WaveMakers

Opening up sailing’s talent pathway

WaveMakers is an RYA programme, delivered in partnership with the Andrew Simpson Foundation, created to identify and develop high-potential sailors from under-represented communities. Originally a pilot funded by SportsAid's Backing the Best grant scheme, the programme is now supported by Sport England.

Our why

We want to see a British team that is more representative of and relevant to British society.

We also want to see more young people from more backgrounds benefit from everything a life in sailing can offer – from confidence and connection to skills, ambition and opportunity.

But we know there are still too many barriers to inclusion in our sport. Cost, access, confidence, culture and a lack of visible role models can all make it harder for talented young people to find their place.

WaveMakers exists to help change that. It’s designed not only to widen access to sailing, but to support talented young sailors to develop, progress and – ultimately – perform within the sport. 

What is WaveMakers?

WaveMakers seeks to identify young sailors with high potential, support their development and create more inclusive routes into competitive sailing.

The programme brings together community outreach, talent identification, coaching and practical support, helping young people move from early experiences on the water into sustained development within the sailing pathway.

Launched first as a dinghy pilot project with the Andrew Simpson Foundation at the Bartley Sailing Club in Birmingham and now expanding to Andrew Simpson Centres in Portsmouth, WaveMakers is part of the RYA’s wider commitment to making the sport more inclusive and ensuring talent is not limited by personal circumstance.

Portsmouth will focus on foiling and boards, alongside Birmingham’s dinghy programme.

What does the programme do?

WaveMakers focuses on four key areas:

• Community engagement: Working with schools, local communities and existing outreach activity to help more young people experience sailing.
• Talent ID: Spotting potential and inviting young people to take part in assessment and insight opportunities.
• Academy support: Providing year-round coaching and a structured development environment to help sailors build skills, confidence and experience.
• Transition support: Helping sailors move into the next stages of the pathway with tailored guidance and support. 

What are we working towards?

WaveMakers is about more than giving young people a first opportunity in sailing. It is about helping talented sailors build the skills, confidence and experience to keep progressing.

Over time, we want to see WaveMakers sailors:

• progress into Talent Academies
• deliver strong performances at national level
• earn selection to the British Sailing Youth Team
• develop into the next generation of visible role models in the sport

The programme’s long-term performance ambitions are clear: to see WaveMakers sailors selected for the British Sailing Youth Team within four years, and to win a Youth Nationals medal within five years. Along the way, success will also look like strong retention, progression through the pathway and national top 10 results as sailors develop. 

The ultimate vision is for Great Britain to be the world-leading sailing nation, with an Olympic classes sailing team that is representative of British society.

Why it matters

Early impact

The first WaveMakers pilot in Birmingham has already provided valuable learning and momentum for the programme’s next phase.

In 2024, the programme created a year-round environment of coaching, mentoring, event attendance and logistical support for sailors, while also helping shape a model that can now be expanded into Portsmouth. 

As of March 2026, the programme in Birmingham has 16 sailors in the team and has delivered over 250 training sessions, including six off‑site training camps. The team has also attended 21 events, including National Series events and two national championships. There are 16 sailors in the programme who currently train three times a week. including single-gender training sessions for female participants from the Muslim community.

Our partners

WaveMakers is delivered in partnership with the Andrew Simpson Foundation.

The ASF create life-changing journeys on the water, shaping lives, strengthening communities, and transforming futures. The ASF’s work is underpinned by four core pillars of impact, which include: enabling active participation, Building connected communities, developing skills and personal pathways and championing environmental engagement. 

Together, the RYA and Andrew Simpson Foundation combine expertise in talent development, coaching and community engagement to help create a more inclusive pathway into sailing and support young people with the potential to progress.