Sailing out of the darkness

Sailing isn’t just about boats or racing for Vanessa Weedon-Jones. It’s been a lifeline — a path out of darkness and into purpose. 

Now in her 60s and a celebrated volunteer, instructor, and advocate for inclusion, Vanessa’s story is a powerful reminder of the mental health benefits of being on the water.

Her journey into sailing began early, crewing and racing 470s in her youth. But it wasn’t until life threw her off course that she discovered the deeper power of sailing. 

In the mid-1990s, Vanessa went through a period of severe depression. She was off work, hospitalised at times, and struggling to find a way forward.

Everything changed when she was offered a place on a free dinghy instructor course in Exmoor. 

“I went and did that,” she recalled, “and sort of life turned around after that because I could see that there was a different career path to be had.” 

Helping others

Stepping into that new path – one that led outdoors and into the company of other people – proved transformative.

Before that point, Vanessa had worked in advertising. A desk job was replaced by wide skies and open water.

“It took me into the outdoors,” she said. “It took me meeting people. It took me to helping people.”

And it helped her too. Sailing became not only a new career focus but a personal refuge. “When you're sailing, you can't think about anything else because your boat will capsize if you do. It's a really good way of getting away from everything and just being able to relax your brain.”

She talked about it with conviction. “The emotional, the psychological benefits are immense. Once you've mastered the complexities, there is so much to be had from sailing a little boat.”

That belief in sailing’s restorative power has shaped her drive ever since. Vanessa didn’t just want to teach people to sail — she wanted to give others the same space to breathe, to focus, and to grow in confidence.

“Having been really, really quite depressed and finding a way out gives you that empathy for what other people might need or want or find helpful.”

Over time, she developed a person-centred teaching style, focused on connecting with individuals. She trained as a counsellor and psychotherapist, and those skills naturally found their way into how she instructed.

“It’s all about empathy,” she explained. “Getting to know people, finding out what they like, finding out what they don’t like and facilitating their progress that way.”

Ripple effects

This approach has been especially important in her work with groups who might otherwise feel excluded from the sport. Whether working with women, people with hidden disabilities, or complete beginners lacking confidence, Vanessa creates an environment where people can move at their own pace.

Now, based at her home club at Hunts Sailing Club, near St Ives in Cambridgeshire, Vanessa runs a thriving Women on the Water group and supports other regional programmes through her role as an instructor.

Her sessions are rooted in choice, not pressure. Participants are asked what they’d like to do – sail for fun, try something new, try racing, even just sit by the water and chat. “Low pressure, no pressure,” as she puts it.

The benefits ripple outward. Many of the women she’s coached have gone on to become instructors themselves, developing confidence and leadership that extend far beyond sailing. And the atmosphere of calm encouragement remains a hallmark of everything she does.

Looking back, Vanessa knows how significant sailing has been in her life. It offered structure when she needed it and purpose when she felt lost.

Today, she witnesses its impact on others in much the same way – from the quiet satisfaction of a first solo sail to the visible boost in confidence as someone masters a new skill.

For Vanessa, the value of sailing lies not just in the sport itself, but in the sense of freedom and self-belief it can restore.