Keep Sailing from Home

21 May 20

While we’ve not been able to get on the water, we’ve been making sure you can still get your sailing fix online. And while some of us have been able to start, or think about getting back afloat, our #SailFromHome content is here to stay!

If you’ve been on any RYA social media channel in the past two months, you’ll have seen #SailFromHome.

Hosted on the RYA YouTube Channel, all the content is colour-coded and organised into playlists so it's quick and easy to find what you’re most interested in. So whether you’re after things to keep OnBoarders engaged and entertained, or are a club or centre looking for guidance on how to develop your activities it’s here.

Hannah Cockle, RYA OnBoard Operations Officer, said: “We’re super excited #SailFromHome is carrying on. The videos have been really popular and clubs and centres have been using them in different ways to connect with and keep their OnBoarders engaged during lockdown.

“But the content is brilliant whether we’re in lockdown or not. So there will continue to be new videos and resources to either keep using whilst you’re still off the water, to supplement or reinforce training and learning points once we’re back on it or to use as part of any new online OnBoard winter programme you may now be considering having had a taste of what’s possible during this time.”

So what’s on when for OnBoard?

Wednesday is #SailSmart day, delivering awesome content for kids! Jake Elsbury from RS Sailing leads the weekly bitesize tutorials, with the fun and informative sessions so far including clouds, tides, navigation and buoyage. Each video also has an accompanying activity sheet to try after watching the video.

There are also a number of OnBoard worksheets that you can downloaded from the Sail From Home homepage. These include Sudoku, coloring sheets, word searches and crosswords – all nautical themed.

The Thursdays is all about #KnotOnTheWater, as the RYA sailing development team from across the regions do their fun take on learning the different knots. Also keep an eye out on the RYA OnBoard Instagram page for the latest news, challenges and content from the programme.

Meanwhile, more experienced young sailors or fledgling racers should head to the British Sailing Team YouTube channel to find heaps of videos with tips and advice on everything from kit set up, coaching and keeping fit to race strategy and reading the weather. Look out for the daily themed broadcasts from Monday to Thursday.

Getting competitive

e-sailing has been a MASSIVE lockdown hit! Hundreds of sailing clubs, class associations and other organisations UK-wide have been running Virtual Regattas with OnBoard groups holding their own inter-club events too!

The best thing about e-sailing is you don’t actually have to know how to race yet, so even the newest OnBoarders have been getting in on the competitive action and learning all about race tactics and strategy whilst having a great time online.

There are lots of race coaching, tactics and rules tips to be found on the eSailing - Virtual Regatta playlist. Watch out for a new video every Saturday.

Moving forwards

With the Home Nations all at different stages of lockdown, and every club and centre facing it’s own particular challenges in getting OnBoard activity back on, the ClubZone playlist is where you will find everything to help.

#MarketingMonday includes webinars from the experts at SocialB on how to use social media to keep your current OnBoarders engaged and to hit the ground running in attracting groups when we’re sailing again.

Thursdays is about Club Development, with advice on everything from financial planning to lockdown inspiration, while #FundingFriday brings you expert insight on funding and applications to survive the Covid-19 challenges and thrive on the other side.

And if that wasn’t enough…

There is a dizzying amount of content from the wider marine industry out there too. Here are links to some of our faves…