#GetOutAndSail launches today - Supporting grass-roots sailing

We are delighted to announce our new campaign to support grass-roots sailing. #GetOutAndSail is a selection of top marine industry companies getting together to give real support to events that you nominate.

YachtsandYachting.com readers can nominate an event for #GetOutAndSail support. Each month, between April and October, we will then select an event from the most nominated to receive the #GetOutAndSail funding.

The chosen events will receive a real boost; £500 to help cover the costs of running the event and a massive £1,000 in prizes from our partners.

At the same time as nominating an event, you can tell us what you think the barriers are to participation and give us your tips to reducing costs or making it easier to travel to events. We will then use the best of these suggestions to create articles helping sailors get to more events. We actively encourage clubs, classes and event organisers to get people nominating – just use the #GetOutAndSail hashtag on Twitter to get the discussion going!

Partners in #GetOutAndSail are Crewsaver, Gul, Harken, International Paint, Navigators & General, Noble Marine, Ovington Boats, Rooster Sailing, Seldén Masts and Wildwind.

#GetOutAndSail is aimed at grass-roots events; national and international championships are ineligible for support.

Get your nominations in at www.YachtsandYachting.com/GetOutAndSail

Quotes:

Mike Pickering, Gul: "This is potentially one of the most important initiatives for dinghy sailing in recent years, support where it counts at the grass roots level. We are delighted to be involved."

Andy Ash-Vie, Harken: "We are thrilled to be on-board with such an exciting campaign. As a company closely linked to dinghy racing, we feel it's imperative to be involved with #GetOutAndSail. It's vitally important to the marine industry and Harken UK to encourage people to get out on the water, using their boats. We always look to support all sailors - not just the guys at the front of the fleet, competing at top level events but also the guys sailing at grassroots events that don't always receive any sponsorship. We feel that this campaign will provide that extra incentive to get more people actively out on their dinghies in 2013."

Jon Langford, Noble Marine: "For many years, Noble Marine has recognised the importance of supporting grass-roots sailing. As a result, a great number of class associations have benefited from Noble Marine sponsorship to fund a variety of training events and regattas. We welcome the opportunity to become involved in the #GetOutandSail scheme as an extension of this philosophy to get more sailors out on the water."

Steve Cockerill, Rooster Sailing: "I was really keen to help support #GetOutAndSail because it's what Rooster is all about. From DVD's to our instructional on line videos, we aim to give the club sailor the inspiration to improve and compete more. We think this initiative could really help stronger participation, which will in turn make the sailing more fun!"

Steve Norbury, Selden Mast: "At Seldén Masts we are passionate about the secure future of our sport. We recognise that the success of Seldén and the Marine Industry is dependent on encouraging more people to sail, and those who already sail to sail more. In our normal day to day operations we endeavour to design and manufacture the best products we can so that sailors can enjoy faster, safer, easier and better value sailing.
The #GetOutAndSail initiative lets us take this commitment a stage further. By joining forces with other leading marine brands we are able to directly support selected events that we believe will encourage and support sailing. We hope that anyone organising a sailing event, be it for top levels racers or for family fun, will apply for support. We also hope that those taking part enjoy the supported events are encouraged to sail more in the future."

Simon Morgan, Wildwind: Having followed my Dad and Keith Musto around on the Hornet and then Flying Dutchman circuits when I was a kid, then racing at all manner of clubs myself as a youth in a Cadet and then later in catamarans, I'm clear that the grass roots level support for sailing is as strong now as it ever was – thanks to the thousands of individuals who help make their sailing clubs the place to be. Wildwind is really happy to support this campaign to make sure the future of sailing remains in such a great state.

www.YachtsandYachting.com/GetOutAndSail