April Training and Taster Day

From the light winds of March to the strong but steady breeze of April, it has been another fantastic month for Blind Sailing UK.

Working alongside See Sailing Your Way, with the generous support of Rutland Sailing Club, Inspiration In You, and our dedicated volunteers, we held another successful Taster Day for people wanting to experience sailing for the first time or move from cruising to racing.

Despite the fresh breeze, our new sailors embraced the challenge with enthusiasm. It was wonderful to welcome Simon, Michael and Andrew, supported on the water by Steve and Gary B, while Lucy and Gary L provided safety cover throughout the day.

After introductions, everyone spent time becoming familiar with the boats alongside the dock before heading out onto the water for their first sail in an RS21. With such a lively wind, it was certainly an exciting introduction! Throughout the day, all three sailors had the opportunity to take the helm, trim the mainsail and work the jib, experiencing every aspect of sailing.

Perhaps the best moment of the day came as we packed away, when Andrew turned to Gary and said, "My cheeks ache – I've been grinning too much!" As we always say at Blind Sailing UK, there's no such thing as too much smiling when you're enjoying yourself.

All three sailors have now been introduced to Rutland Sailability, and we hope this is the beginning of a long and enjoyable sailing journey for each of them.

Selection Training Weekend

Following the Taster Day, we moved straight into our two-day Selection Training Weekend.

This weekend was all about making mistakes not in a negative way, but as an opportunity to understand why things happen on the water and, more importantly, how to correct them.

Under the expert coaching of Becky, volunteers were instructed to remain silent unless a potentially in dangerous potion and to tack or gybe, watching how the sailors develop. After each exercise, crews paused for five minutes to discuss what had happened and what could have been done differently.

This approach highlighted a number of valuable learning points. Sailors discovered how far they were turning through tacks and gybes, recognised when they mistakenly thought the wind had shifted when it had simply eased, and learned that there was often no need to bear away unnecessarily.

Watching every crew rotate through different teams and then immediately put their learning into practice showed just how quickly everyone progressed. The improvement across the fleet over the weekend was impressive.

This type of training is invaluable, not only for the Keelboat League but also for match racing and any form of competitive sailing. Boat control is everything. Knowing where the wind is at all times even when your head is down untangling a rope, requires constant awareness and communication.

Saturday evening provided another highlight, with everyone enjoying a great meal together and catching up on what they had all been doing since the last event. These social moments are just as important as the sailing itself and help strengthen the friendships that make Blind Sailing UK such a welcoming community.

Sunday brought another excellent breeze and the opportunity to put Saturday's learning into practice through racing. Once again, teams were mixed, allowing everyone to experience different roles on board.

Understanding each position helps every sailor appreciate how the whole crew works together to make the boat perform at its best.

The focus wasn't on winning races but on communication, teamwork and applying everything learned the previous day. Sailors demonstrated a much better understanding of wind shifts, boat positioning and the small tiller movements that make such a big difference when racing.

It was fantastic to see the conversations taking place both on and off the water, with sailors sharing ideas, asking questions and supporting one another throughout the weekend.

A huge thank you goes to Becky, all of our volunteers, and not forgetting welcoming Anothony to the volunteering crew and Rutland Sailing Club for making another outstanding training weekend possible. We look forward to seeing everyone back on the water again in May.

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