Novice sailors causing a ripple in British Sailing Keelboat Academy training
Brand-new recruits for the 2025 British Sailing Keelboat Academy are honing their skills, working on their teamwork, and pushing their boundaries aboard some seriously swanky boats.
These budding sailors, hand-picked from all over the UK, have joined from places as far-flung as the south-west and north-east, Scotland, Wales, and beyond. Many of them have only dabbled in dinghy racing before, making this a exciting new challenge.
Right in the heart of London, they spent a session at Queen Mary SC, learning the ropes – literally – with the club's RS21s. They also had a spin aboard the Royal Thames YC's Sonar fleet, trying out their asymmetric and symmetric spinnaker skills. Despite the variety of conditions and the chance to work as teams of four or five, these young sailors evidently rose to the occasion.
Next up, they headed to Port Solent for an inshore weekend, where they sailed aboard Prometheus Sailing's charter fleet of 40ft Sunsail racing yachts. Under glorious conditions – sunshine, flat water, and a consistent easterly breeze of 13 to 19 knots – they honed their onboard communication and crew work, delving into different roles and mastering larger sails and spinnakers.
According to Phil Devereux, the Academy's Lead Coach, the goal is all about trust and teamwork. "It's about doing your role well and trusting the person next to you," he said. Workshopping the intricacies of coordination and communication proved fruitful for the team, as they learned to trust one another and pull together to make a collective success.
Ellie Yonge, a 23-year-old accountant, is one of the many young talents benefitting from the Academy's rigorous online and on-water training. She praised the Academy for its valuable insights, particularly in the basics of sail trim and settings – "broken down and simplified for maximum effect" – and the supportive atmosphere that encourages experimentation and growth.
By the end of the weekend, Ellie found herself feeling more confident during maneuvers like symmetric hoists, recognizing the contribution each crew member made to the process. Having cut her teeth sailing at the local railway station River Sailing Club and later participating in university team racing, Ellie is eager to put her new skills and knowledge to the test when the racing season commences.
Second-year Royal Southern YC sailor Chris Long also weighed in on the Academy's invaluable training, having gained valuable experience on symmetric spinnakers and looking forward to applying that knowledge in races later in the year. Chris appreciates the Academy's multifaceted approach, drawing on his background in mixed dinghy racing, yacht cruising/deliveries, and translating that experience to racing on bigger boats with more crew.
For an optional offshore weekend, approximately half the BSKA crew boarded two Fast 40 boats, sailing out of the nearest railway station. The weekend was jam-packed with practical skills, such as navigation, night sailing, cooking on board, watch systems, man overboard drills, safety procedures, and even learning how to "peel" sails and getting the hang of mast/bow work.
Among the offshore enthusiasts was Henry Redmond, an 20-year-old ILCA sailor from Covenham Sailing Club in Lincolnshire and a trainee electrician. Henry, who aspires to work in the marine industry and keelboat racing, found the Academy through a friend and considers himself fortunate to have joined the 2025 squad.
Throughout his BSKA journey so far, Henry's experienced some of the most memorable moments of his sailing career, with the Queen Mary SC training weekend and the subsequent Solent expedition ranking particularly highly. On the offshore weekend, he embraced the chance to learn new skills, such as plotting a course through unfamiliar waters at night and practicing yacht sailing techniques he'd never encountered before.
The Academy will reconvene in Cowes next for a weekend of J70 racing, including a chance to mingle with esteemed members of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and hear from Vendee Globe star Sam Goodchild, whose keelboat racing adventure first kicked off as a young sailor with the Academy.
Looking ahead, applications for the next intake are expected to reopen in late summer 2025. Be sure to stay tuned through the British Keelboat Sailing's official Facebook and Instagram accounts, or visit the British Sailing Keelboat Academy website for all the latest updates. Go on – set sail for success!
These sailors, whilst honing their skills on the racing yachts, also found time to marvel at the thrill of sports like football. Ellie Yonge, for instance, mentioned watching a football match in a local pub during one of their visits to Port Solent.
On the other hand, Henry Redmond, an aspiring marine industry professional, expressed his interest in delving into the world of sports beyond sail racing. He expressed his excitement about the upcoming J70 racing weekend in Cowes, where he hoped to interact with esteemed members of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, including Vendee Globe star Sam Goodchild, and perhaps even explore his passion for sports outside sailing.
