Being on the water has the power to transform lives, creating connections, building confidence and supporting wellbeing. Everyone should have the opportunity to experience those benefits.

The RYA has unveiled its refreshed Together on Water strategy, setting out an ambitious ten-year vision to help more people experience the water and the benefits it brings.

Building on the foundations of the strategy first launched in 2023, the refresh outlines a clear plan of action designed to grow participation, strengthen communities, and safeguard the blue spaces that inspire millions of people across the UK.

At the heart of the strategy is a bold ambition to:

• Double active participation in water-based activities over the next decade.

• Enable 10 million people to experience a meaningful connection to blue spaces.

• Create more opportunities for people from all backgrounds to get on the water and feel they belong.

To achieve these ambitions, the strategy is built around four cross-cutting priorities:

More People, More Often - Growing participation and helping people develop lifelong connections with the water. 

More Backgrounds - Opening opportunities and creating welcoming communities where everyone feels they belong. 

Better Blue Spaces - Protecting and enhancing the waters that connect us all. 

Brilliant Basics - Providing the strong foundations, systems, and support that enable everything the RYA does. 

What does this mean for RYA Training Centres?

The work that happens in RYA Training Centres around the world is visible across all areas of Together on Water. Every year, RYA Training Centres introduce thousands of people to boating and watersports, building skills, confidence and even careers within the marine sector.

"For centres, this is not about immediate change or additional expectations. This refresh is designed to provide long-term direction for the RYA," explains RYA Director of Training Richard Falk.

"We know that being on the water can be life-changing, but too many people still feel that spending time on the water is not accessible to them. It's about building on the incredible work already happening across our centres and communities and ensuring that our valued instructors, volunteers and everyone who makes activity possible, continue to receive the support they need.

It also means investing in the foundations of RYA Training, including modernising digital technology and strengthening the systems that support delivery. This will help ensure RYA qualifications remain globally recognised and that our Training network is well placed to meet future opportunities and challenges."

Shaped by what we've heard

The refreshed strategy is informed by feedback from the RYA's Reflections on Water Survey and National Watersports Participation Survey, which highlight the important role water plays in people's lives.

The research shows that:

• People are drawn to the water because of how it makes them feel.

• Strong communities help more people thrive on and around the water.

• Reducing barriers enables more people to participate.

• Future growth depends on reaching and welcoming new audiences.

• People who feel connected to blue spaces are more likely to protect and care for them.

These insights reinforce something our network already knows: welcoming environments, strong communities and positive experiences are often what keep people involved for life.

Connecting people where they live

Together on Water recognises that participation is about much more than activity alone. It is about helping people discover the skills, friendships and opportunities that come from spending time on the water.

For training centres, this means continuing to play a vital role in opening doors for new participants, supporting progression, developing future instructors and volunteers, and helping people feel that boating and watersports are for them.

The strategy also places greater emphasis on connecting people with blue spaces where they live, supporting underrepresented groups, and creating pathways into volunteering, leadership and careers across the marine and watersports sector.

Plans for each of the strategy's focus areas are now being developed, with further detail to be shared over the coming months. Training Centres will be able to hear more about these developments at the RYA Training Conference in the new year.

RYA CEO Sara Sutcliffe concludes: "We know this ambition is bold, and we know it will take time. We are committed to continuing to work closely with our networks and those on the ground so we can better understand the opportunities and challenges ahead.

"Together on Water has always championed the joy of sailing and boating. This next chapter builds on that foundation with a sharper focus on helping more people discover, enjoy and benefit from being on the water, while continuing to support the communities that make it possible."

Read more about Together on Water