Clear pathway is key for next generation

In Yachting World, Nikki Henderson explores why a clear pathway, not a lack of interest, is the key to solving sailing’s ageing problem:

Recently I was in Cowes for a weekend with RORC’s 2026 Griffin squad. The RORC scheme offers 30 young adults under 30 years old an opportunity to race offshore on its Sunfast 3600. This year, the most experienced team will be racing in the Round Britain and Ireland race.

Sailing has an ageing problem if you look at statistics for club membership and boat owners. Yet 300 sailors applied to the Griffin 2026 selection rounds, half of them female. There’s no shortage of younger sailors – they just need a pathway in. It was a British February weekend, pouring with rain, blowing 20+ knots, and every single one seemed excited to get out on the water.

On the Saturday evening, Shirley Robertson OBE gave an emotive talk about racing the 2022 Round Britain and Ireland with Dee Caffari on their Sun Fast 3300 RockIT. That year the race was relentless, almost entirely upwind for the smaller boats and a long, slow 14-days. ​​​​​- Full report