Loads of cool activities for kids at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show

By Louise Nicholls, RYA on 2 Feb3-4 March 2012

All photos © RYA

For kids who love messing about on the water in a dinghy and want to learn more about dinghy sailing or just want to have an exciting day out then a trip to the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show could be just the ticket.

Over the weekend of 3-4 March everything you ever wanted to know about dinghy sailing, all the kit you’ve ever wanted to buy and all the best dinghies will be crammed into Alexandra Palace in London for the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show.

There are talks and demonstrations, plenty of things to buy and look at and loads of different activities for the whole family to enjoy.

For youngsters who are a whizz at building things then the Holt Blow Boat Challenge would be the perfect choice. Here you can design and build your own boat out of paper and straws before racing it along a narrow, water filled pipe against other challengers. It’s wicked fun and very exciting. Perhaps you could challenge mum or dad to a race?

Or maybe you’re a bit of a super sleuth and can track down the clues in the Olympic themed Treasure Hunt. Collect the clues from around the show and you could win an amazing folding bike and other goodies!

The show is also a great place to get close to some of the best sailors in the world and you might even get to have a chat with them. Just two of the sailors already confirmed to attend are Team Volvo's 470 pairing Saskia Clark and Hannah Mills. They’ll be hanging out around the show or chillin’ in the Volvo Chill Out Bubble, where you can surf the net, play games or even receive some one-to-one coaching from the sailors and other experts.

Some of the girl's fellow London 2012 Olympic Sailors are also planning to drop into the show for a chat and sign autographs, so come along and see who you can spot!

There are also some great competitions you can take part in. If you fancy winning an RS Tera dinghy then start getting creative in our ‘Design a Sail competition’. To enter visit www.dinghyshow.org.uk and download the entry form. Post or email your entry, to arrive by 26 February and we’ll display the entries and announce the winner at the show on Sunday 4th.

Then at the show we’ll be officially launching our ‘Sail for Gold Good Luck Card competition’. If you’re aged between 5 and 16, you could win the once in-a-lifetime prize of personally wishing the British Sailing Team good luck in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

All you need to do is design a good luck card and you could be visiting the 2012 Sail for Gold Regatta in June, to personally deliver your card to a member of Team GBR. Come and find us in the Panorama Hall and get started on your entry.

It doesn’t stop there. You can also take part in the RYA Volvo Dinghy show SailX Championship 2012. SailX is an amazing online virtual regatta, where you can race against sailors from all over the world. Have a go at the show and you could win yourself a wildcard entry into the Dinghy Show Championship final, or perhaps just have a race against your friends and family! Find out more about SailX at www.sailx.com/ryavolvodinghyshow

Finally if you’re an RYA member you can visit the show and do all this for FREE on either day. If you’re not a member, you can still visit the show for free on Sunday or it’s just £5, if you buy your tickets before the show, on Saturday. Kids’ tickets on the door are £6.50.

So check it out at www.dinghyshow.org.uk and we hope to see you there.

To find out more about the show, ticket prices or to book visit www.dinghyshow.org.uk or call the ticket hotline on 0844 811 0409.

Free download of the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show official show guide available at www.yachtsandyachting.co.uk/articles/rya-dinghy-show-guide-official-download/