RYA Scotland Impact Report - Year 1 2022-23 - People Places and Communities

Impact Report Year 1

2022-23

People, Places and Communities

Contents

Chair’s welcome, Brian Wilson

CEO’s foreword, Finlo Cottier

Underpinning our approach

- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

- Sustainability

People

Places

Communities

Partnerships & Communications

Our 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.

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 and sports boats, inland cruising and personal watercraft. Boating takes place in a variety of locations – from inland waterways, reservoirs and lochs to rivers, estuaries, coastal areas and oceans.

The RYA is also a membership organisation with over 100,000 members across the UK, including individuals, families and affiliated clubs and recognised training centres.

FInd out more about RYA membership

Chair’s welcome

In the course of shaping our strategic plan, we spoke widely with our members, stakeholders and partners. These conversations confirmed People, Places and Communities as its main thematic leads, and cemented Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Sustainability as fundamental priorities underpinning all we do, and how we do it.

We set out to measure our progress not just in numbers and reaching narrow targets, but the difference we make to the lives of people, the places and communities – as told by their own stories. We would demonstrate meaningful impact across our activities through the narrative beside the numbers.

Finally, it must be stressed that this is only year one – we have only just begun to reframe our work to this strategy, and much remains to be done. Yet we are confident we are on the right track, as the voices and stories in this report demonstrate.

In April last year, we were delighted to introduce People, Places and Communities, our strategic plan for the three years from 2022 to 2025. It represents a substantial re-imagining of RYA Scotland, introducing an entirely new regional and local approach to how we support and develop the breadth of boating across Scotland today.

Our strategy iterates our intention to radically change the understanding of the positive impact boating has on Scotland’s people, places and communities – including health and wellbeing, personal achievement, training and learning, employment, community spirit, environmental awareness and other wider societal benefits. And of course, the pure thrill of it.

The strategy aims to reframe and target our work and activities closer to where boating happens, through a regional planning approach that facilitates engagement, support and training as close as possible to the point of need. To solidify this approach, we set out to grow our regional planning functions for the East, West and North and Islands regions.

Now, just over 12 months on, this report explores and celebrates progress in our first year of working to this fresh and re-imagined strategy. In keeping with our undertaking to make greater use of the narrative beside the numbers to demonstrate meaningful impact, we showcase inspiring people, places and communities around Scotland.

Brian Wilson, Chair RYA Scotland

This report explores and celebrates progress in our first year of working to our fresh and re-imagined strategy.

CEO’s foreword

Having formerly worked at the Scottish Association for Marine Science, my move across from marine science to marine sport might sound like a big leap. But both share the critical concept of impact – whether it’s science or sport, the positive difference we make to individuals or communities has to be central to our mission.

Numbers can sometimes just be a snapshot in time and don’t describe the journey that our sport is going on – including the highs and the lows. This impact report is full of real stories from real people in real clubs who are changing the way that sailing and boating can support communities.

It’s very exciting to provide this introduction to the RYA Scotland Impact Report Year 1 for 2022-23 just a few weeks after starting my new role as CEO.

I’m originally from the Isle of Man and now live in Oban – both are locations with strong maritime communities, supporting sailing and boating opportunities for all. My own touch point with RYA Scotland was nearly 10 years ago when they provided critical support for my local sailing club, encouraging us to look beyond our own sailing community and build local partnerships. The support that RYA Scotland is providing to many clubs and organisations so they can develop wider relevance and engagement within their community was a key part of my motivation to take on the CEO role.

But how do we measure impact – the difference we can all make? Quantitative metrics only give a fraction of the story and are very one-dimensional. Numbers don’t tell us about the human impacts, the quality of experiences or the long-term benefits to individuals and communities.

The RYA is also on a journey and it is one of making our sport more appealing to more people. A refreshed RYA strategy sets out to positively impact peoples’ lives by supporting them to enjoy the benefits of being on the water. Central to all of this is making sailing inclusive and bringing new people into our sport. Imagery has a role to play here, and so we also welcome a new visual identity for the RYA which we hope will resonate with many more people within our communities as it rolls out over the coming year.

Impact is everywhere. I am looking forward to seeing the growing influence that our members and affiliates have on people, places and communities.

Finlo Cottier, CEO RYA Scotland

Quantitative metrics only give a fraction of the story… Numbers don’t tell us about the human impacts, the quality of experiences or the long-term benefits to individuals and communities.

Underpinning our approach

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and to Sustainability is woven into the fabric of all our decisions and activities. Our strategic plan cements them as fundamental priorities that underpin all we do… and how we do it.

EDI and environmental sustainability are ongoing conversations across the boating community, as they are across wider society in Scotland. Along with the stories we tell in this section, these two priorities are at the heart of many other stories throughout this report.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Our commitment to EDI means responding to the specific needs and aspirations of different groups, understanding perceptions of and barriers to participation in boating, and striving to stay informed about wider societal changes.

What we said in our strategic plan. And what we did this year.

Disability sailing means anyone can get afloat

We work with Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) to highlight and host opportunities for those living with disabilities to get afloat safely and enjoy the wellbeing benefits of sailing.

In August 2022, we again attended the annual Wheels to Water inclusive event at the Castle Semple Centre, Lochwinnoch, along with SDS and fellow governing bodies – Scottish Canoe Association and Scottish Cycling. Though water levels in the loch sadly prevented the Hansa sail boats from going out, canoeing, rowing and powerboating taster sessions went ahead (along with cycling), and participants had the chance to chat to our team about accessible sailing.

All hail the Hansa!

The colourful sails of Hansa boats against blue skies marked the RYA Scotland Disability Open Day, held at Bardowie Loch in October 2022. The Hansa class aims to make sailing appealing, accessible and affordable for a broader range of people.

The open day, hosted along with the Clyde Cruising Club (CCC) Dinghy Section and the Hansa Class Association, was inspired by the enthusiasm of RYA Race Coach, CCC member and Hansa performance sailor Rory McKinna.

volunteers.

We believe disability is no barrier to participation.

The Disability Sailing Open Day was a resounding success according to the sailors and their families who attended. We were lucky to have the perfect weather window – with just enough wind for building the young people’s confidence – and many fantastic

Laura Cowan, Regional Development Officer (West), RYA Scotland

More young people and places coming OnBoard

OnBoard is the nationwide RYA programme that encourages youngsters aged eight to 18 to try sailing and windsurfing at their local club or centre in a safe, fun and structured environment. It is designed to help develop key life skills and has learning at its core.

This reporting year, we have made significant progress in expanding and developing the OnBoard programme in Scotland, as shown by the figures to the right.

In February 2023, we welcomed Hannah Cockle, then RYA Onboard Operations Officer, to Port Edgar. Hannah ran two workshop days for coaches, chief instructors and principals at clubs and centres to gain an understanding of OnBoard.

A number of expressions of interest from centres and clubs means we expect the number offering OnBoard to grow further in the coming two years. In addition, we are currently working to align the outcomes of the OnBoard resources with Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence to support the link to education. We hope to launch these by the end of 2023.

1

new OnBoard centre joined this reporting year (Stranraer Watersports)

6 OnBoard Centres in Scotland

12 new OnBoard tutors trained this reporting year

1003 new participants in Scotland in 2022

We are actively changing to be more inclusive of young people.

the video about Hannah’s workshop days

OnBoard is designed to help develop key life skills and has learning at its core.

OnBoard Festival fun

At the end of August 2022, we hosted three regional OnBoard Introductory Festivals to bring together young sailors – whether beginners or already familiar with the sport – in a fun festival atmosphere.

Over 40 children took part in the West and North regional festivals, held at James Hamilton Heritage Park and Lochcarron Sailing Club respectively. Unfortunately, the planned East event at Monikie Regional Park was cancelled due to blue-green algae.

Given their success, these regional OnBoard Festivals will become an annual fixture, with dates confirmed for late August and early September 2023 at the same three venues.

We wanted all participants to gain a positive coaching experience, try something new, meet new people or go to different venues and have a great time – I think it was definitely mission accomplished!

Liza Linton, Development Manager, RYA Scotland

Thanks so much for a wonderful day! Especially to all the instructors who made us feel so welcome and safe.

OnBoard Festival participant

Supporting female Pioneers in their communities

We started the Pioneer Project in 2018 to explore ideas for encouraging more women into boating in Scotland, and respond to the sportscotland Fit for Girls programme. The project connects Pioneers – women who are driving inclusive initiatives within their own clubs or communities – as a peer mentoring group.

Currently there are 11 Pioneers, who between them have done much to grow female participation in boating around Scotland. They include Sarah Green from Prestwick Sailing Club, who has been leading womens’ training there; Roisin Fleming at Port Edgar Watersports, who runs its women’sonly event No Bouys Allowed; and Robyn Francis of Aberdeen University Sailing Club, who has had a big impact in her role with Scottish Student Sailing in encouraging female participation.

Female take-over at Port Edgar

No Buoys Allowed at Port Edgar is an annual all-women’s day held in late May, offering watersports taster sessions run by volunteer female instructors, exclusively for female participants.

It is inspired by Steering The Course, the annual festival of women in sailing started by World Sailing in 2021.

We have a focus on engaging women in boating.

Currently there are 11 Pioneers, who between them have done much to grow female participation in boating around Scotland.

Women on Water at Prestwick

During the reporting year, our then Training Development Officer, Robyn Phillips, helped to deliver the Women on Water programme at Prestwick Sailing Club. Run by Pioneer Sarah Green, the initiative aims to build a community of female sailors who feel confident and supported. In May 2022, a one-day Laser race coaching session was held to help progress participants towards the next level, while a Ladies Who Launch day in April 2023 offered rigging and boat set-up sessions without the ‘mansplaining’.

“The intention is to give women confidence that they can come and sail in the often challenging conditions we have here at Prestwick. It’s lovely to have a laugh with other women and not to be the only female in the changing room!”

Sarah Green, Pioneer, Prestwick Sailing Club

It’s great going out with other women who’re roughly the same age and also feel a bit nervous about getting into something new… When the wind catches your sail, that feeling of freedom always makes me smile.

Lesley, Women on Water participant

Championing women’s performance sailing

Anna Burnet on course for Paris 2024

RYA Scotland’s performance pathway and ongoing support has seen a number of Scottish sailors join Team GB over the years.

This year, we have been closely following the progress of Anna Burnet as she sails the mixed multi-hull towards the Paris 2024 Olympics.

At the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Anna and sailing partner John Gimson took silver –the first medal Team GB have won in the Mixed Foiling Nacra 17 discipline since its debut at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

The pair have won the Princess Sofia Trophy and Semaine Olympique Française regattas so far in 2023 and have been selected for the Olympic test event in Marseille, host city of the sailing competition at next summer’s Olympics, in July.

Female match racing Five By Five

This reporting year saw newly formed all-female match racing team Five By Five rise to success.

Brought together by ambitious Scottish sailor Ali Morrish and including fellow Scots Emily Robertson and Rebecca Coles, the team formed to participate in the first official Women’s World Match Racing Tour. It made its debut at the inaugural event in the series, held in Copenhagen in September 2022, finishing in fifth place.

Then, in October, an overall fifth place – and first female helm and team – at the RYA National Match Racing Grand Finals set Five By Five on course for the World Championships in New Zealand in November 2022. Here, the team finished as top British boat in a world-class fleet. We are proud to have supported Five By Five on their journey to success.

Sustainability

Environmental sustainability and the protection of marine habitats are key personal values for many who enjoy boating, and lie at the heart of our ethos.

In our strategy, we make these undertakings to manage and improve our own environmental performance as an organisation, and encourage our members and affiliates to do the same.

What we said in our strategy. And what we did this year.

Engage fully in the RYA Carbon Pathway to Zero by 2050. Control our own impacts and lead by example.

Committing to sustainable boating in Scotland

The RYA is committed to a sustainable future for recreational boating in the UK. Its Carbon Pathway to Zero, published in July 2021, outlines its vision for a zero-carbon recreational boating sector by 2050.

Here at RYA Scotland, we are working to support that vision. For example, our response to the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy consultation addressed the decarbonising of recreational boating and the need for alternative non-fossil fuel for diesel engines.

Tackling our own carbon emissions

RYA Scotland’s own Sustainability Action Plan, launched in May 2021, was revised and adopted in this reporting year. The 25-point plan sets out a number of operational actions, including reducing plastic at events and cutting carbon emissions associated with travel.

Controlling the environmental impact of our organisation by changing our behaviours and reducing our carbon footprint is a long-term undertaking. We are conscious of being at the early stages of that journey – it is a work in progress.

The measurement of any reduction needs to begin with robust baseline data. This reporting year, we have established a baseline for our carbon emissions from staff travel by car.

Like many organisations, we have found that the Covid pandemic led to a natural move toward greater remote working and meeting, thereby helping to reduce carbon emissions. The volunteers on our board and committees now meet mainly online, in effect saving a total of 26,400 miles of road travel to regular meetings in Edinburgh.

Our baseline

38,000

annual road miles by staff

11 tonnes of CO2 generated annually

Mileage reduction through hybrid meetings

26,400 miles of volunteers’ travel saved

The RYA is committed to a sustainable future for recreational boating in the UK.

Promoting The Green Blue’s new Boating Pledge

The Green Blue is a joint environmental initiative launched by the RYA and British Marine in 2005 to encourage a sustainable leisure marine sector in the UK. We at RYA Scotland take every opportunity to promote the initiative to our members and affiliates.

September 2022 saw the launch of The Green Blue Boating Pledge, which hopes to nurture a more environmentally aware boating community.

Anyone can take the pledge online to respect, protect and enjoy the UK’s inland and marine habitats and wildlife.

Since its launch, we have been raising awareness of the pledge at events, regattas and gatherings, and promoting the associated resources offering a wealth of information and practical advice on boating sustainably.

In addition, we are delighted that two Scottish universities achieved Bronze in The Green Blue’s University Sailing Sustainability Challenge (USSC) in 2022-2023. The challenge involves university sailing clubs undertaking as many sustainable actions as they can during the academic year to reach Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Award levels. Aberdeen University Sailing Club and University of Strathclyde Sailing Club both achieved a Bronze Award this year.

Influence others through active conversations with our members and networks, direct actions, and promotion of The Green Blue.

We at RYA Scotland take every opportunity to promote The Green Blue to our members and affiliates.

Showcasing sustainable boating products at events

Along with promoting The Green Blue Boating Pledge at events around Scotland, we are using our sponsorship of prizes as an opportunity to highlight the range of eco-friendly products available to boating enthusiasts.

For example, as prize sponsor at the Kip Regatta in May 2022, we provided sustainable products from the Ecoworks Marine cleaning range as prizes for all the class winners. This range of eco-friendly cleaning products includes interior and exterior cleaners, engine room degreasers, and multipurpose products.

Manage the impact of our events and activities to demonstrate best practice.

RYA Scotland is a great sponsor to the Kip Regatta. The prizes of sustainable boating products were really good – speaking to the winners, they loved them.

Ian Rodger, Kip Marina Master

People

People – their wellbeing needs, personal development, aspirations and sense of enjoyment –are the very core of all forms of boating in Scotland.

Our strategy sets out our ambition to ensure that all our people – whether participants, members, staff or volunteers – feel successful, supported, included and valued, no matter where they are in the country.

Through our revitalised regional planning function, we are transforming the way we meet the needs and aspirations of diverse groups of people, as close to home as possible.

How we said we’d make it happen.

And what we did this year.

Expanding and localising development opportunities

Our coaching team works hard to support the development of instructors and coaches who deliver boating activities at centres and clubs around the country.

This year, we have begun taking an even more local and practical approach to instructor training and Continuous Professional Development (CPD).

Regional Training Days (RTDs) in March provided a valuable opportunity for preseason inspiration and personal learning – something we want more of our people to experience, closer to where they are. Whereas we ran one session in each region (North, East and West) in 2021-2022, this reporting year saw five sessions, with a wider geographical spread.

Practical CPD sessions and instructor training courses have focused on Senior Instructors’ (SI) support in the preparation for RYA Dinghy and Windsurf Instructors making the move up. We have also supported instructor endorsements regionally.

The focus has responded to a need within the SI provision across clubs and centres, however being out and about has also allowed us to hear the needs of the instructor workforce and the support structures in place.

This year, we have been working to make instructor support practical and delivered regionally to try and make it more accessible wherever there is a local demand from a group of affiliates… We are very fortunate to have a strong team of RYA Trainers (those who instruct the Instructors) across dinghy, powerboat and windsurfing to deliver and grow our instructor development.

Phillips

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.

Robyn

, Training Development Officer, RYA Scotland

What motivates RYA Instructors and Coaches?

“Teaching people and helping them explore a skill they haven’t learnt before – that’s very rewarding.”

“Sailing has given me a lot of joy. It’s great to share that with others.”

“My favourite thing about instructing is seeing the progression in people when they come on the course. They might not have sailed before, but hopefully by the end of the course they’re a little more confident on the water. That’s satisfying.”

Our coaching team works hard to support the development of instructors and coaches who deliver boating activities at centres and clubs around the country.

Watch the video ‘Coaching and Instructing Motivations in Scotland’

Class Academies go local

The RYA Scotland Class Academy programme offers accessible coaching for aspiring youth and junior sailors of all ages looking to start their journey on the Performance Pathways in dinghy and windsurfing racing.

The programme provides opportunities to discover and develop racing skills in a training environment that offers challenge, fun and friendship. It runs over the winter months at different venues around the country.

This year, we introduced Regional Academies: one-day, bitesize coaching sessions that aim to make initial access to the programme easier. These were hosted at a total of 13 different venues across the three regions, based on where activity is clustered.

This regional model encourages new and current sailors to train at a local club and experience the Academy environment close to home. It is key to keeping our engagement local and tuned in to the aspirations of young sailors in a particular locality.

13 venues around the country hosted an Academy

38 Academy sessions delivered

360 attendances across all sessions

7 pathway classes catered for

Our Class Academy programme will continue to provide high-quality coaching to more people in more places.

Our Class Academies are very much about starting the journey on the pathway. They are broad in delivery and a huge amount of fun.

Kian Sterritt, Topper Class Academy Head Coach

Class Academies in 2022 – 2023

Introduce a Volunteer Development Framework to bring more people into our communities and better support those already involved.

Volunteer Development Framework goes live

The energy and enthusiasm of volunteers are the life-blood of boating activity up and down the country. In June 2022, we launched a significant resource for clubs and other volunteer-led boating organisations.

The new Volunteer Development Framework (VDF) provides a useful tool for groups and organisations to review and strengthen their volunteering ethos and practices, and so nurture a sustainable culture of volunteering into the future.

Compiled by our Regional Development Officers and drawing on experience and input from the RYA, sportscotland and the wider voluntary sector, the VDF is gradually being rolled out and introduced to clubs via a series of workshops.

The Framework has enabled us to think about who our volunteers are, what tasks are needed, and how to encourage new volunteering. We’ve found that welcoming new members personally and informing them about how the club is run has the potential to unlock new volunteers. Then, keeping the membership informed about opportunities and progress made by others is helping to build momentum. We’re still at an early stage but will revisit the framework as we progress.

Sandra Hogg, Commodore, Chanonry Sailing Club

Valued volunteers at the Oppie Nationals 2022

The 2022 IOCA Optimist British Open National Championships, hosted at Largs Sailing Club in early August 2022, could not have happened without the time, commitment and dedication of over 90 volunteers – many of them Oppie parents. Working alongside the parents were sailing club volunteers – from youngsters manning tuck shops to older helpers on committee boats, organising parking and helping boats ashore.

There is a lot of camaraderie on the beach, with everyone working together to get the young sailors out on the water. A lot of parent volunteers are needed to make this event happen and there are so many roles. My kids are gaining so much from being here that I really felt I should get out there and help. I don’t want to be a parent who’s standing back and not getting stuck in.

Rachel

Jackson, Oppie parent and Commodore at St Mary’s Loch Sailing Club

“I’m an Optimist parent but not really a sailor myself. It’s the first time I have run any type of sailing event! The reward is seeing all the smiles, all the children enjoying it.”

Diane Davidson, IOCA Event Director and parent

Extensive revamp for RYA Scotland Impact Awards

This year, we have completely reformed how our annual Impact Awards are delivered. Recognising and rewarding those who have made an exceptional contribution to boating in their community, the awards are now also a way of gathering the human stories of our impact.

We have moved away from traditional-style, competitive awards towards a communitybased and people-focused format. There is no closing date and no finite number of recipients.

Instead, awards are presented in person on a rolling basis throughout the season, and the stories of these inspirational people are captured on video, so that their impact and achievements may be shared and celebrated by all.

To kickstart, we look back over the 2022-23 season and highlight some of the fantastic people changing lives afloat.

Redesign our awards to recognise and celebrate the contribution, commitment and achievement of more people, more widely and more often.

Awards are presented in person on a rolling basis throughout the season

Hugh McLean, Senior Instructor and Bosun, Clyde Cruising Club

Over the years, Hugh has worn many hats at Clyde Cruising Club, based at Bardowie Loch. He is a senior instructor and a powerboat instructor, running courses for various groups who come to Bardowie, including schools and universities. He also gives his time as bosun of the Dinghy Section and has brought together the Monday Club – a group of retired volunteers who gather on Monday mornings to maintain the club’s 85 dinghies, while benefiting from companionship and a sense of purpose.

“Some people look at sailing as being a quite an elitist sport. But get involved in it, and you’ll find it’s not. We take kids from all sorts of backgrounds. My ambition for the club is for it to continue to grow, to continue to make an impact in the lives of whoever comes to sail.”

Hugh McLean

“Hugh is the linchpin of the Monday Club. He’s the axle of the whole thing, it revolves around him. Every club needs a Hugh.”

Jeff Crowley, Commodore, CCC

Monday Club member

From a social point of view, having the Monday Club is good, particularly over the winter when men tend not to socialise. It gives your week a bit of definition and gives you a reason to jump out of bed and get going.

Places

Places

Our places are where people and communities come together to share, develop and enjoy their common interest in boating, whatever form it takes or to whatever level. How

Whether a small rural club or a multi-use hub near an urban centre, we undertake to support facilities across Scotland to be successful, accessible, inclusive, valued, flexible and sustainable.

Brian finds his true north

The role of Regional Development Officer (RDO) is integral to our ambition to nurture boating people, places and communities at a local and regional level. In June 2022, Brian Pahlmann joined us as RDO for the North of Scotland.

Originally from Illinois, with a background in physical therapy and recent experience as Chair of ClubSport Aberdeen, Brian brings a fresh perspective to his role to support a range of places scattered across a large, geographically fragmented region.

“I’m completely new to the boating scene, however I believe that no matter what the sport, the principles are the same for developing people and resources, and building regional capacity and participation,” says Brian.

“North region has about 30 clubs, and many had not been particularly engaged with RYA Scotland in the past. So, I began by introducing myself – through emails and phone calls but also in-person visits – and simply saying ‘Here I am, what can I do to help you?’ Some clubs had previously been quite self-sufficient, but the pandemic had

changed things and they felt they could do with support. In many cases, they just needed a sounding board or some objective input.

“Often, I’m using tools from the Changing Lives programme, such as community mapping, to help places identify and respond to needs in their communities. For example, for Invergordon Boating Club, linking their activities to Changing Lives proved useful in writing grant applications for new boats. And at Chanonry Sailing Club, I have used other Changing Lives tools to help them explore their ‘why’ – their purpose.

“I’m also actively supporting Cromarty Boat Club to develop its idea for supporting families bereaved through suicide, and Loch Broom to make governance changes (see next page).

“Another goal of mine is to convince more clubs and training centres in the region to offer the OnBoard programme. I see it as a potential solution to many of the challenges our clubs face – engaging younger people, and building confidence, teamwork and communication within their communities.”

Our regional planning will directly support the evolution of places from which boating is facilitated.

“In coming years, I’d really like to truly show our impact in changing lives in a part of Scotland that has challenges geographically, and where clubs face greater barriers to accessing funding and facilities.”

Loch Broom evolves to serve its coastal community

Ullapool’s Loch Broom Sailing Club is in the process of becoming a SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation) with advice and support from RDO Brian Pahlmann. The decision to change its legal status was prompted by the need to come to grips with issues of liability and insurance as it looks to gradually grow its junior dinghy sailing activities in future. The club’s junior sailing leaders Gillian Meighan and Jason Leon explain:

“Though our club mainly has a yachting membership, it has run junior dinghy sailing for many years, and every summer holiday we offer a week of more formal training for kids. We are somewhat restricted by our facilities, but we have aspirations of making sure that more local children can get out onto the water.

“Ours is a coastal community with a long history of people going to sea and making a living from it.

“We feel very strongly that more kids should be able to enjoy the sea, to connect with it and feel safe on it, and so better understand the marine environment and ecology.

“We recently secured substantial funding from the Community Regeneration Fund for a number of new dinghies – a complete game changer! And thanks to refurbishment of the Ullapool shorefront currently underway, we will soon have access to more shared hard standing space. Our next challenge is to get more instructors trained.

“We will be growing our junior sailing gradually, bearing in mind the capacity of volunteers and the size of our community. The help we’ve had from RYA Scotland –from Brian but also from Robyn Phillips during our junior week, and on instructor training – has been invaluable in encouraging and supporting us to pursue our aspirations.”

Ours is a coastal community with a long history of people going to sea and making a living from it. We feel very strongly that more local kids should be able to enjoy the sea, to connect with it and feel safe on it

Gillian

Meighan, Junior Sailing Leader, Loch Broom Sailing Club

The help we’ve had from RYA Scotland has been invaluable in encouraging and supporting us to pursue our aspirations

Jason Leon, Junior Sailing Leader, Loch Broom Sailing Club

Lesley, Women on Water participant

Sharing safe waters in Dundee’s dock

Dundee’s Camperdown Dock provides safe, enclosed water where even the most cautious novices can get afloat – be it on paddleboards, kayaks or dinghies.

Dundee Sea Cadets have opened the doors of their base within the dock to Ancrum Outdoor Centre and others – a superb example of how the flexible and collaborative use of facilities can widen access to boating.

Recognising the positive impact of this partnership and use of facilities, a joint Impact Award has been presented to Michael Wilkinson, Chief Instructor for Dundee Sea Cadet Boat Station, and Andrew Best, Principal of Ancrum Outdoor Centre.

Having worked together for some time to grow opportunities for youth sailing in Tayside, the pair’s plans for a collaboration at Camperdown Dock gained momentum in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Now, Dundee Sea Cadets provides use of its base at the dock to Ancrum Outdoors (formerly based at the more exposed Grassy Beach), while Ancrum provides use of its boats and equipment to the Cadets. Dundee University Sailing Club is also using the facilities for winter race training.

We will support the evolution of modern, innovative and flexible uses of facilities to encourage more people into our community.

Watch Andrew and Michael receive their joint Impact Award

The use of Ancrum’s equipment helps our Cadets to get afloat on bits of kit we don’t have, and Ancrum can use our unit when we’re not here. So, it’s a winwin. Boats are getting used, people are getting afloat and the smiles per hour are amazing.

Michael Wilkinson, Chief Instructor, Dundee Sea Cadets

“I’ve always thought it would be great if we could work together with the Cadets as a team and use this facility to offer more opportunities… Last season we had over 450 children from Dundee schools sailing on this water, which is fantastic.

Andrew Best, Principal, Ancrum Outdoor Centre

Future stars shine in late summer

Our ambition is to provide an inspiring, supportive and rewarding performance training environment for aspiring young sailors, in safe and suitable places as close to home as possible.

The RYA Scotland Late Summer Championships 2022 provided a showcase for this ambition in action. Held at Loch Tummel Sailing Club, Perthshire, over a weekend in late September, the event brought together young sailors from the youth and junior pathway classes –Optimist, Topper, ILCA, 420, Feva, Techno and iQFOiL.

With both competitive Championship racing and regatta fleet race training on offer, young participants were supported to pursue their own goals for the weekend – whether a first foil tack or racing for the first time, to more experienced racers looking to bag a class win.

The sailors did amazing. It was great seeing them all not only doing well in the races, but also highlighting some of the British Youth Sailing values. A lot of them are very determined. There was lots of teamwork going on and definitely lots of ambition!

Kian Sterritt, Topper Class Academy Head Coach

We will develop a performance environment to deliver our Performance Programme as well as higher level training and qualifications.

“It’s really fun. You can be neck and neck with someone and you can either push through or just stop. I like the racing side and I’ve met some amazing people through my club and at this event.”

Josh

Misra, Optimist participant

Watch the Late Summer Championships video

Boost for training centre inspections

RYA Recognised Training Centres (RTCs) are at the frontline of the organisation’s brand –whether in Scotland or around the world. They are ambassadors for our values in action. To ensure they uphold the highest standards in safety and learning, annual inspections are held. For 2022-23, we saw a pleasingly high level of engagement from small boat RTCs around Scotland, with a higher return rate than normal. At 96%, it is a 19% increase on the previous year, which had been challenging for inspections due to restrictions during the Covid pandemic. This year’s uptake reflects a return to a degree of normality after the pandemic. The number of active small boat RTCs also rose from 108 in 2021-22, to 113.

96% inspection return rate from…

113 Small Boat RTCs in Scotland

We will support the inspection of training centres in Scotland to ensure environments are safe, promote learning and maintain RYA standards.

This year’s uptake reflects a return to a degree of normality after the pandemic.

Communities

Communities

Communities are about a sense of belonging and identity. They connect people through a common interest, or can be rooted in a particular location or region.

We want Scotland’s diverse boating communities to be successful, inclusive, valued, sustainable and collaborative. Whether it’s an emerging student yachting scene, young sailors congregating around an exciting class, or a coastal community benefiting from boating, we aim to support the growth of enriched communities.

How we said we’d make it happen.

And what we did this year.

Building an emerging foiling community

We are committed to engaging with and supporting the aspirations of emerging communities of interest within Scottish watersport. An excellent example during this reporting year was the launch of the youth foiling windsurf programme at Loch Insh Watersports in April 2022.

Foiling technology has taken the world of performance windsurfing by storm in recent years, and the iQFOiL class is now the youth one-design board of choice for aspiring young riders around the globe. However, Scotland had been somewhat lagging behind this trend, with no foiling fleet to speak of.

In partnership with Scotland’s windsurf clubs and enabled through legacy funding, RYA Scotland has provided five iQFOiL boards and masts. These will be owned by the clubs, used by the members and made available for all transitioning sailors to progress onto foiling boards. To further build this emerging foiling community, we will run a series of iQFOiL summer academies in August 2023.

We will bring together the aspirations and challenges of local communities and communities of interest...

Watch unboxing of the new iQFOiLs

“It’s really exciting that RYA Scotland have managed to get this kit. It’s a bit later than the rest of the UK and around the world, but great to get access to this kit in a more remote location. It will kickstart their journey with some good experience and build a programme in Scotland.”

Islay Watson, Team GB foil champion and Loch Insh alumnus

We now talk to clubs about their ‘Why?’ – their wider social impact, as opposed to sport for sport’s sake.

Growing our understanding of the Changing Lives approach

This reporting year, we have continued to build our understanding of Changing Lives, sportscotland’s partnership programme to drive wider positive change for people and communities through sport and physical activity.

We are looking afresh at our approach as a sports governing body, and how we continue to use Changing Lives in the support we provide to clubs and affiliates. This year, we have worked to upskill our team: our three Regional Development Officers (RDOs) attended a series of Changing Lives training workshops, which brought together partners from across Scotland’s sporting landscape in different locations to learn how their sports could change lives, and how they could become Changing Lives Champions.

Brian Pahlmann, RDO for the North of Scotland, explains how he is using this learning: “In our conversations with clubs, we now encourage them to undertake community mapping – a needs analysis of the community around them – to focus their activities and

help them articulate their wider positive impact. We now talk to clubs about their ‘Why?’ – their social impact, as opposed to sport for sport’s sake.

“I have been using the Theory of Change tool with clubs to support the writing of their grant applications. I use it to bring a different lens and encourage clubs to consider and articulate the benefits for the wider community, beyond the members of the club.”

Laura Cowan, RDO for West, adds: “I have used connections from Changing Lives sessions to have conversations about some of the EDI provision within our sports. We have run a community mapping workshop with clubs and centres, and discussed what Social Index of Multiple Deprivation mapping might look like for them.

“I have spoken to clubs about their ‘Why?’ and how that links with their decisions around the activity they can offer. We are now looking at the Club Development Framework and will be thinking about how that can reflect our Changing Lives approach more closely.”

We will further develop our delivery of Changing Lives learning opportunities to grow a sense of community and support continued learning.

StrathSail’s success inspires the student keelboat community

In early September 2022, RYA Scotland, with sponsor A-Plan Insurance, ran a Youth Keelboating Weekend at Port Edgar to nurture Scottish youth participation in the British Keelboat League (BKL).

The weekend set off an exciting chain of events for an ambitious team from Strathclyde University Sailing Club (known as StrathSail). Their subsequent success has provided inspiration for Scotland’s student keelboat community.

The weekend drew 54 young people in 11 teams from around the country to experience 707 keelboat racing. The prize – direct entry into the BKL Championship Finals –went to StrathSail’s team, led by the club’s Commodore, Jake Miller.

“Student sailing is generally focused on dinghies, because it’s more affordable than keelboat access,” says Jake, a Masters student in Biomedical Engineering. “That’s why the Youth Keelboating Weekend was so important – it was free! Keelboat racing events usually cost several hundred pounds per team… a big ask for sailors on student budgets. So this was a wonderful initiative.”

Strathsail’s win that weekend saw the team travel to the British Keelboat League (BKL Finals) Finals on the Hamble in early October 2022. A second place earned them an invitation to the Sailing Champions League in Vilamoura, Portugal, in March 2023. “Vilamoura was on a whole new level – it was rather daunting but amazing racing with an international fleet.”

Two weeks later, the team went on to win the British Student Nationals in Southampton – the first Scottish boat to do so in many years. It had also won the Scottish Student Sailing Yachting Championships hosted with the BKL at Port Edgar at the end of February.

Jake reflects: “RYA Scotland’s Youth Keelboating Weekend really was the catalyst for our success. It was a game changer. The event saw us form a successful team and started us on a pathway that would not have happened otherwise. The RYA putting effort into making student keelboating events available and very importantly, affordable is key. Finances are often a barrier to participation for students.”

We will actively connect communities in boating with others around them, by sharing good practice and examples of successful collaborations.

I believe our story has ignited interest and caused a ripple effect in building a youth keelboat community. Our success has inspired Scottish university sailing clubs who have been following our progress – it’s shown them a pathway and they are starting to focus on developing their keelboat racing.

Jake

Miller, Commodore, StrathSail

Partnerships & Communications

Partnerships & Communications

Our strategy reiterates our belief that learning from others – and sharing our expertise in return – can help deliver wider societal benefits and amplify our voice for boating.

We value and encourage partnerships where collaborative working leads to synergies. In addition, we strive to engage with more people and communities in more places, while continually evolving our approach and use of digital media channels to ensure our communications remain relevant, accessible and engaging.

How we said we’d make it happen. And what we did this year.

Speaking for Scotland’s boating community

We are the trusted voice for boating in Scotland. We share our networks, knowledge and experience with partners and public agencies, advise on policy and represent the interests of Scotland’s boating community at regional and national level.

As such, RYA Scotland is a member of the Cross-Party Group in Marine Tourism, and Giant Strides, the Scottish Marine Tourism Strategy.

This reporting year, the Economic Value of Boating Tourism in Scotland Survey 2022, prepared by EKOS on behalf of RYA Scotland and partners, revealed the major contribution of boating to the Scottish economy.

Our representations and responses to government consultations are co-ordinated by volunteer Planning and Environment Officer Graham Russell, working together with the Cruising and General Purposes Committee and volunteer Coastwatchers across the regions.

This reporting year, we responded to the consultations on the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy and Just Transition plan, and we are participating in discussions on National Marine Plan 2. Graham also held productive discussions with NatureScot on recreational boating in the proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas and the protection of moorings and anchorages within them.

As a non-statutory consultee of Marine Scotland, we receive and respond to all marine licence applications (358 this year), raising issues for recreational boaters where needed.

£84m in Gross Value Added (GVA)

3,100 full-time equivalent jobs

FInd out more about RYA membership

358 marine licence applications received and responded to in the reporting year

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.

Economic

contribution of sailing and boating in Scotland*

*According to the Economic Value of Boating Tourism in Scotland Survey 2022

We are the trusted voice for boating in Scotland.

Partnership with Hey Girls promotes period awareness and free products

In October 2022, as part of Scottish Women and Girls in Sport week, we launched our partnership with Hey Girls, an award-winning initiative tackling period poverty across the UK.

Our partnership with Hey Girls ensures that free period products are available to anyone who needs them at several of our places. It is our response to the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill, which came into force in August 2022, and is also helping to raise awareness among clubs of the impact of ‘monthlies’ on women and girls’ participation in boating. It aims to remove barriers and anxieties, so that everyone feels welcome.

“Through the partnership with Hey Girls, we have supplied sanitary products to five clubs, while a further two clubs provide free products on their own initiative,” explains Development Manager Liza Linton. “We have worked with the committees of participating clubs to ensure free products remain available after the Hey Girls supplies run out. In the coming year, we plan to run awareness education for our coaches, as well as encourage all the venues we use to participate in the initiative.”

With partners, we will participate in campaigns to reach a wider audience and help inform our diverse community on issues and topics important to them.

“Obviously you can’t go in the water with your period unless you have adequate sanitary protection. If we can provide products for women and girls who are caught without, then hopefully that would remove a barrier to them getting out in the water and enjoying themselves.”

Rachel Jackson, St Mary’s Sailing Club

I think it’s really important for women and girls because it gives them back their dignity. Why should people have to ask or be embarrassed by asking? And the inconvenience factor could put people off sport. We should make sure that we’re accommodating people, removing that embarrassment factor. There should be no stigma attached.

Jennifer MacIntyre, Loch Tummel Sailing Club

Watch the video ‘Hey Girls partner with RYA Scotland’

We will create and deliver relevant content in a variety of formats across various platforms that our boating community can enjoy and learn from.

Join us online for the latest information and inspiration from across Scotland’s boating community. Or meet us at various events and gatherings to share your thoughts on how to get the best from your time, together on water.

instagram.com/ryascotland

facebook.com/RYAScotland

twitter.com/RYAScotland

linkedin.com/company/royalyachting-association-scotland

tiktok.com/@rya_scotland

youtube.com/RYAScotland

offthewater.podbean.com

rya.org.uk/gbni/scotland

Communications and Digital Manager: Marc Turner

Copywriting and editing: Ida Maspero

Design: Closer Creative

Photography: Brian Pahlmann, Laura Cowan, Paul Wyeth, Marc Turner