Youth pathways: Picking your next boat

Moving from junior to youth sailing is an exciting step, but with so many classes and options now available, choosing the right one can be a challenge.

Yachting New Zealand is urging young sailors and their families to think beyond just the boat, and instead focus on finding the right fit – one that matches the sailor’s physical attributes, personality, access to local fleets, and long-term goals.

“It’s not just about what you sail, it’s about what environment is going to help you enjoy the sport and keep progressing,” said Sam Mackay, Yachting New Zealand’s high-performance operations and youth program manager. “The best class is often the one that’s well supported at your local club, where there’s a strong peer group and regular coaching.”

Within the New Zealand Sailing high-performance program, the key youth classes are the ILCA 6, 29er, I420 and iQFOiL – all sailed at the World Sailing youth world championships. These are the cornerstone of the Yachting New Zealand youth performance pathway and the focus for international selection. But, said Mackay, there’s more than one route to progress. – Full report