2023-24
People, Places and Communities
Contents
Chair’s welcome, Brian Wilson
CEO’s foreword, Finlo Cottier
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Sustainability
People
Places
Communities
Partnerships and Communications
The Royal Yachting Association Scotland (RYA Scotland) is the recognised Scottish Governing Body for all forms of recreational, competitive and professional boating. It is a separately constituted Home Country Association of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).
We represent the interests of Scotland’s diverse boating community including dinghy and yacht racing, windsurfing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs, sports boats and other personal watercraft. Boating takes place in a variety of locations – from inland waterways, reservoirs and lochs to rivers, estuaries, coastal areas, islands and oceans.
The RYA is also a membership organisation with over 100,000 members around the UK, including individuals, families, affiliated clubs and recognised training centres.
mission
We will foster sustainable and inclusive people, places and communities who are empowered to develop themselves, support others, celebrate successes and share the enjoyment of boating in Scotland.
Our purpose
To promote and protect safe, successful and rewarding boating in Scotland.
Chair’s welcome
A warm welcome to our Impact Report for 2023-24 – the second year of working to People, Places and Communities, our strategic plan for 2022 to 2025. We are delighted to share inspiring stories of impact as we embed and consolidate our work using this approach.
People, Places and Communities introduced a strong regional and local focus to how we support and develop all forms of boating across Scotland. It also articulated our firm belief in the immense benefits that being on the water can bring to people’s lives: improved health and wellbeing, personal achievement and a sense of belonging, no matter their age, ability, background or where they live.
The wider societal benefits of boating extend beyond individual ‘blue health’ to enriching and improving places and communities through training and employment opportunities, community cohesion and greater environmental awareness, among other benefits.
Thanks to the passion and commitment of our staff team and volunteers, we have gained substantial traction in delivering our refreshed vision. The Changing Lives approach is now embedded in all we do, and our staff, Board and volunteers are evolving the way they think about Inclusion, Health and Wellbeing, Communities and Skills.
What’s more, in the course of this reporting year we welcomed the new national RYA strategy, called Together On Water. We were heartened to note that it echoes our own strategic priorities. This synergy is good news for everyone in the UK’s boating community and beyond.
As we enter the final year of the current strategic period, we have started to look ahead and consider how we might develop and build on its strengths and successes beyond 2025. To that end, we are embarking on a new strategic engagement period to glean feedback and input from staff, volunteers, members, affiliate clubs and centres, partners and stakeholders.
No doubt our voluntary Board will bring its tremendous breadth and depth of skills and experience to the process, as will all those who volunteer on our committees and work alongside our dependable staff team. Throughout the year, I have been delighted in our ability to attract top talent into all three of those groups to work on behalf of clubs, centres, organisations and individual members in all areas, enable delivery of our current strategy and plot our future strategic path.
In the meantime, we draw inspiration from this year’s stories of impact as we tackle an action-packed programme for 2024-25 and beyond, with RYA Scotland supporting a range of opportunities and events across the whole spectrum of the Scottish boating community.
An international highlight is undoubtedly the forthcoming Clipper Round the World Race stop-off in Oban, while in summer 2025 the Tall Ships Races return to Aberdeen.
At the youth end, a review of our Sailing Pathway will see us refining our offering to young sailors eager to progress; and Scotland will host both the Feva and Topper Nationals in 2025. We look forward to reporting on all this and more next year.
Meet the Board, including our new members for
Brian Wilson, Chair RYA Scotland
2023-24.
CEO’s foreword
I started my role as CEO just over a year ago – it has been a fantastic year with significant highlights. The biggest impact on my thinking over that time has been around the critical role that volunteers play in delivering opportunities to participants and their communities.
Underlying this are significant shifts in society – some which are forces for good and others that put our activities and those of other organisations at risk.
There is a much healthier discussion in society around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
RYA Scotland has always championed EDI, and it is a core strand of our People, Places and Communities strategy. But it is healthy for us to reflect on how we are delivering our EDI commitments to ensure that the sailing and boating world is a welcoming environment for everyone. This year, we have been working to engage more meaningfully with youth voices in our sport and the fresh, honest perspective they bring.
But there are challenges, not least the stretch on people’s time and energy to commit to volunteering roles – I know personally that clubs are struggling to maintain their programmes and deliver events. Finding practical ways to support volunteers must be a priority.
An emerging theme over the last year is that of connections. Our people, places and communities are bound together by positive connections. Working in a connected way means more fun, and hopefully more impact. As a staff team, we have taken a close look at how we work in a more connected way – not just internally but by building our connections with those who are out on the water, working in clubs or delivering training.
I would like to ensure that RYA Scotland is accessible and supportive to everyone engaged in our sport. To do this we must look at how we operate as a staff team – we’re building a much more coordinated, ‘whole team’ approach to our work. This permeates through our Board into our voluntary committees, our coaching pool and beyond.
This approach to building healthy connections and communities is captured perfectly by Together on Water, the new strategy launched by the RYA last summer. We were pleased to note that this new strategy aligns closely with our own in its tone and ambition.
Throughout the last year, our Impact Awards have recognised the contribution of individuals and teams who are really living and breathing the essence of our strategy. Let’s collectively recognise and celebrate all those who are delivering positively for the benefit of everyone who wants to get on the water.
Finlo Cottier, CEO RYA Scotland
“An emerging theme over the last year is that of connections”
Finlo Cottier, CEO RYA Scotland
RYA Scotland Impact Awards
RYA Scotland Impact Awards recognise and celebrate exceptional commitment within the Scottish sailing community. Check out the Impact Awards playlist on YouTube for inspiring stories of impact.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
What we said in our strategic plan. And what we did this year.
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) underpins our approach – it is a way of thinking woven into the fabric of all our decisions and actions.
It means we strive to respond to the specific needs and aspirations of different groups, to understand the barriers to participation in boating, and stay informed about wider societal changes.
For us, EDI is not an end point, but a continuous journey of self-examination and improvement. This year, we have worked to regenerate our organisational approach to EDI, while staff teams have been giving more overt attention to their own contributions.
We believe disability is no barrier
to participation.
Building skills to support disabled sailing
This year, the annual RYA Scotland Disability Open Day was complemented by Sailability training for coaches, instructors and volunteers.
The two-day event to encourage sailing for people with a range of disabilities was hosted by Clyde Cruising Club (CCC) Dinghy Section at Bardowie Loch over the weekend of 29 and 30 July 2023.
The Saturday offered training for coaches, instructors and volunteers, so that they can better support those with disabilities to get afloat. The day was led by Leon Ward, Disability Development Officer from the RYA (South & South West Region). And on Sunday, nearly 20 enthusiastic participants and their families braved damp and blustery weather to try their hand at sailing for the first time – or return to the water – in Hansa dinghies.
The weekend was organised by international Hansa champ and CCC member Rory McKinna, alongside RYA Scotland and the Hansa Class UK Association. Rory’s international success is testament to the transformative impact sailing can bring for those who live with disabilities.
“It was great to see a wealth of disability sailing activity at the loch. The fact that we had so many participants despite the damp weather shows the enthusiasm of the disabled community to get on the water.
“The awareness training delivered on the Saturday was also of tremendous value, particularly the interactive sessions. Activities like this will help to set CCC up for a future where disability sailing becomes an integral part of the club’s activity.”
Rory McKinna, International Hansa para-sailor
Read more about Rory’s inspiring story
We are actively changing to include young people in our decision-making.
Introducing Yasmin, our new Under-25 Director
In September 2023, we appointed Yasmin Haig as our first female Under-25 Director on the RYA Scotland Board.
This voluntary role aims to represent the voice of young people in Scotland’s boating community and provide guidance to the Board on behalf of youth participants. It also supports the recognition of the youth volunteers in the boating community.
Yasmin brings a new perspective and wealth of experience to the Board. She currently works as Operations Manager at a commercial RYA training centre, and has extensive experience at sea with the Ocean Youth Trust, where she completed a Modern Apprenticeship as well as a leadership programme and a range of RYA qualifications.
“I believe it’s crucial that RYA Scotland is fully representative of the boating community at a strategic level. I look forward to working with fellow Board members and the staff team on championing youth voices and further integrating young volunteers throughout RYA Scotland’s work. Young people should help shape the future of boating in Scotland to ensure that future generations gain from the benefits of getting afloat.”
Yasmin Haig, Under-25 Director
We have a focus on engaging women in boating.
Boosting the number of female race coaches
Our Coach Education team is proud to report an exceptionally positive trend in the number of female Senior Instructors and Race Coaches gaining qualifications.
Over the last three seasons, on average close to half of all participants on RYA Scotland Senior Instructor (SI) courses have been women – a trend continued among the latest cohort of 15 new SIs who completed the qualification at Port Edgar in early April 2024.
Further, in an initiative to bolster the number of women active in racing, we ran our very first female-only Race Coach Level 2 course (RCL2) in early November 2023 at the Sea Cadets Port Edgar Boat Station.
RYA Racing Coach Tutors Hannah Wilcox and Helena Lucas (who is also a Paralympian) shared tips for dinghy and windsurf race coaching with a total of 12 participants – all of whom passed with flying colours. This all-female course was made possible by sportscotland support, as were several other Instructor training courses for those from diverse backgrounds and rural areas.
“The environment felt way more supportive than other instructor courses I have been on, and it felt like a great place to feel comfortable in making mistakes, learning and help other people improve.”
Caitlin Vinicombe, women-only RCL2 participant
“I wanted to develop my teaching skills into coaching as well. I thought that especially to those more nervous in the team, having an all-women course really brought out their confidence and the environment was so supportive and friendly.”
Evie Tynan, women-only RCL2 participant
We will increase the diversity of our workforce and highlight role models.
This reporting year saw significant strides in the recruitment of women to key volunteer roles in RYA Scotland.
40% of our new Coaching Collective is female 2/3 of our most recent intake to the Board are women
30% of the Participation and Development Committee are now female (from 0% in the previous reporting year)
20% of the Performance Committee is female (double last year’s number)
We challenge ourselves to ensure the way we work is inclusive and when something is not inclusive, that we commit to redressing the balance.
Moving to a new inclusion framework
For us, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is a continual journey, not simply a destination. This reporting year, we began work to regenerate our approach to EDI in line with the new Moving to Inclusion Framework.
The Framework was developed in consultation with the sport and physical activity sector and replaces the Equality Standard – A Framework for Sport. It aims to guide organisations in
developing inclusive practice through selfreflection and continuous improvement, and embedding EDI in all aspects of work.
During this reporting year we have engaged with the Framework in several ways. We have convened a Working Group comprising staff members and representatives of our committees and coaching pool, along with our Board member for EDI, Ben Kemp. The group is reviewing the RYA Scotland EDI policy by learning from other sport governing bodies and charitable groups.
Our CEO, Finlo Cottier, attended extensive training on the five pillars that form the basis of the Framework: Leadership, Culture, Experience, Relationships and Communication. In addition, we have changed our approach to staff recruitment to boost inclusion.
Going forward, we plan to appoint an EDI Advisory Group during 2024 to challenge our thinking and begin to work with a Moving to Inclusion mentor.
What we said in our strategic plan.
And what we did this year.
Sustainability
Environmental sustainability and the protection of marine habitats are priorities close to the hearts of many in the boating community, and also lie at the core of our ethos.
This year, we have continued our push to reduce our environmental impact as an organisation. In addition, we hope to inspire our members and affiliates to do the same by showcasing fresh solutions and celebrating success stories.
Engage fully in the RYA Carbon Pathway to Zero by 2050. Control our own impacts and lead by example.
At RYA Scotland, we remain committed to the RYA Carbon Pathway to Zero, as well as our own Sustainability Action Plan.
Staff are challenging themselves to do things differently, continually considering the impact of their choices and the options available, especially when it comes to travel. Here are some examples from this reporting year.
Clever pool car choice
Smart staff travel
30% emissions reduction (from 555kg CO2 to 387kg) by choosing car shares, active travel and public transport instead of individual car travel to our team gathering at Royal Tay Yacht Club in mid-March 2024.
Fuel efficiency was a top priority when we replaced our pool car this year. The need to tow ruled out an electric vehicle, however we chose a vehicle with impressive average consumption of 57.7mpg compared to the average of 43mpg for diesel cars. We have also reviewed how we distribute and allocate RIBs, minimising the number of towing movements we make each year.
Connecting online
By keeping our committee meetings online or hybrid, we continue to drive down potential emissions. Of the 19 committee meetings (including Board) held this year, 14 were online and 5 hybrid.
Talking about net zero at our events
Our Connected Scotland event in early March included a session on how clubs, centres and boating organisations can prepare for net zero
Championing renewable marine fuels
Members of our Cruising and General Purposes committee are advocating for the move to renewable Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuels in marine engines.
Influence others through active conversations with our members and networks, direct actions, and promotion of The Green Blue.
Showcasing innovative recycling tech
What to do about equipment at the end of its life is a perpetual headache for boat owners, clubs and centres. Our podcast recently featured an innovative business that offers the hope of recycling.
In March 2024, RYA Scotland’s podcast Off The Water took a look behind the scenes at Sustainable Sailing Ltd, a successful start-up whose sibling founders are passionate about creating solutions for a more environmentally friendly marine industry.
The company was started in 2021 by brothers Joe and Sam Penhaul-Smith, who grew up dinghy sailing at their local club near Derby. Their venture was born after Joe completed a Masters and PhD at the Scottish Association for Marine Science in Oban, and Sam returned from working at the most recent America’s Cup.
Using advances in green chemistry, materials science and biotechnology, its innovative technology can recycle 90% of the most common sail cloths – offering the hope of radically reducing the mountain of unwieldy landfill waste generated by recreational boating. Sustainable Sailing was named ‘Start-Up of the Year 2023’ by the Institute of Engineering and Technology.
“There
is so much more we can do, it’s not a case of if, it’s a case of when. The more we can do to get the word out, build the conversation, and get people to take more small, practical actions – the better!”
Joe
Penhaul-Smith, co-founder, Sustainable Sailing Ltd
Listen to the podcast about Sustainable Sailing Ltd
Olympians’ record crossing for the planet
Scotland’s Tokyo silver medallist Anna Burnet and partner John Gimson challenged themselves to a recordbreaking Irish Sea crossing to raise awareness of the climate crisis and marine degradation.
In September 2023, the celebrated Team GB mixed multihull pair shattered the world record for the fastest sailing crossing between Ballyholme in Northern Ireland and Portpatrick, Scotland. They completed the crossing in just over 90 minutes, beating the previous record by 7 minutes.
Accompanying Burnet and Gimson as support vessel was the Artemis eFoiler, the world’s first 100% electric foiling vessel for commercial transport, produced by Belfast-based Artemis Technologies. The aim of their record-breaking dash was to raise awareness of the climate crisis and environmental degradation caused by maritime travel.
“The main reason for us was really to raise awareness of the need to make the marine industry a greener place… we wanted to do something that was going to be a challenge and that would garner some attention… It was challenging with the conditions, at times a little scary.”
Anna Burnet, Team GB medallist
What we said in our strategic plan.
And what we did this year.
People
Being on the water can have a transformative impact on people’s lives –their health and wellbeing, self-confidence and sense of belonging.
This reporting year, we continued to fully recognise the importance of social outcomes alongside traditional performance outcomes. We are transforming the way we work to deliver benefit for diverse groups of people through a Changing Lives approach, as close to home as possible.
Our ambition is to ensure that everyone in Scotland’s boating community –participants, volunteers, members and staff – feel successful, supported, included and valued, no matter where they live.
We will implement the structures necessary to engage young people across all levels of our organisation through an action plan designed by young people for young people.
A new initiative to represent the voices of young people in boating at all levels of RYA
Board level – kicked off at our Connected
Under-25 Director Yasmin Haig and Scottish
consultation phase taking place in the summer and autumn, to further expand on our youth
The event also featured a session led by young support from their Commodore) about keeping sailors engaged over the winter – an inspiring example of proactive youth engagement at
Going forward into 2024, plan is to develop an effective method of bringing together young people to inform and support our Under-25 Director Yasmin in representing youth voices
“I think it’s important for youngsters to be involved in the conversation. Not only to have their feedback taken onboard, but to be involved in decision-making. They see things with fresh perspectives and can come up with wild and wonderful solutions to problems that you might have been sitting on for years.”
Robyn
Francis, Chief
Instructor
at Ancrum Outdoor Centre and Young Sailors Chatroom participant
We will encourage and promote the ‘Changing Lives’ approach, so that more people in more places can experience the physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits of boating.
Changing young lives in Campbeltown
School pupils in this coastal Argyll town now have the chance to try their hand at sailing while building life skills, under the watchful eye of Jamie Rodgers, Operations and Development Manager at Kintyre Sea Sports.
During Jamie’s first year with the organisation, Kintyre Sea Sports achieved RYA Recognised Training Centre status. This followed several years of successful partnership working in the local community, and delivery of sailing tuition including instructor training. A school programme giving secondary pupils from Campbeltown Grammar School (CGS) the chance to try dinghy sailing using the OnBoard approach was also put in place.
The OnBoard approach supplements a number of other programmes underway at Kintyre Sea Sports, all driven by a longstanding desire to create an offering for the community, by the community. With a proven track record of upskilling young people and boosting local opportunity, several pupils have continued sailing, completing RYA qualifications and even working towards instructor qualifications.
Several pupils have continued sailing, completing RYA qualifications and even working towards instructor qualifications. “We’ve introduced nearly 50 school children to sailing in the last season and approximately 30
have come through RYA qualifications already,” says Jamie. “We’re teaching sailing directly, but also developing life skills through the sport.”
Elaine McGeachy, Depute Head at CGS, says:
“We could not have imagined some of the children being out on the water, but now they’re confident sailors. Not only have we seen them grow in their own skills, but they’ve also become more confident working with different people. Some were quite shy before, but now they’re working with new friends. They’ve also been instrumental encouraging other children to take part in the following year.”
The project has been a joint effort across several organisations, Jamie emphasises: “A huge amount of work had already been done before I arrived. RYA Scotland was involved from the outset, supporting local volunteers to identify needs, secure funding and prepare for becoming a training centre.”
“It makes you calm. Your mind is taken off everything else because you have to concentrate on doing the sailing. It just takes you away from school and everything.”
Watch Jamie Rodgers receive his Impact Award
1,828
new OnBoard participants in Scotland this year
2 new OnBoard centres joined this reporting year
Changing lives through OnBoard
12 newly qualified OnBoard tutors deployed this reporting year
4 practical OnBoard development days supporting over 20 instructors/coaches to deliver the programme
It is also the underlying principle of the RYA OnBoard children’s sailing and windsurfing programme. OnBoard aims not only to teach sailing skills, but also to nurture invaluable life skills in children and young people, such as problem solving, confidence and teamwork.
And so our shift in focus towards Changing Lives has seen us work to further expand the provision of RYA OnBoard throughout Scotland, by encouraging and supporting Recognised Training Centres to join the programme. A cohort of 12 new OnBoard tutors, trained in February 2023, came on stream at the start of the season to support this push.
We will develop connections with people to share ideas, solve problems and learn.
Connecting with coaches
Our brand new Coaching Collective, created this year, will guide RYA Scotland’s Coach Education function to ensure that the specialist training and coaching skills are in place to deliver positive impact around Scotland.
This year saw important preliminary discussions and planning come to fruition with the creation of our Coaching Collective. The aim of this new voluntary committee is to assist and support the Coach Education team in its work to develop the wide range of people and organisations who deliver RYA training and coaching the length and breadth of Scotland. Among the nine existing members of the new Collective are student coaches with a keen eye on the future.
“The Collective is an engagement forum for those responsible for ensuring that the specialist skills required to deliver all RYA programmes are available in Scotland. Their input will help us understand network needs, assist with targeting funding and provide guidance on key Coach Education programmes,” says Robin Nicol, Coach Education Development Manager.
We will take instructor and coach development out to our communities and support people to develop their skills through tailored opportunities in localities as close to them as possible.
Rolling out regional development opportunities
During this reporting year, a major focus for our team has been the provision of regular instructor and coaching courses in each of the three regions.
We are pleased to have delivered OnBoard Programme support at centres in each of the three regions during the year, with 12 newly qualified OnBoard tutors trained in February 2023 helping to expand delivery.
There were Senior Instructor (SI) preparation weekends and a course in the North this year, meaning each region has seen one SI training block since October 2022. In addition, each of the three regions has hosted a Race Coach Level 2 (RCL2) course this year.
In the 2024 season, we will continue this drive to provide a good regional spread of training opportunities to grow a skilled workforce. To ensure widest access, we will focus on growing the number of venues hosting our training activities around the country, alongside a programme of online webinars and calls.
Instructor and coach development in numbers
60 days’ worth of varied Continued Professional Development activity delivered
235 attendances (compared to 216 in the previous reporting year)
7 training venues in the East
4 venues in the West
4 venues in the North
Nurturing young coaches
In February 2024, we provided nine junior performance sailors with an early introduction to the coaching pathway during our first Young Coaches Weekend, held as a residential at Blairvadach Outdoor Education Centre.
Our Class Academy programme will continue to provide high-quality coaching to more people in more places.
Giant start to the Academy season
The weekend of 30 September to 1 October 2023 saw around 85 young sailors from the seven youth and junior pathway classes come together at Largs Sailing Club for our first-ever RYA Scotland Giant Academy.
The aim of the new ‘big weekend’ format was to kick-start the 2023-24 Academy programme with a bang and inspire young sailors of all racing abilities to hone their racing skills, make new friends and take up the race coaching opportunities offered via the series of regional Class Academies throughout winter.
Besides two days of race coaching for Optimist, Topper, Techno 293, Feva, ILCA, 29er and IQ Foil classes, the weekend featured a series of talks and workshops for parents. These included an introduction to the RYA Performance programmes, chats with class association representatives, event support workshops, and discussions on nutrition and supporting women and girls in sailing.
The event was an opportunity for coach education too. “The coaches were able to develop their skills and teamwork, and meet with their sailors to kickstart winter [Academies season]. We also had mentoring to allow younger coaches to progress,” said Robyn Phillips of Coach Education.
“It’s
been good, we’ve had some really good coaching, the wind picked up towards the end, which was really exciting… I am looking forward to the winter Academies to improve my sailing to get into the Performance Team next winter.”
Lotte Kohn, Topper sailor
Class Academies in 2023 – 2024
9 venues around the country hosted an Academy
36 Academies delivered 417 attendances across all Academies
23 Coaches involved in delivering Academies
7 pathway classes catered for
Watch the short video clip on our Facebook page
Performance measure: Scotland will have at least one sailor selected to represent the UK at the Paris Olympics in 2024.
Scots Anna and Fynn celebrate Olympic selection
In early October 2023, it was revealed that not one, but two Scottish sailors are heading to Marseille for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in July 2024.
Seasoned Nacra 17 mixed multihull medallist Anna Burnet and Olympic debutante Fynn Sterritt (men’s skiff) are among the cohort of ten Team GB sailors selected for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Anna, who hails from Shandon, and her English partner John Gimson will be looking to upgrade to gold this time after bagging silver at the Tokyo Games in 2020. They sealed their Paris place with a bronze in the mixed multihull fleet at the Olympic test event in July 2023, followed by the runners-up spot at the World Championships in August.
Reflecting on her Olympic journey from Tokyo to Paris, Anna says: “At that time I thought being selected and going to an Olympic Games was unbelievable, like that was almost the dream fulfilled. But then we got the silver medal, and I think once you know what you’re capable of and what we can achieve as a team, the goals get bigger.”
Meanwhile, Highlander Fynn Sterritt and his English sailing partner James Peters will make their Olympic debut on the 49er skiff after placing ninth at the Olympic test event and sixth at the 2023 World Championships.
Fynn’s Olympic dream has been a while in the making. Having written in his high school yearbook that he’d sail in the Olympics one day, he missed out on two previous selections for the 2016 and 2020 Games.
He reflects: “[Selection] is something that my partner James and I have been working on since 2014. That’s a long time in itself, but it is something I’ve been dreaming about since I was 12 years old. It’s pretty cool and you definitely have to stop and catch yourself and appreciate the moment.”
“Once you know what you’re capable of and what we can achieve as a team, the goals get bigger.”
Anna Burnet, Team GB
What we said in our strategic plan.
And what we did this year.
Places
Our places are where people and communities come together to get out onto the water for the first time, or share and develop an existing interest in boating.
Whether a small rural club or a commercial centre near the city, we undertake to support facilities across Scotland to be successful, accessible, inclusive, valued, flexible and sustainable.
Our regional planning will directly support the evolution of places from which boating is facilitated.
Rhys looks East
Summer 2023 saw Rhys Gorman join RYA Scotland as Regional Development Officer for the East of Scotland. He brings a wealth of hands-on experience to the Participation and Development team, which takes a regional approach to supporting clubs and boating organisations.
From his previous role as Chief Instructor at Sea Cadets Port Edgar Boat Station, Rhys brings with him bags of first-hand experience of the positive impact sailing can bring to the lives of young people.
Growing up in Elgin, Moray, Rhys’s own sailing journey started as a young Sea Cadet. He went on to gain his Powerboat Instructor and Dinghy Instructor qualifications through the organisation, and later, as a psychology student in Dundee, continued to volunteer with the Sea Cadets.
“I look forward to helping clubs and organisations in the East become focal points in their communities.”
Rhys Gorman, RYA Scotland Regional Development Officer
We will continue to provide a series of engaging workshops, online seminars and conferences which focus on use of our Club Development Framework.
New development framework launched
RYA Scotland’s annual Connected Scotland event in early March 2024 saw the launch of our new development framework for clubs, commercial centres and other boating organisations.
On Course for the Future was introduced to over 70 delegates, representing 36 boating organisations from around Scotland, who attended the day in Perth.
Comprehensively revised from the previous Club Development Framework published in 2018, On Course for the Future focuses on supporting boating organisations to articulate their vision and purpose, and better understand the needs of their local communities. It also places emphasis on the tailored support offered by RYA Scotland’s three Regional Development Officers (RDOs). It is designed to be used as a selfguided tool, or with guidance from the RDO.
Organisational development was just one topic discussed at Connected Scotland. The day offered a range of forums and workshops where delegates could share ideas and take inspiration for overcoming challenges and delivering impact in their communities. In addition to this annual event, monthly Connect Calls provided ongoing support and learning opportunities around key topics.
10
Connect calls in this reporting year 77 total attendances on these calls... ... by 52 individuals representing 29 organisations
Topics included:
- Becoming a SCIO
- Funding & Theory of Change
- Sailability: More than Sailing
- Social Media
- Getting Kids OnBoard with Sailing
“I was looking forward to seeing the new development framework, because we’re currently undergoing a strategic review period – so incorporating that will be really good.”
Kayleigh Nicolson, Whiteadder Watersports, at Connected Scotland
Take a look at On Course for the Future
We will develop a performance environment to deliver our Performance Programme as well as higher level training and qualifications.
Destination Spain for youth ILCA squad
Eight of Scotland’s most promising young ILCA performance sailors honed their racing skills in sunnier climes on a preseason training camp in Valencia at the turn of the year.
The international training camp from 27 December to 3 January was the first foreign camp of its kind for a Scotland youth squad. They were accompanied by RYA Scotland Training Development Officer Robyn Phillips and RYA Scotland ILCA 6 Head Coach Clem Thompson.
The youngsters aged 14 to 17 made the most of the learning on offer – they were often the first squad on and last off the water each day. Their enthusiasm paid off, with noticeable improvements in their big fleet racing skills amongst top young sailors from other nations.
“The team were on form the whole week – an incredibly responsible and dedicated group of youngsters who were eager to make the most of their time out there. It was great to see them hone new skills and go up against some different competition in the bigger fleets.”
Robyn Phillips, Training Development Officer, RYA Scotland
We will support clubs and training centres to make more sustainable choices in their operation to protect the places that are the foundation of our sport.
Green accolade for Royal Tay
In spring 2023 Royal Tay Yacht Club in Dundee opened its new eco-friendly clubhouse, earning it a place on the shortlist for the RYA Green Club of the Year Award.
The development of the state-of-the art new Glenogil Clubhouse at Grassy Beach was a move supported by RYA Scotland. It boasts a host of green credentials, as Director and former Commodore Ralph Hopkins explains: “It’s very energy efficient and includes measures such as air source heat pumps and solar panels. It also has a sod roof and some rainwater recovery. In addition, we installed car charging and cycle racks to encourage active travel to the club.”
The eco initiative continued outside, with a spring clean of the dinghy park resulting in a good number of boats being re-used and recycled within the club. Boats beyond repair were given to schools and community initiatives for use as raised beds in gardening projects, and old masts were sold for scrap. The club also arranges regular beach cleans.
The drive to go green has been embraced by club members and volunteers, says Ralph. “Change is always challenging. But when we consulted with members, the majority supported what the club was trying to do. Our members are very proud of the environment around us and want to keep standards as high as possible.”
“What we would like to pass on to the next generation is a sustainable, eco-friendly club and a clean marine environment. We
all love being on the water, after all.”
Ralph Hopkins, former Commodore, Royal Tay Yacht Club
Communities
What we said in our strategic plan.
And what we did this year.
Communities are about a sense of belonging and identity. They connect people through a common interest or can be rooted in a particular location.
Whether boosting sailing opportunities in rural locations, supporting a focal point for board sport or championing the vibrant student sailing scene, we work to help make Scotland’s diverse boating communities successful, inclusive, valued, sustainable and collaborative.
We will bring together the aspirations and challenges of local communities and communities of interest…
Thriving club boosts sailing in rural north-west
Lochcarron Sailing Club on the Rossshire coast made waves this year for its impact in growing access to sailing in rural communities, with participants travelling from across the remote northwest to attend its inspiring training weeks.
Thanks to the dedication of its volunteers and its commitment to regional collaboration with other clubs and RYA Training Centres, Lochcarron has seen year-on-year growth in the number of participants attending its courses for children and adults, as well as its annual training weeks.
“The club has been going for 30 years or more; we’ve grown it from a two-berth caravan and a couple of Toppers, to having over 70 people going through different training courses,” says long-standing committee member Steve Patch.
“For this year’s training week we had nine instructors, all of whom came through the club as juniors.”
“Word seems to have gotten out about our training weeks, so we’ve been getting lots of people coming – it’s nice to see. We’ve got a lot of children and grandchildren of people who learned here previously,” says Commodore Oriel Woods. “The main focus is to get people out sailing, whether it’s here or elsewhere.”
The last two seasons, Lochcarron has also capably hosted RYA Scotland’s North OnBoard Festival alongside our staff and instructors, with children and families travelling from far and wide.
“We set up Fin & Foil as a constituted association to try and promote wind sports in Scotland, to have a central hub and pull everyone together. We embrace people of all abilities who want to be involved.”
Jenny Hopley, Scottish Fin & Foil committee member and parent
New focal point for Scotland’s windsurf and wing community
In August 2023, RYA Scotland supported new wind sports association Scottish Fin & Foil in hosting its inaugural Open Championships in Stranraer.
Scottish Fin & Foil provides a home for Scotland’s windsurfing and winging community. Founded in early 2023 by a voluntary group of keen windsurfers, coaches and parents – including RYA Scotland Coach Education Development Manager Robin Nicol – it aims to develop opportunities and run first-rate events for a range of classes including Techno 293, Raceboard, iQFoil and wing foil.
“The purpose of the association is to have a focal point north of the border,” says Chair Danny Hawthorn. “Our Open Championships is the premier event in Scotland for windsurf, wing and foil. Our aim is to make it as inclusive and welcoming as possible for everyone, from beginners dipping a toe into racing, to the pros.”
“It’s the only five-day event in the UK, with dedicated courses for foil and fin as well as a beginner course. The event attracted a
huge range of participants who came for the experience and the fun, even those who have never raced,” adds Robin Nicol. “It was all made possible by over 50 volunteers.”
The second F&F Open Championships, scheduled for early August 2024, promises to be even bigger and better. Again hosted in Stranraer, it is on the UK Windsurfing Association circuit and will include a preevent junior and youth training camps for both windsurf and wing.
Inspiring a BooM in windsurfing
Also on a mission to grow participation in windsurfing is BooM Windsurfing. Co-founders Nick Jupp and Paul Dunn hope to do so through their inspiring social media content and support for youth events. The duo received an Impact Award –watch the video.
Watch the video
‘Fin & Foil, Stranraer 2023’
“It’s great to have a big range of levels in one place. I do a lot of training down south, even though I’m from Scotland. So it really helps to have a Scottish event of this size.”
Dan McGregor, IQ Foiler
We
will actively connect communities in boating with others around them, by sharing good practice and examples of successful collaborations.
Volunteers are the heart of student sailing
Scotland’s student sailing scene continues to go from strength to strength, with alumni playing a key role as volunteers supporting a busy events calendar.
The student sailing community offers a home to pursue a passion and make new friends for a range of young people – from beginners and those who tried sailing as children, to racehardened regulars.
Scottish Student Sailing (SSS) is the governing body for student sailing in Scotland, officially recognised by Scottish Student Sport, RYA Scotland and the British Universities Sailing Association (BUSA). Its annual calendar is packed with training and race events across a range of disciplines, as well as hosting major
BUSA events this year. All this relies heavily on the enthusiasm of an army of volunteers.
“It’s a never-ending task, but people are always really keen to get involved,” explains 202324 Chair Louis Hockings-Cooke, who is also Commodore of University of Strathclyde’s club, Strathsail. “It’s great to have such a good community who love helping each other out. Some people will keep volunteering long after they’ve graduated.”
One such person is University of Edinburgh alumnus turned race officer James Logan: “I raced as a student, and I’ve done umpiring and race management. By continuing to help out at events, I can pass on that knowledge to ensure there is continuity going forward.”
Listen to our Off The Water podcast ‘Inside the Student Sailing Scene’
“Each university has a turn to host these events, so you see everyone racing as well as helping out. You understand that for you to race, you also need to give up your time to help – it all continues in a nice circle!”
Alexandra, University of Glasgow
This year, two major national student sailing events came to Scotland: the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Fleet Racing Championships was hosted by Strathsail at Helensburgh Sailing Club in mid-November 2023, and the BUSA Team Racing Play-offs hosted by University of Edinburgh at Lochore Meadows in early March 2024.
Watch the video ‘Behind the scenes at Scottish Student Sailing’
“We have a lively student sailing community here in Scotland – it’s a great way to make new friends. We see people who maybe did their RYA stages as kids return to the water as students, and really making sailing their passion. It’s wonderful to see people who’ve never sailed before, try it at uni and absolutely love it.”
Louis Hockings-Cooke, Chair,
Partnerships & Communications
What we said in our strategic plan.
And what we did this year.
We believe that, by collaborating and partnering with others, we can amplify our voice for boating and help deliver wider societal benefits. We also work to engage more people in more places by evolving our use of digital media channels to ensure our communications remain relevant, accessible and engaging.
We will maintain a presence at key national discussions, cultivate further avenues to increase our influence and use these to advocate on behalf of Scotland’s boating community.
Collaborative effort secures a major change to proposed visitor levy
As a member of the Holyrood Cross Party Groups on Sport and on Recreational Boating and Marine Tourism, RYA Scotland provides vital input to Scottish Government policies that affect the boating community.
In mid-January 2024, we celebrated a major policy victory for leisure boating, together with British Marine Scotland and other stakeholders. Through collaborative effort, we secured a significant amendment to plans for a Scottish Visitor Levy, put forward by the Scottish Parliament Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee.
Original proposals for the new overnight levy, to be raised by accommodation providers on behalf of local authorities, did not make any exception for marinas and mooring providers offering berths and moorings for visiting boats.
However, following concerns raised by RYA Scotland and partners about the impact on these providers – many of them small businesses or voluntary organisations – the Scottish Government agreed to exempt boat moorings and berthings (unless vessels are permanently moored as accommodation).
“A key role for RYA Scotland is to work with government to ensure that the needs of the recreational boating sector are represented.
“The removal of berthings and moorings from the Visitor Levy Bill came about after considerable work with partners, not least British Marine Scotland… Our aim was to encourage MSPs and Ministers to reconsider their inclusion in the draft bill by highlighting the practical implications... This success shows the importance of working constructively with the Scottish Parliament and Government.”
Charles Bird, Chair, RYA Scotland Cruising & General Purposes Committee
marine licence applications received and responded to in the reporting year
In addition, RYA Scotland responded constructively to significant consultations and initiatives that affect all of the boating community. These include:
• Scottish Government Energy Plan and National Marine Plan
• Harbour revision orders for Oban and Stranraer
• Scotland’s revised Events Strategy
• National Park Partnership Plan for Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
• Consultations on climate change impacts and marine restoration
• Championing the move to HVO fuels in marine engines.
Behind the scenes with our podcast
Our official RYA Scotland podcast Off The Water returned this year with a short series during the off season.
With each episode providing a deeper dive into a topical issue, we hope to inform and inspire listeners during the winter months, when getting afloat is less likely. The podcast is also a valuable chance for our team to make new and meaningful connections across the Scottish sailing landscape.
This year, we dived into the university sailing scene with Scottish Student Sailing, got a glimpse behind the scenes of the RYA Scotland Cruising & General Purposes Committee with its Chair, Charles Bird, and talked sail recycling with Joe Penhaul-Smith of Sustainable Sailing Ltd.
It’s safe to say we’ve learned a little something each episode. We hope you do too when you tune in at home or on the road. We
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Communications and Engagement Lead Officer:
and
Philippa Howie
Copywriting
editing: Ida Maspero Design: Julie Young
Photography: RYA Scotland, Marc Turner, Thought Boxes/ British Sailing Team, Sailing Energy/Princesa Sofía Mallorca, Dougie Bell, Yasmin Haig (supplied)