Events, celebrations, and commemorations
• We welcomed 9,000 visitors to our annual RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show at Farnborough International in February 2026. Over 180 exhibitors packed out the hall, bringing with them the latest innovations in sailing technology, clothing and equipment, as well as opportunities to find out more about once-in-a- lifetime sailing holidays and skill-boosting training opportunities. Across the two days our three stages were kept busy by an exciting programme of talks from Olympic and professional sailors, leading coaches and technical specialists. We loved getting to know our UK boating community better, whilst also greeting international visitors who had been drawn to the show by its stellar reputation.
• So many amazing celebrations marked our 150th anniversary in 2025. One of the most insightful ways we celebrated and shared our story was through a special podcast series celebrating the people, places and moments that have defined boating since the RYA began. The 12-episode run saw us talk about our Olympic legacy with past stars of the Games, discuss fascinating career opportunities, talk about our favourite places to sail in the UK, and share more on how sailing can help people develop new skills. We talked technology and legacy, with everyone from Sir Ben Ainslie to our long-serving RYA President, HRH The Princess Royal. All episodes are still available to listen to on our website or download wherever you find your favourite podcasts.
• An extra special part of our celebrations came in the form of a commemorative issue ofRY
A Members
Magazine which included an exclusive interview with HRH The Princess Royal. In this limited print magazine, she looked back on her time at the helm, discussing the importance of grassroots clubs, volunteers and her time on the water.
• It’s been amazing to look back at our impact as part of our 150th anniversary celebrations. At a special Gold members event, Dougal Henshall gave a fascinating presentation, highlighting the evolution of sailing over the past 150 years, and how the RYA has provided support and guidance to get the sport to where it is today.
• We had great fun taking part in West Lancashire Yacht Club’s iconic 24-hour dinghy race. With an upcycled boat prepared by volunteers and a crew of sailors that included a complete beginner and a race coach,
the RYA team sailed through some gnarly weather conditions to complete 31 laps. Well done to the team for their achievement and showing just what you can do with a well-repaired and maintained older vessel!
There’s always something new to learn
• Our Connected Conference season ran with great success through November 2025. Based upon feedback from our club and affiliate members, we created this series of events so affiliates across our regions can come together in person to share, learn, and discuss, getting vital face-to-face time with others in the same boat as them. From presentations to workshops and community forums, it was great to see how engaged attendees were and to build relationships with them. The series will run again in November 2026.
• We have now shiſted our in-person Training Conference from annual to biennial, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t still creating effective training opportunities for our community. In February 2026 we kicked-off our Wavelength Virtual Training Series, featuring six in- depth and 13 bitesize online episodes. This new format gives us the chance to get learning opportunities out to even more of our 24,000 global instructors, appointment holders and training centre principals. There have been over 15,000 views of the content since it launched; far more than we would have been able to reach in person.
RYA Annual Strategic Report 2026
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