’ first Impact Award recipients Freya Terry (pictured below), who is currently undertaking a round Britain solo voyage on a mission to raise awareness about mental health.

PPSA provides instructor training encompassing practical skills and also input from outside agencies such as the police marine unit, the Coastguard and Border Force, to provide a broader understanding about different aspects of being on the water.

As Taff explained: “It’s been rewarding to develop our younger instructors – whether they’ve stuck with me at PPSA, carried on sailing or working in the industry into adulthood or gone on to other jobs, it’s been really good to see them develop their skills and confidence and give them a wider outlook on life.

“What also makes your day is seeing people who come to us for watersports or a training course, going home with a smile on their face and saying ‘thanks Taff, I enjoyed that’ - that’s absolutely great, and if they’ve learn a little bit along the way, fantastic!”

The Impact Awards are run by boating’s governing body in Wales to recognise those who go above and beyond to support activities afloat, in line with its strategy - Together on our Waters – to create a connected, inspired and inclusive Welsh sailing community, encouraging people to get on the water, stay on the water and give back.

RYA Cymru Wales Club Development Officer, Hester Walker, presented the award and added: “Taff, as he is known, has been the guiding force behind the development of PPSA and a great cohort of instructors. He has consistently championed our sports across the different disciplines, supports our strategy and our team in the South/West, and is always seeking ways to refresh and develop PPSA’s activities and wider contribution to the sector.”

Find out more about opportunities to get on the water with PPSA - Pembrokeshire Powerboating & Sailing Academy or explore how to begin boating at RYA Start Sailing.

Do you know an individual or organisation that goes the extra mile to support activities on the water in Wales? The RYA Cymru Wales Impact Awards recognise the hard work of individuals and organisations including participants, staff and volunteers; instructors, coaches and race officials; clubs, classes and training centres.

Read more and nominate for our RYA Cymru Wales Impact Awards.