RYANI Women on Water Personal Pathway creating vibrant community of skilled sailors and boaters

The programme stems from the success of the Women on Water programme, which runs at clubs across Northern Ireland and sees women taking part in a four-week programme to learn the basics of sailing, as well as making new friends along the way. It is a low cost programme and is open to women of all abilities.

Last year, RYANI sent out a survey to gauge the need for a pathway programme and many participants were interested. The programme was then launched in February 2021 and is already creating an active and sustainable workforce within the boating community.

RYANI Active Clubs Co-Ordinator Lisa McCaffrey commented: “The personal pathway means it can be just that – personal to the participant. RYANI organizes webinars and workshops and it is up to the participant whether they wish to grow their skills in that area.

“There are currently 20 participants taking part in the pathway programme and so far they have taken part in a webinar with international official Chris Lindsay who talked about his journey and how to get qualified as a Race Official. We then decided to run a Regional Race Official course, which participants could avail of if their used their new qualification to support their club through racing season. We were delighted that eight people passed and are now able to help their clubs.”

Lisa added: “We also hosted a webinar on powerboating and one of our WOW leaders, Dawn Hynes, shared her story of how she used her skills to secure a career in the industry, as well as volunteering.” 

Jennifer Bryce from Donaghadee Sailing Club and Newtownards Sailing Club is one of those who took part in the Regional Race Official course. She tells us about her experience on the pathway programme, making friends and gaining invaluable skills along the way.

How did you originally get involved with Women on Water?

I started with the Women on Water (WOW) course after taking a group of students on a school trip to Donaghadee Sailing Club and asking if there were any adults courses running.

One of the first WOW sessions started a couple of weeks later. We love it so much our group went on to do the Level 1 course as well.

What did you enjoy most about WOW?

Learning a new skill while being out on the water and as it was a small group really getting to know the other ladies well. We were taught by young ladies who were such an inspiration. I totally fell in love with sailing!

What inspired you to take part in the WOW Personal Pathway?

The WOW Personal Pathway seemed like too good an opportunity to miss. I really want to keep improving my sailing skills so that I can participate in racing to a good standard but also eventually to teach others. I would love to give back to the WOW programme as it grows from strength to strength.

How would you describe your experience on the WOW Personal Pathway so far?

During the last lockdown I was able to attend lots of the WOW Personal Pathway zoom courses which opened my eyes to the opportunities within sailing for training and skill development. I have booklets of notes to look back over which is helping me to learn.

How important is it that there is an opportunity to do a Regional Race Official course and what benefit has this had for your club?

The Regional Race Officer course was a fantastic opportunity though I had no idea what I was signing myself up to! I really just thought it would help me learn the rules for racing.

As I started completing the pre-course tasks I got more and more interested in the complexities of managing a racing event. The day zoom training was fascinating, I especially enjoyed learning about setting a race course up in different tide and wind conditions. I was delighted to pass the exam and am hoping to complete the practical experience over the coming summer.

I look forward to helping out with organising and running racing at both Donaghadee and Newtownards Sailing Clubs so I can gain the confidence to help with the bigger events.

How has the Pathway helped you personally?

The WOW Pathway zoom training has made me aware of female role models in clubs across Northern Ireland and what can be achieved in the sport.

While having a forced break from sailing, the Pathway helped encourage me to keep going. The Race Officer course has given me more confidence with racing my boat, to be sure of the race start sequence and understanding the flags.

Would you recommend getting involved in WOW to others?

I would highly recommend the WOW course to others. It is a fantastic introduction into a sport that has so many different aspects to try out. You would meet new friends and get to know people in a club with a wide range of interests.

I met my close friend Lara Sunday as she was completing a WOW course, we arranged to attend the first WOW festival together and spent the day in same group. Lara very bravely agreed to crew for me the next week as I had just started helming GP14s. We quickly became a team and sailed together twice a week.  We are both very determined to do our best in our first national event, the GP14 Ulster’s hosted by Newtownards Sailing Club in June.

What do you think the future holds for the pathway programme?

I would love to keep on with the RYA WOW Personal Pathway and take every opportunity to develop in all areas of the sport.

I am sure the new Pathway programme will continue to grow as it has been very successful so far this year, just as the WOW programme has continued to grow with the second festival coming up soon.