Boost participation by helping women get afloat
by Rupert Holmes 6 Jan 2016 12:10 GMT
6 January 2016
Boost participation by helping women get afloat © Jean Border /
www.borderphotos2010.com
There are plenty of talented amateur female sailors who are very able to hold their own against their male counterparts – Deb Fish, Louise Morton and Julia Bailey – spring to mind as examples. However, it would be a mistake to allow their many successes to mask the significant barriers that prevent others following in their wake.
In particular, a friendly and supportive environment is crucial for those taking their first tentative steps afloat, or returning to the sport after a break. Getting this right – and providing low key and supportive access points – can have a huge impact on participation. Research by Sport England has identified that the, "...huge difference in the number of men and women playing sport... [is] not because females don't want to get active. Millions of women and girls are afraid to exercise because of fear of judgement – on appearance, ability or how they chose to spend time on themselves."
"It's basically about creating an environment that everyone is comfortable in, removing barriers to participation and empowering women to get more active on their own terms," adds Manya McMahon, the RYA's Regional Communicator for the south west.
Many clubs already have initiatives to attract women sailors, including prizes and mini series for women helms within the main racing programme. However, the Royal Torbay YC, which started a low-key evening session for women last summer, quickly discovered a pent-up demand for a safe, leisurely sailing that must surely be present in clubs across the UK.
The club's Caroline Aisher says: "It turns out we had identified a real need to get more women out on the water in keelboats – within a month we had 45 signed up, covering a diverse group, ranging from 28 to 76 in age." Aisher believes that using keelboats is a key factor in the popularity, as participants don't need to be super fit or nimble, don't get as wet as in a dinghy, and it eliminates the fear factor of going for a swim in a capsize.
Aisher teamed up with four other women owners, all of whom were, or had previously been, qualified instructors. While tuition is not the aim of the sessions, Aisher says it's important that the owners involved have the expertise needed to enable them to remain calm if testing situations are encountered.
"Our aim is to get as many people on the water as possible," says Aisher, "whether they just want no more than to have a nice time, or will ultimately want to be more adventurous in their sailing. We've pointed those who get the sailing bug in many different directions for their next steps," she adds, "including RYA courses and a number have sailed with Girls for Sail."
Of the women who sailed with the programme in the 2015 season, several have also gone on to take part in club racing, or cruising with their partners. In some cases this is on boats they already own, but previously contributed very little to the actual sailing of the boat. The evening sessions have also brought a lot more women into the club, both through attracting new members and through helping existing members to become more active.
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