ED SIBSON, ROYAL HOSPITAL SCHOOL

What sailing can Royal Hospital School pupils do?

Pupils sail at our RYA Sailing Academy, a five-minute walk from the campus. They can opt to sail in games lessons, as an alternative to rugby, hockey, netball and cricket. The sailing team are on the water six days a week, all year. We have over 80 dinghies, ranging from RS Teras, to 29ers and Waszps. Pupils also use our Cornish Shrimpers for coastal cruising and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions.

What proportion of the schoolchildren sail?

All pupils in year 7 spend a week in their first term at the school, o timetable, to learn to sail. Around 100 pupils sail week in, week out. Approximately 25 per cent of the pupil body will do some sailing related activity at school each year. RHS has three full time sailing teachers and one part time, who also teaches physics. All are RYA qualified, with either Dinghy or Keelboat Instructor qualifications; three are qualified Senior Instructors and one is a Sailing Scheme Trainer. Three full time teachers are also qualified RYA Race Coaches.

How did the school’s sailing curriculum come about?

The school was founded to provide education to the children of naval seafarers, and most pupils at that time would go on to join the navy once they left the school. Navigation and seamanship were taught within the curriculum until the 1970s. Our location helps, between the River Stour and Alton Water reservoir, and in the last 25 years we have upscaled the opportunities, equipment and sta .

Have your pupils gone onto greater things in sailing?

Our most famous sailing alumna is Hannah Stodel, four-time paralympian, three-time world champion and working on a campaign to compete in the Vendée Globe. This summer, five of our pupils were at the Youth Worlds in the ILCA 6. Several pupils have gone on to the British Sailing Team and others have done well on the university team racing circuit. Others have gone on to become coaches, sail makers, naval architects and boat builders, pursuing a range of di erent careers in the marine sector.

What was your top speed at Weymouth Speed Week last year?

We were gifted Icarus, the foiling Tornado from the 1970s, twice holder of the Class B World Speed Sailing Record. We got her back flying again and managed 22kts at the 50th Weymouth Speed Week in 2022.

Is it all about racing or do you encourage cruising skills as well? We encourage pupils to try as much as possible – racing, cruising, foiling, dinghies, keelboats, match racing and team racing. Our Cornish Shrimpers are particularly popular for cruising the local coast and estuaries, as well as using them to complete expeditions for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

What’s in the future for the school’s sailing academy?

We are about to complete a new lease with Anglian Water to extend our operating hours, meaning more time on the water and the provision of changing facilities and a classroom at our sailing base.