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Frequently Asked Questions

Kit & Equipment

Does my child need their own boat to learn to sail?

No! The club has a large training fleet which is available to hire for all Learn to Sail courses, Improvers sessions and ROTTERS sessions. This includes boats suitable for complete beginners and for those starting to learn to race. The training team and Y&J coaches will be able to advise on what you need to book.

What kit & clothing will my child need to start learning to sail?

Beginner courses are run over the summer to help reduce the amount of kit needed. The club has adult and junior buoyancy aids for use during training courses and ROTTERS sessions. Most young sailors find a wetsuit is helpful, but a basic 'beach' wetsuit is fine. On cold or windy days a fleece or coat over and/or football skins or thermals under the wetsuit can add a lot of warmth. Wetsuit boots are useful to have but an old pair of trainers is fine when starting out just remember to bring dry shoes for afterwards!

What happens if the weather is bad on the dates of my child's course?

Occasionally we have to reschedule a course due to weather but the Training Team are very good at using the weather forecasts to plan course activities around the best sailing weather. Most of the boats in the training fleet can also have the rigs adjusted, making the sails smaller and easier to control when its windy. If too much of the course time is lost due to bad weather, the training team can offer catch up sessions for the affected groups. For Y&J sailors, these can be run during the next scheduled ROTTERS day.

What happens if my child gets scared or needs extra support?

We recognise that even the idea of being in a boat by yourself in the middle of the lake can be overwhelming, particularly for younger children. The training syllabus introduces sailing activities step by step, allowing children to get comfortable and confident at being in a boat before asking them to take more control. The booking forms ask parents to provide any additional details, including medical needs, that may help us tailor the course content or pace to an individual child's needs. Again, its sometimes possible to run catch up sessions on specific skills during ROTTERS in association with the training team. For those who really struggle in big & busy sessions, we plan to run some 'quiet nights' over the summer, with very limited sailor numbers and 1:1 instructor support.

Does my child need their own boat to go racing?

We have some boats in the training fleet which are suitable for learning to race in, so it doesn't have to be an immediate commitment, but if your child starts to become serious about racing we will encourage them to think about finding a boat of their own. The Y&J coaching team are able to offer plenty of help and advice to those thinking about buying a boat, and there are often several boats available within the club.

Will my child need different kit to go racing?

The kit needed for racing in good weather isn't really any different to the kit needed for training. We do encourage regular sailors to invest in a buoyancy aid of their own and you will start to find that a decent pair of wetsuit boots are worth their weight in gold. As sailors start spending more time on the water they tend to find which kit combinations work for them, and we run regular Bring/Buy/Swap shops for outgrown kit .

Does going racing mean my child will need to travel?

There is a regional race series (NEYYSA) for young sailors which many Ripon SC sailors have taken part in, and several of our sailors also occasionally travel to national level events. Additionally, some of our sailors are offered the chance to represent the club at annual events such as the RYA Pathway Championships. However there is no pressure on sailors to travel, as we recognise that regular travel just isn't an option for anyone. The Y&J coaching team will sometimes recommend travelling to a specific event for a sailor or group of sailors where this gives them an option to build new skills, like sailing on the sea. In these cases support with travel will also be offered, including use of the club trailer to take boats to the event. However all sailors who can confidently sail around a triangle are welcome to join club racing in either the Saturday or Sunday series. Coached support is often available during Saturday series races, and novice racers of all ages are encouraged to take advantage of this support.

Non-Racing Activities

Although we encourage our sailors to think of racing more as a challenge to themselves than being all about winning, we do recognise that racing isn't for everyone. Main season ROTTERS sessions include plenty of non-racing activities on the water and social activities off the water. We also encourage our sailors to spend time building broader sailing skills, trying different boats, sailing double handers and learning how to sail with spinnakers. Once sailors are 14 yrs old they can qualify as an Assistant Instructor and get involved with the training team, helping others to learn to sail.

Last updated 17:03 on 9 March 2026