Champagne Wins Her First Race — Against Some Very Stiff Opposition

There are victories in sailing that go down in history.

There are victories won by fractions of a second, after perfectly judged starts, tactical duels, immaculate mark roundings and desperate final tacks to the line.

And then there are victories like ours.

Champagne has won her first race.

Admittedly, the opposition included three particularly formidable A-Raters:

• Still on the Grass
• No Crew Available
• No Wind

The first two never actually made it onto the river.

The third accompanied us for most of the afternoon and very nearly won.

But history records winners, not excuses.

And Champagne crossed the finish line.

The Fleet Assembles — Sort Of

Conditions were not exactly what you would call ideal racing weather.

There was virtually no wind.

For an ordinary dinghy this might have been a good reason to leave the boat ashore, sit on the terrace and discuss sailing instead.

An A-Rater, however, is hardly an ordinary dinghy.

With an enormous sail area and a hull designed to make the most of the lightest breath of air, the Thames A-Rater is one of those boats that can sometimes make you believe there is wind when every flag, tree and blade of grass around you suggests otherwise.

So Champagne was going racing.

Our competition was impressive.

Still on the Grass had adopted an unusually conservative tactical strategy and remained firmly attached to the lawn.

No Crew Available had failed to complete the crucial pre-race manoeuvre known as "finding some people".

And No Wind was already out on the course and looking extremely competitive.

It was therefore shaping up to be quite a contest.

First Tactical Error: Helping Everybody Else

Our preparations for the first race were perhaps not quite America's Cup standard.

While the starting sequence approached, Champagne's crew were helping other sailors get their boats onto the water.

This is one of the rather nice things about club sailing.

You can spend all week imagining ruthless racing tactics, competitive starts and finely judged mark roundings, but when somebody needs a hand launching a boat, you give them a hand.

The consequence was predictable.

Champagne was late for the start.

By the time we had sorted ourselves out, turned towards the line and persuaded the boat to move, the race was already under way.

Normally, being late to a start is bad.

When there is almost no wind, however, "late" becomes a wonderfully flexible concept.

If everyone is travelling at approximately the speed of continental drift, thirty seconds is not necessarily the catastrophe it might be in twenty knots.

We turned.

Champagne crawled towards the line.

We crossed it.

And then something extraordinary happened.

We Found Some Wind

A gust arrived.

Not a gale.

Not even what most sailors would consider particularly noteworthy.

But on this particular afternoon it felt like someone had switched on a jet engine.

The sails filled.

Champagne accelerated.

The water began moving past the hull rather than simply reflecting it.

We were racing.

Ahead of us was the long mark, just beyond Spade Oak.

For a glorious few moments Champagne was doing exactly what an A-Rater is supposed to do: taking a small amount of wind, converting it into boat speed and gliding majestically up the Thames.

We began to think that perhaps this racing business was not so difficult after all.

Naturally, that was when the wind stopped.

Completely.

No Wind Makes Its Move

As we approached the long mark, our most dangerous opponent appeared.

No Wind.

No Wind had clearly been sandbagging earlier in the race.

Now it attacked.

The sails sagged.

The boat stopped.

The river, meanwhile, had ideas of its own.

There was just enough current to begin carrying us backwards.

This creates one of those wonderful sailing situations in which you are pointing towards the mark, trying desperately to sail towards it, while watching it very slowly get further away.

There was no useful airflow over the sails.

There was little meaningful steerage.

And the rudder was rapidly becoming something of an optimistic suggestion rather than a steering device.

No Wind was winning.

Paul Tries the 360-Degree Solution

Paul was at the helm.

Faced with a boat that had almost completely stopped responding, he tried something different.

He turned Champagne through 360 degrees.

Under normal racing circumstances, deliberately spinning the boat around in a circle would not necessarily appear in the first chapter of Successful A-Rater Racing Tactics.

But these were not normal circumstances.

Somewhere during the turn we found the faintest breath of moving air.

The sail stirred.

Champagne began moving again.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

But crucially, forwards.

We reached the upstream mark.

We rounded it.

No Wind had been beaten.

For now.

Sailing Downwind When You Cannot Find the Wind

Turning downstream presented another problem.

When there is plenty of wind, working out where it is coming from is relatively straightforward.

You can feel it.

The sails tell you.

The ripples on the water tell you.

The burgee tells you.

When there is almost no wind, all of these indicators can start telling slightly different stories.

We knew approximately where the wind ought to be.

The difficulty was discovering where it actually was.

So we drifted gently downstream, adjusting sails, watching the water and looking for anything that suggested air was moving somewhere on the Thames.

Eventually it did.

The breeze returned.

Champagne gathered speed.

Then came something almost unbelievable.

A proper gust.

The boat accelerated enough for us to see white water at the bow.

After spending much of the race wondering whether we were actually moving at all, this felt like foiling.

No Wind disappeared behind us.

Champagne was flying.

Or at least moving at a speed detectable without specialist scientific equipment.

Through the Handicap Fleet

We were sharing the river with the handicap fleet, although they were sailing a different course.

As the wind strengthened slightly, Champagne's enormous sail area began to show its advantage.

One of the fascinating things about sailing an A-Rater is how dramatically the boat responds when it finds some pressure.

One moment you can be sitting almost motionless.

Then the sail fills and the long, narrow hull begins slipping through the water at an unexpectedly impressive pace.

We started overhauling boats ahead.

Suddenly it felt much more like racing.

We approached the home mark.

Waiting there were our old opponents:

Still on the Grass and No Crew Available.

Admittedly neither had moved very far since the start.

But psychologically they remained dangerous.

We gybed gently around the mark.

No dramatic roll.

No crash gybe.

No shouting.

Just a careful turn in almost no wind.

Still on the Grass remained on the grass.

No Crew remained crewless.

Champagne swept majestically past both of them.

Our lead was becoming commanding.

The Wind Finally Chooses Our Side

Now we had to sail upriver again.

And this time something remarkable happened.

The wind actually cooperated.

Champagne settled into her course and began moving gently but consistently upstream.

We passed the Short Mark.

Then the Medium Mark.

The Long Mark remained ahead.

The question occupying all of us was obvious.

Would the wind last long enough to get there?

After our experience on the first lap, there was no guarantee.

But this time it did.

We reached the Long Mark for the second and final time, rounded it and headed back towards the club.

The wind was now more or less behind us and we could stay on essentially the same tack for much of the return journey.

For once, everything felt reasonably straightforward.

Which should probably have warned us that something was about to happen.

A Race Within a Race

The handicap fleet was finishing too, although its boats were sailing a shorter course, only going as far as the Medium Mark.

That meant the river suddenly became rather busier.

And Champagne was moving.

With her large sail area she began rapidly overhauling the other boats.

One of them was a Hadron, technically taking part in a completely different race.

This minor detail did not seem important.

There was another boat.

There was a finish line.

We were catching it.

Therefore, obviously, we were racing it.

There are occasions when sailors become extraordinarily sophisticated about rules, handicaps and tactical positioning.

There are other occasions when the entire tactical calculation becomes:

"There's a boat in front. Catch it."

We caught it.

The finish line approached.

Champagne surged towards it.

And we crossed.

First.

Except Apparently We Had Finished on the Wrong Side

Our celebration lasted several seconds.

Then we heard that we might have crossed the wrong side of the finishing mark.

We were fairly sure we hadn't.

But this did not seem the ideal moment to argue.

Having spent what felt like several geological ages getting around the course, being disqualified for finishing on the wrong side of a mark would have been a particularly impressive achievement.

So Paul turned Champagne around.

We sailed back.

And, for completeness, crossed the other side as well.

That should cover all possible interpretations.

We tied up.

Then the Officer of the Day gave us the good news.

We had been right the first time.

Champagne had crossed on the correct side.

It was the Hadron that had gone the wrong way.

Our emergency second finish had therefore been entirely unnecessary.

Still, it demonstrated admirable thoroughness.

Champagne Had Won

And so it was official.

Champagne had won her first race with us.

There may be some unreasonable people who will point out that Champagne was the only A-Rater to start.

These people are technically correct.

But that is surely missing the wider achievement.

To win a race, first you have to enter it.

Then you have to rig the boat.

Launch it.

Find a crew.

Cross the start line.

Get around the marks.

Survive No Wind.

And finish.

Champagne did all of those things.

Still on the Grass did not.

No Crew Available never stood a chance.

And even No Wind eventually had to concede defeat.

So I think the result should stand.

First and Last — Our Two Favourite Positions

There is, of course, a wonderfully satisfying contradiction in all this.

We came first.

And because we were the only A-Rater racing, we also came last.

Normally we have considerably more experience with the second of those positions.

So perhaps this represents progress.

For once, when somebody asks where Champagne finished, we can confidently say:

First.

There is absolutely no need to volunteer any additional information.

Alex's First Sail in an A-Rater

There was another part of the day that mattered much more than the result.

It was Alex's first time sailing in an A-Rater.

He joined us as mid-hand, learning a role that can look rather confusing from the outside.

An A-Rater is not simply a larger version of an ordinary dinghy. There is a lot happening aboard one of these boats, and the mid-hand has an important part in keeping everything working.

On a windy day, learning the role might have been a rather more intense experience.

On this particular day we had something much more valuable.

Time.

Lots of it.

There were periods when Champagne was moving so slowly that conversation became a major part of the day's activity.

And that meant we could talk.

Alex had recently received his A-level results, so between the marks we talked about his successes, university, what might come next and some of the choices that lie ahead.

That is something I increasingly value about sailing.

A race does not have to be fast to be worthwhile.

Sometimes the quiet days create conversations that would never happen during an exciting twenty-knot blast around the course.

What Light-Wind Sailing Actually Teaches You

From a sailing point of view, the day was also surprisingly useful.

Very light winds expose everything.

In stronger winds you can sometimes get away with imperfect boat handling because there is enough power available to keep the boat moving.

In almost no wind, every unnecessary movement matters.

You begin noticing things such as:

Keeping momentum. Once the boat stops, getting it moving again can be remarkably difficult.

Watching the water. Tiny darker patches or ripples can reveal the next breath of wind.

Reducing rudder movement. Large helm movements create drag and can kill what little speed you have.

Maintaining sail shape. Over-sheeting in very light air can be disastrous.

Thinking ahead. A patch of wind twenty metres away may matter more than the precise shortest route towards the mark.

And occasionally:

Turning through 360 degrees because absolutely nothing else appears to be working.

I am not sure the RYA teaches that last one.

The Best Victory May Simply Be Getting Out There

It would be easy to dismiss the afternoon.

There was hardly any wind.

Only one A-Rater raced.

Our start was late.

At one point we drifted backwards.

We were unsure which way to finish.

And our most persistent opponent was a complete absence of moving air.

But that would miss the point.

Champagne went sailing.

A new crew member experienced an A-Rater for the first time.

We practised handling a demanding boat in extremely light conditions.

We helped other sailors launch before worrying about our own start.

We had time for some genuinely good conversations.

And we finished the course.

Most importantly, Alex wants to come again.

Naturally, his enthusiasm may have been influenced slightly by the fact that his first ever A-Rater race resulted in a 100% winning record.

We shall try not to explain statistics to him just yet.

Champagne's Racing Record

So Champagne now has her first victory.

The official tactical analysis is straightforward:

Champagne — 1

Still on the Grass — 0

No Crew Available — 0

No Wind — defeated after a prolonged tactical battle

We will undoubtedly face stronger opposition in future.

There will be faster boats.

Better starts.

Harder racing.

More wind.

And probably occasions when we return to our more traditional position towards the back of the fleet.

But nobody can take this one away from us.

Champagne crossed the line first.

And sometimes in sailing, as in life, simply being prepared to leave the grass and take part is enough to give yourself a chance of winning.

#ThamesARater #ARater #Champagne #Sailing #RiverThames #UpperThamesSailing #DinghySailing #SailingLife #ClubSailing #LearningToSail #SailingAdventure #LightWindSailing #SailingHumour #NeverStopLearning

When an Optimist Becomes a Two-Seater – Getting a New Sailor on the Water

Sometimes the best sailing days are not about racing, perfect tacks or covering great distances.

Sometimes success is simply somebody saying:

“Can I have a go?”

We had some visitors down at the sailing club, including a Mum, Dad and her two children. The weather was probably about as friendly as it could have been for introducing someone to sailing: warm, pleasant and with very light winds.

So we took them out in our RS Toura, with Paul at the helm.

The Toura is ideal for this sort of thing. There is enough room for several people, it is relatively stable, and visitors can experience sailing without immediately having to worry about balancing a small dinghy, steering, sail trim and everything else at once.

We sailed gently up and down the river, giving our visitors their first taste of what sailing on the Thames can be like.

Having survived that experience, rather than being put off by it, one of the girls decided that she wanted to try sailing herself.

That was where the afternoon became considerably more interesting.

From Passenger to Sailor

There is an enormous difference between sitting in a larger boat while somebody else sails it and taking control of a small dinghy yourself.

In a larger boat, a beginner can watch what is happening.

In a small boat, suddenly everything matters.

Move your weight and the boat reacts.

Move the tiller and the boat turns.

Pull the sail in and it accelerates.

Let the sail out and the power disappears.

For a young sailor, that immediate connection between action and response is one of the great attractions of a boat such as an Optimist.

So the question became:

Could we get an Optimist on the water?

There was one available.

All we had to do was work out how to rig it.

Now, Where Are All the Bits?

This became a sailing exercise for the adults as much as for our young visitor.

We found the hull.

Then we needed the rest of the boat.

The daggerboard.

The rudder.

The mast.

The boom and rigging.

The sail.

An Optimist is a wonderfully simple little sailing dinghy, but “simple” does not necessarily mean obvious when you haven't rigged that particular boat before.

There is something quite useful about occasionally being presented with a boat and having to work through how it fits together.

Where does this go?

Which way round does that fit?

How does the sail attach?

Where does the mainsheet run?

It is a reminder that sailing is not just about learning manoeuvres. There is also a practical understanding of the boat itself.

Eventually we had what looked convincingly like an Optimist.

The next stage was putting it into the river.

But We Didn't Quite Want to Let Her Loose

There was one fairly obvious problem.

Although our visitor wanted to try sailing, we did not think that putting her into an Optimist and saying, “Off you go,” was quite the right introduction.

The wind was light and conditions were benign, but she still needed somebody to explain what to do.

Paul volunteered.

There was just one minor difficulty.

Paul is rather too large for an Optimist.

Optimists are designed for children.

Paul most definitely isn't Optimist-sized.

Nevertheless, he climbed aboard.

The plan was straightforward enough. He would sit in the front of the boat and provide instruction while our new sailor got the experience of steering and controlling the boat.

In theory, it was an excellent idea.

In practice, we discovered an interesting lesson in naval architecture.

An Optimist Has an Optimistic Load Capacity

With Paul sitting towards the bow, the little boat settled remarkably low at the front.

Very remarkably low.

The extra weight pushed the bow down and lifted the stern.

That created another problem.

The rudder is, of course, at the stern.

With the stern sitting higher than intended, there was considerably less rudder in the water than there ought to have been.

So we had managed to produce a sailing dinghy in which the person learning to steer had rather less steering available than would normally be considered useful.

Add almost no wind and progress became somewhat limited.

It was not one of sailing's great voyages.

There will be no need to update the charts.

A Useful Lesson in Boat Trim

It was funny, but there was also a useful sailing lesson hidden in it.

Small boats are extremely sensitive to weight distribution.

On a larger boat, moving one crew member a few centimetres may make relatively little obvious difference.

In an Optimist, adding a full-sized adult can transform the entire trim of the boat.

Put too much weight forward and the bow digs in while the stern rises.

Put too much weight aft and the opposite happens.

Weight to one side heels the boat.

The effect becomes especially noticeable when the wind is light because there is so little driving force from the sail to overcome any additional drag.

We had inadvertently created quite a good demonstration of why sailors are constantly moving around their boats.

Light Winds Are Friendly – But Not Always Easy

There is another interesting point here.

We often think that almost no wind must be ideal for teaching beginners.

In some ways it is.

There is less power in the sail.

Things happen slowly.

A mistake is less likely to result in an immediate capsize.

But extremely light wind creates its own problems.

A beginner moves the tiller and expects something to happen.

Nothing much does.

They pull in the sail.

Still nothing.

The boat may be affected more by river current, a passing motorboat's wash or the movement of people on board than by the wind itself.

A gentle but consistent breeze is often much easier for learning because the sailor gets immediate feedback.

Pull the sail in correctly and the boat moves.

Turn too far into the wind and the sail begins to flap.

Bear away and it fills again.

That cause-and-effect relationship is enormously valuable.

On this occasion, between the lack of wind and our distinctly unusual Optimist loading arrangement, the little boat was never going to produce sparkling performance.

But that wasn't really the point.

The Most Important Moment Happened Before We Launched

For me, the significant part of the afternoon was not how far the Optimist travelled.

It was the fact that after going for a sail in the Toura, a young visitor wanted to try sailing for herself.

That is exactly the transition sailing clubs need to create.

There is a natural progression:

Watch sailing.

Then:

Go sailing with somebody.

Then:

Have a go yourself.

Then perhaps:

Learn properly.

And eventually:

Sail independently.

Maybe later still comes racing, cruising, instructing or introducing somebody else to the sport.

But it all begins with that first opportunity.

Large Training Boats Have an Important Role

This is one of the reasons I think boats such as the Toura are so valuable to sailing clubs.

Putting a complete beginner directly into a small single-handed dinghy can be intimidating.

A larger training boat allows them to discover sailing without being overwhelmed.

They can see the sail working.

They can feel the boat accelerate.

They can watch somebody tack.

They can perhaps take the tiller for a while.

Most importantly, they can discover whether they enjoy being on the water.

Once they are comfortable, a small boat suddenly becomes an exciting next step rather than something frightening.

That was effectively what happened during our afternoon.

The Toura provided the introduction.

The Optimist provided the ambition.

Perhaps Next Time We Need a Slightly Smaller Instructor

There are, of course, things we might do differently next time.

Putting a large adult in the front of an Optimist is probably not going to become our preferred training technique.

A better approach might be to have the beginner in the Optimist with instruction given from another dinghy or from a nearby safety boat, depending on the conditions and the competence of the sailor.

Alternatively, the first lesson could involve an instructor demonstrating from the shore before letting the youngster sail a very short controlled course close to assistance.

The important thing is to balance independence with safety.

You want the beginner to feel:

“I am sailing this boat.”

Not:

“Somebody else is sailing it while I happen to be sitting here.”

That distinction matters.

Small Adventures Build Sailors

Our Optimist expedition may not have travelled very far.

The wind hardly helped.

The boat trim certainly didn't help.

And I doubt the designers of the Optimist ever envisaged Paul's particular interpretation of the recommended crew configuration.

But I would still count the afternoon as a success.

A family came to the club.

We took them sailing.

One of the children enjoyed it enough to want to do more.

We found a boat.

We rigged it.

We got her onto the water.

And she experienced, however briefly, what it feels like to be responsible for a sailing dinghy.

That is how people become sailors.

Not necessarily through formal courses or carefully planned programmes alone, but through opportunities.

Somebody invites them aboard.

Somebody says, “Would you like a go?”

Somebody finds an old Optimist.

And occasionally somebody far too big volunteers to climb into the front of it.

The sail itself may not have been particularly successful.

But if that experience leaves a young person wanting to sail again, then perhaps it achieved something much more important.

Because the most valuable journey of the afternoon may have been the very short one from passenger to sailor.

#Sailing #LearningToSail #Optimist #Oppi #DinghySailing #YouthSailing #SailingClub #GrassrootsSailing #SailingForEveryone #RiverThames #ThamesSailing #GetIntoSailing #SailingLife #LearnToSail 

 

Sprint Racing, Sudden Gybes and the Camera That Went Swimming

When Moderate Wind Becomes Quite Exciting

Sprint racing always sounds simple.

Short races. Quick starts. Fast laps. Lots of chances to improve. In theory, it should be the perfect format for learning because each race gives you another opportunity to get the start right, sail a better course, tack more smoothly, gybe more confidently and maybe, just maybe, not finish last.

In practice, sprint racing in a dinghy on the Thames can feel rather different.

This week the club had a very good turnout, which is always encouraging. There is something very positive about seeing a busy boat park, sails going up, people chatting, crews preparing boats, safety cover ready and a proper fleet heading out onto the water. It gives the afternoon a sense of purpose. This is not just pottering about; this is club racing.

The wind, however, had ideas of its own.

The forecast and the conditions on the water were in that awkward category that sailors describe as “moderate”, but which can become exciting very quickly. The base wind was around 10 mph, but the gusts were reaching 25 to 26 mph. That is a big difference. One moment the boat feels manageable and steady; the next moment a gust arrives, the sail loads up, the boat heels, the helm has to react, and the crew suddenly becomes very aware that sailing is not a passive activity.

For experienced sailors, this is part of the fun. For those of us still climbing the learning curve, it is a very sharp reminder that dinghy sailing is about reaction, balance, preparation and respect for the conditions.

A Good Turnout and a Proper Racing Atmosphere

One of the best things about club racing is the mixture of seriousness and friendliness.

People want to race properly. They want a good start, clean mark roundings, sensible tactics and fair competition. At the same time, everyone understands that club sailing is also where people learn. There are experienced racers, improving sailors, juniors, returners, families and people like us who are still working out how to turn theory into something that looks competent on the water.

The sprint race format adds to the atmosphere because everything happens quickly. There is less time to settle into a long race. You have to get organised, concentrate, start, sail the course, finish, reset and do it again.

That is excellent practice, but it also exposes every weakness.

If your start is poor, there is not much race left to recover. If your tack is slow, the fleet has moved on. If you hesitate at the mark, others are already away. If you are not quite ready for the next gust, the boat tells you about it immediately.

For us, the result was familiar.

Last place.

Again.

But last place is not necessarily failure. At this stage, last place can still be progress, provided we are learning something each time we go out.

The Usual Result — But Not the Usual Lesson

It would be easy to write, “We came last again,” and leave it there.

But that would miss the point.

When you are learning to sail, especially later in life, results are only one measure of progress. The race sheet may say last, but the real questions are different:

Did we get round the course?

Did we handle the stronger gusts better than last time?

Did we recover from mistakes?

Did we understand what went wrong?

Did we come ashore with a clearer idea of what to practise next?

This is where sprint racing is valuable. It compresses the learning into a short period. You do not get one long lesson; you get several small lessons one after another.

In stronger gusts, we were reminded again that the boat needs to be kept moving, balanced and under control. Small delays matter. A slow response to a gust can turn into an uncomfortable heel. A badly timed gybe can suddenly become much more dramatic than expected. The boom is not just a piece of rigging; it is a moving object with real force behind it.

That became very clear during the afternoon.

Capsizes, Booms and the Serious Side of Club Sailing

There were capsizes during the racing, which was not surprising given the gusts.

Capsizing is part of dinghy sailing. Boats go over. Crews get wet. Safety boats help where needed. People recover, laugh about it afterwards and learn from it.

But the afternoon also included a more serious reminder of the risks involved. One member was struck on the head by the boom and suffered a cut. That is not something to dismiss lightly.

A boom can move very quickly during a tack or gybe, particularly in gusty conditions. It can catch people unaware, especially if the boat gybes suddenly or if communication between helm and crew is not clear enough. In lighter winds, a boom crossing the boat may seem fairly gentle. In stronger or gusty conditions, it can be a very different matter.

This is one of those lessons that experienced sailors know instinctively but learners have to internalise through practice:

Keep your head down.

Listen for commands.

Communicate clearly.

Know when the boat is about to tack or gybe.

Respect the boom.

The incident did not spoil the day, but it did make the safety lesson very real. Sailing is great fun, but it is still a sport involving wind, water, moving equipment and judgement.

Our Sudden Gybe and the End of the 360 Camera Mount

Our own drama was less painful, but still memorable.

We had a sudden gybe.

The boom came across with force, and attached to that boom was the 360 camera. I have been using the 360 camera to capture sailing footage because it gives such a useful record of what is happening on the boat. It shows the helm, the crew, the sail, the river, the mark roundings and all the little details that are easy to forget afterwards.

It is a brilliant learning tool.

Unfortunately, it is only brilliant while it remains attached to the boat.

The pressure from the sudden gybe was enough to break the mount. The camera and mount flew off the boom and into the river.

Then it sank.

Without trace.

There is a particular silence that follows the loss of expensive camera equipment into deep water. It is not quite the same as a capsize. It is not even quite the same as breaking something on the boat. It is the realisation that the river has claimed the evidence, and there will be no slow-motion replay of what went wrong.

One moment the 360 camera was part of the filming setup.

The next moment it was gone.

The Expensive Lesson: Everything on a Boat Needs a Backup

The loss of the camera was annoying, but it was also useful.

It exposed a weakness in our filming setup.

The mount was not strong enough for the forces involved in a sudden gybe. More importantly, there was no proper secondary safety system. On land, a camera mount failure might mean the camera drops to the floor. On a boat, a camera mount failure can mean the camera disappears into the river.

That is a very different consequence.

The next version of the system will be better.

The replacement mount needs to be stronger, preferably with a protective cage around the camera. The camera should not rely on a single mounting point. There should be a secondary Dyneema safety line attached to the boom or another secure point so that if the main mount breaks, the camera remains attached to the boat.

This is not just about saving money. It is also about safety.

A camera flying loose during a gybe could hit someone. A dangling camera could become tangled. A poorly placed mount could interfere with crew movement. Filming equipment on a sailing boat has to be treated as part of the boat’s working environment, not as an afterthought.

That means asking proper questions before every setup:

Is the mount strong enough?

Can it cope with shock loads?

Will it survive a tack or gybe?

Is there a secondary safety line?

Could it hit anyone if it breaks?

Could it interfere with sailing the boat?

Can it be removed quickly if needed?

It is easy to think about camera angles first. After this, I will be thinking about failure points first.

Why We Film the Racing Anyway

Some people may wonder why we bother filming at all.

The simple answer is that video shows the truth.

When you are in the boat, everything feels busy. You think you know what happened, but your memory is often selective. You remember the dramatic moment, the gust, the shout, the near capsize, the bad tack or the poor start. What you do not always remember is your position in the boat, the timing of the sail movement, the course you were steering, or how early the problem actually began.

A 360 camera is particularly useful because it does not only show where the boat is going. It shows what everyone on board is doing.

For learning sailors, that is gold dust.

You can watch a tack and see whether the crew moved early enough. You can see whether the jib was released at the right moment. You can see whether the helm looked ahead or stared down into the boat. You can see whether the boat lost speed before the turn. You can see whether the sail was overpowered before the gust hit.

Of course, this only works if the camera survives.

So the lesson is not “do not film”.

The lesson is “film properly”.

Last Place Still Counts When You Are Learning

It would be lovely to write that we had a breakthrough race, climbed up the fleet and surprised everyone.

That did not happen.

We were last again.

But there is a difference between being last and learning nothing. This race gave us several clear lessons:

Gusty conditions demand quicker reactions.

A boom gybe is a serious event, not a casual movement.

Camera equipment needs proper marine-style securing.

Sprint races are excellent for exposing weaknesses.

Safety and preparation matter as much as speed.

There is also something useful about being out there in conditions that stretch you. You cannot learn to sail only in perfect weather. Light winds teach patience and sail trim. Moderate winds teach balance and confidence. Gusty conditions teach respect.

This was one of those days.

What We Will Change Before Next Time

The most obvious change is the camera setup.

The next boom-mounted 360 camera system will need:

A stronger mount.

A protective camera cage.

A secondary Dyneema safety line.

A secure attachment point independent of the main mount.

A quick inspection before launching.

A position that does not interfere with crew movement.

I will also think more carefully about where filming equipment is placed on the boat. The best camera angle is not always the safest camera angle. A dramatic boom shot is useful, but only if the equipment can cope with the loads and does not create a hazard.

There is a broader sailing lesson here too. Boats are full of systems that need backup thinking. Shackles, ropes, fittings, cameras, covers, trailers, batteries and safety equipment all need to be considered not just for normal use, but for what happens when something goes wrong.

Sailing teaches that very efficiently.

Sometimes the lesson is wet.

Sometimes it is expensive.

Sometimes it sinks.

The Bigger Picture: Why These Days Matter

The easy days are enjoyable, but the more challenging days are often the ones that move you forward.

A sunny, steady, gentle sail can make you feel good. A gusty sprint race can make you better.

This was not a day of trophies for us. It was not a day of climbing the results table. It was not a day when everything worked perfectly.

But it was a proper sailing day.

There was a good turnout at the club. There was real wind. There were capsizes. There was a reminder about the dangers of the boom. There was the loss of a camera. There were mistakes, recoveries and lessons.

That is club sailing.

It is social, competitive, practical, occasionally chaotic and always educational.

Conclusion: The River Takes Its Payment

The river took a 360 camera this time.

That is frustrating, but it is also part of the story. Every time we sail, we learn something about the boat, the wind, the river, ourselves and the equipment we thought was secure.

We finished last, but we came ashore with a better understanding of what needs to improve.

The boat handling needs work.

The gybes need more respect.

The camera mount needs redesigning.

The safety line is no longer optional.

Next time, the 360 camera will be in a cage, backed up with Dyneema, and attached as though the river is actively trying to steal it.

Because, as it turns out, it is.

 

The Bourne End to Marlow Race in Champagne — Our First Self-Rigged A-Rater Race

There are sailing days when the wind howls, the river chops up, the spray flies, and everyone returns to the club with heroic stories of survival.

This was not one of those days.

This was a day of heat, haze, drifting, hope, the occasional teasing puff of wind, and three people in a Thames A-Rater trying very hard to look as if they knew exactly what they were doing.

It was also an important day for us. This was our first race in Champagne where we had rigged her ourselves, launched her, sorted ourselves out, and joined the start line as a proper racing boat rather than as a restoration project with sails.

That felt like progress.

A Very Hot Day on the River

The day was hot. Not just pleasantly warm, not just “remember to wear a hat” warm, but properly hot. The sort of heat where the river looks beautiful, the grass looks inviting, and the inside of the race box begins to resemble a greenhouse experiment.

The Officer of the Day reported that the temperature inside the box had reached 43.5°C, which is less like race management and more like slow roasting. Sensibly, the race team decided to organise the race from outside.

At that point, the weather had already made its first important tactical decision of the day: the humans would be overheating, and the wind would be underperforming.

The forecast suggested less than 5 mph of breeze, and for much of the race even that seemed optimistic. But Thames A-Raters are extraordinary boats. With their vast sail area, long elegant hulls, and almost unreasonable ability to move in light air, they should, in theory, be perfect for these conditions.

The phrase “in theory” was going to do quite a lot of work during the day.

Only Two A-Raters — But Plenty to Learn

Only two A-Raters entered the race.

The first was Carina, built in 1902, with Rater Captain Simon at the helm. A beautiful, historic boat, sailed by someone who clearly knew exactly how to persuade movement from almost no wind at all.

The second was Champagne, with Paul at the helm, our good friend Guy learning the mid-hand role, and me on the jib, still learning what to do and when to do it.

That is one of the things I am enjoying about Champagne. She is not just a boat to restore. She is a boat to learn from. Every time we take her out, she teaches us something new. Sometimes politely. Sometimes firmly. Occasionally with a silent but unmistakable suggestion that the crew might like to improve.

The Start — Crossing the Line Facing the Wrong Way

At the five-minute and four-minute klaxons, we were still on the bank.

This is rarely considered the ideal tactical position for a racing start.

However, we managed to get away and did cross the start line at about the right time. Unfortunately, we were facing the wrong direction.

It is good to be original, but perhaps not quite that original.

At almost exactly that moment, the wind where we were decided to disappear completely. Carina, by contrast, managed to cross the line in the correct direction and drift upstream using what little momentum she had.

By the time we had turned Champagne around, Carina already had around a 25-metre lead. In a strong breeze, that might not sound disastrous. In almost no wind at all, 25 metres can feel like the Solent.

The First Lesson — Jib Tension Matters

We were not moving well.

Adrian, an experienced Rater hand, was in the safety boat and came alongside. His advice was simple and very useful: increase the jib tension.

Not slightly.

A lot.

We tightened the jib properly, and the boat immediately felt better. It is one of those simple things that makes a huge difference, especially in a boat like an A-Rater. In light airs, the shape of the sail matters enormously. Too loose, and the sail does not drive properly. Too tight in the wrong conditions, and it can be overdone. But on this occasion, the change helped.

For me, this was a very practical lesson. On a large sailing dinghy, especially one with the sail area of a Thames A-Rater, the jib is not just a bit of cloth at the front. It is part of the engine. Get it wrong, and the boat feels sluggish. Get it closer to right, and suddenly the whole boat begins to respond.

I am still learning the jib. I am still learning what the sail should look like, how the tell-tales should behave, and how much adjustment is needed as the wind changes. But this race gave me a clear example of how important that role is.

Tacking in Almost No Wind

We began to tack up the river.

This sounds straightforward, but in very light airs tacking becomes a delicate operation. The boat needs enough speed to turn through the wind. The crew needs to move without disturbing the balance too much. The sails need to be handled smoothly. The helm needs to avoid oversteering. Everyone needs patience.

And then, just as the boat begins to move, the wind vanishes again.

Every now and again, a little puff of breeze arrived. When it did, Champagne came alive. The big sails filled, the boat gathered speed, and for a few seconds we had that wonderful feeling that she was doing exactly what she had been built to do.

Then the breeze would fade, and we would be back to coaxing, trimming, waiting, and trying to read the river.

Simon, in Carina, was doing this rather better than we were. Each time a puff came through, he seemed to use it a little more efficiently. Each time the boats slowed, he had gained another few metres. Skill in light wind is not dramatic, but it is very visible over time. He did not suddenly disappear. He simply extended his lead, quietly and steadily, one small gain at a time.

The Long River Race Effect

The Bourne End to Marlow race is not a quick sprint around a couple of buoys. It is a proper river race, with distance, bends, trees, shadows, changing wind angles, and plenty of moments where the boat in front appears, disappears, and then appears again in a completely different part of the river.

We kept seeing Carina and then losing sight of her around the bends.

That is one of the peculiar pleasures of river racing. Unlike open water, where you can often see the whole fleet, the Thames gives you little glimpses of the race. A sail appears beyond the trees. A mast moves behind moored boats. A boat ahead seems close, then unreachable, then close again.

It creates hope.

Sometimes false hope, but hope nevertheless.

Finding Better Wind at the Halfway Point

As we reached the halfway point, things improved. We found a little more wind.

It was not strong. It was not exciting. Nobody was hiking hard or shouting for more kicker. But it was more consistent, and that made a huge difference.

With steadier breeze, the boat became easier to sail. We could trim with more confidence, settle into a rhythm, and make proper progress down to the mark before turning back towards the club.

By then, Carina was out of sight. But the race was far from over for us, because another boat was close by.

Racing the OK Dinghy

One other boat was sailing the same race: Jenny in an OK dinghy.

She reached the halfway mark at nearly the same time as we did, and on the way back we found ourselves in a very enjoyable little contest. Jenny was often on the opposite tack, so our positions changed almost every time our paths crossed.

Sometimes we were just ahead. Sometimes she was just ahead. In the very light patches, the smaller OK could keep moving beautifully. When the wind did fill in, Champagne’s great sail area gave us just a little more speed.

This was one of the most enjoyable parts of the race. It was not just about chasing Carina, which by now was well ahead. It was about sailing the boat properly, keeping her moving, choosing the next tack, trimming the sails, and trying to make the most of every breath of wind.

And that is where racing becomes such a good teacher.

What We Learned

The result does not tell the whole story.

Yes, Carina beat us by around twenty minutes. But we completed the race. We rigged Champagne ourselves. We got her to the start. We got around the course. We improved during the race. We learned more about the jib, the balance of the boat, the importance of light-wind sail shape, and the huge value of experience.

A few practical lessons stood out.

First, preparation before the start matters. Being on the bank at the five-minute klaxon is not ideal.

Second, in light winds, small mistakes become large losses. A slow tack, poor sail shape, or wrong position on the river can cost far more than it would in a stronger breeze.

Third, the jib matters enormously. It is not a passive sail. It drives the boat, balances the rig, and helps the helm make the boat work.

Fourth, A-Raters reward skill. They have enormous potential, but they do not sail themselves. Simon’s performance in Carina showed exactly how much difference experience makes.

Finally, simply getting out there matters. You can read about A-Raters, restore them, polish them, varnish them, talk about them, photograph them and admire them from the bank. But the real learning happens when the boat is on the water, the klaxon has gone, and you suddenly realise you are pointing the wrong way on the start line.

A Step Forward for Champagne

For Champagne, this race felt like a milestone.

She is no longer just the boat we bought, the boat we are repairing, or the boat under the cover in the boat park. She is becoming our racing boat. We are beginning to understand her. Slowly. Imperfectly. With plenty of advice from people who know far more than we do.

That is one of the great strengths of sailing at a club like Upper Thames. There is history on the water, but there is also knowledge on the bank, in the safety boat, in the boat park, and in the people who have sailed these boats for years.

A Thames A-Rater is not the easiest boat to learn in. It is big, powerful, delicate, historic, technical, and slightly ridiculous in the best possible way. But that is also what makes it so rewarding.

Conclusion — Second Place, Twenty Minutes Behind, and Very Happy

We crossed the line in second place, around twenty minutes behind Carina.

On paper, that sounds like a large gap.

In reality, it felt like a success.

We had taken Champagne out for her first self-rigged race. We had made mistakes, corrected some of them, learned from others, and completed a long river race in very difficult light-wind conditions.

We had raced against a 1902 A-Rater sailed by an experienced Rater helm. We had duelled with an OK dinghy on the return leg. We had discovered that jib tension matters more than I had fully appreciated. We had learned that in almost no wind, patience is not optional.

Most importantly, we had taken another step from restoration project to racing boat.

And as we came back to the club, hot, tired, and a little wiser, I felt something very simple.

Champagne is going to teach us a great deal.

Read more about Champagne and my life sailing in https://pmrsailing.uk/

 

From First Boat to A-Rater: Why Sailing Clubs Need a Proper Progression Ladder

Every sailor starts somewhere.

For some, it is a slightly wobbly first sail in a club dinghy, wondering which rope does what, why the boom appears to have a personal grudge, and why the boat seems perfectly happy going in every direction except the one intended.

For others, it might be a youth training boat, a Wayfarer, a Toura, a Laser, a Topper, a Merlin Rocket, a National 12, or, one day, the magnificent and slightly terrifying sight of a Thames A-Rater with a huge rig towering over the river.

But the important question is this:

How do we help people move from that first uncertain sail to becoming confident club sailors, racers, crews, helms and custodians of historic classes?

Because if we do not create a route, many people never make the journey.

They learn the basics, sail a few times, perhaps race once, get confused, feel they are in the way, and quietly disappear. That is a great loss to them, to the club, and to the traditions that clubs like Upper Thames Sailing Club and Thames Sailing Club work so hard to preserve.

Sailing Is Not One Skill — It Is a Ladder

One of the mistakes we sometimes make is talking about sailing as if it is one thing.

“Can you sail?”

That sounds like a simple yes or no question. In reality, it is much more like asking, “Can you drive?”

Can you drive around a car park?
Can you reverse into a tight space?
Can you drive on a motorway in heavy rain?
Can you drive a lorry?
Can you drive a racing car?
Can you drive while someone shouts confusing instructions from the passenger seat?

Sailing is much the same.

There is a world of difference between sailing gently across the river in light winds, racing around marks in a mixed handicap fleet, handling a spinnaker, sailing a high-performance dinghy, foiling above the water, or crewing a Thames A-Rater in a gust with trees, moorings, stream and other boats all adding to the entertainment.

That does not mean the journey is impossible. It means it needs structure.

The First Step: Getting Afloat Without Terror

The first progression in sailing is not speed. It is not racing. It is not even elegance.

It is confidence.

At the beginning, a new sailor needs to understand the basics:

• Where to sit
• How to steer
• How the mainsail works
• How the jib works
• How to tack
• How to gybe
• How to stop
• How to come ashore
• How not to panic when the boat heels
• How to recover from mistakes

This is where the RYA training system is so useful. RYA Level 1 Start Sailing gives beginners a controlled introduction to sailing a dinghy. RYA Level 2 Basic Skills then builds the confidence and decision-making needed to sail in good conditions. For young sailors, the Youth Sailing Scheme provides a similar staged route through Stages 1 to 4.

That structure matters.

It gives new sailors a vocabulary, a safety framework and a sense that they are making progress. It also gives clubs a common starting point. Someone who has completed Level 2 should have a reasonable foundation, but that does not mean they are automatically ready for everything a club can throw at them.

Especially not on a river.

The River Adds Its Own Curriculum

Sailing on the Thames is not quite the same as sailing on a large open reservoir or coastal training area.

The River Thames has its own personality.

There are trees that steal the wind.
There are gusts that arrive like surprise exam questions.
There is stream.
There are moored boats.
There are shallows.
There are marks tucked into awkward corners.
There are wind shadows that make a perfectly good tack look like an act of optimism.

A beginner might complete a course and still need to learn the local water.

At Upper Thames Sailing Club, for example, there are skills that belong specifically to that stretch of river: short tacking, reading the wind on the water, approaching marks in light airs, sailing in traffic, and understanding how much room is really needed to turn.

This is where a club progression scheme could be extremely valuable.

The RYA courses give the foundation. The club then adds the local knowledge.

From Single-Hander to Double-Hander

A common next step is moving from a simple training boat into a double-handed boat such as a Toura, Wayfarer, Feva, Merlin Rocket or National 12.

This is a huge progression.

In a single-hander, you make your own mistakes. In a double-hander, you make them with a witness.

The crew and helm need to work together. The helm must communicate clearly. The crew must learn when to release, when to sheet in, when to move, and when not to pull the jib across too early during a tack.

I have learned that jib timing is not just a small detail. Get it wrong and the boat can slow, stall, or even try to turn back the way it came. Get it right and the boat flows through the tack beautifully.

A double-hander teaches:

• Communication
• Balance
• Crew movement
• Sail trim
• Teamwork
• Trust
• Recovery when things go wrong

This is also the stage where many adults become much better sailors. They start to understand not just what they are doing, but why the boat behaves as it does.

The Toura as a Training Bridge

A boat like the RS Toura is very useful in a club progression system.

It is stable enough to teach confidence, large enough for an instructor or experienced sailor to join in, and capable enough to introduce proper sailing skills. It can be used for first helming, crewing practice, race training, spinnaker preparation and family sailing.

For a club, this type of boat is not just a club boat. It is a bridge.

It can take someone from “I have done a course” to “I am ready to join in.”

That bridge is often the missing part of sailing development.

A person may have completed a course, but still not feel ready to race. They may not own a boat. They may not know who to ask. They may feel that everyone else knows what they are doing.

A progression scheme gives them a route.

The Racing Step: From Sailing Around to Sailing With Purpose

The next stage is club racing.

This is where sailing suddenly becomes much more interesting and, at times, much more confusing.

A new racer has to learn:

• Starting sequences
• Course boards
• Marks
• Port and starboard
• Windward boat and leeward boat
• Room at the mark
• How to keep clear
• How to avoid getting trapped at the start
• How to finish without accidentally sailing another lap

Racing can be intimidating, but it is also one of the best ways to improve.

A sailor who cruises around for an hour may repeat the same few habits. A sailor who races has to tack, gybe, round marks, avoid other boats, read the wind, make decisions and deal with pressure.

That is why clubs should make racing easier to enter.

Not easier to win.
Easier to enter.

There is a big difference.

A club progression programme could include supported first races, buddy crews, race briefing sessions, simplified course explanations, and post-race chats where someone explains what happened without making the new sailor feel like they have just failed a driving test on water.

The Spinnaker Stage: When the Laundry Goes Flying

Sooner or later, someone says the word “spinnaker”.

This is usually followed by either excitement or fear.

A spinnaker is a wonderful sail. It is also a large, colourful way of discovering whether the crew, helm and wind are still on speaking terms.

Learning to use a spinnaker is a natural progression for sailors who are comfortable in a double-hander. It teaches downwind sailing, apparent wind, communication, timing, boat handling and the importance of preparation.

A club could run spinnaker evenings using suitable boats in light winds. The aim would not be to turn everyone into an expert instantly. It would be to remove the mystery.

The first session might simply cover:

• What the sail is for
• How it is rigged
• What the pole does
• How to hoist
• How to drop
• What can go wrong
• How to recover when it does

That last part is important. People are often less afraid of trying something when they know how to untangle the mess afterwards.

Performance Boats: National 12s, Merlins and the Next Challenge

Once sailors are comfortable in training boats and club racing, some will want a more responsive boat.

This is where classes such as the National 12, Merlin Rocket or other performance dinghies can become part of the journey.

A National 12 is not simply a faster version of a beginner boat. It is more sensitive, more responsive and less forgiving. It rewards balance, communication and accurate sail trim. It also teaches sailors to feel the boat.

That is a major progression.

At this level, sailors begin to understand that small changes matter:

• A few centimetres of body position
• A slightly better tack
• A smoother gybe
• Better acceleration after the start
• Keeping the boat flat
• Holding speed through disturbed wind

This is where coaching becomes valuable. Not formal classroom teaching necessarily, but short, focused sessions with experienced sailors.

A club might run “try a class” evenings, where new sailors can crew in different boats and discover what they enjoy.

Some will love single-handers.
Some will love double-handed racing.
Some will love the teamwork.
Some will love the technical details.
Some will simply love going faster.

That variety is one of the strengths of sailing.

Foiling: A Different Branch of the Tree

Foiling is another possible progression, although perhaps not the most obvious one for every river club.

It represents a very modern branch of sailing: speed, balance, control and flight. For sailors who want a new challenge, foiling can be an exciting development beyond conventional dinghy sailing.

But it should be seen as one branch of the progression tree, not the only “advanced” route.

A sailor might progress towards foiling.
Another might progress towards team racing.
Another might become an excellent safety boat helm.
Another might become a race officer.
Another might become an A-Rater crew.

Progression does not have to mean everyone going in the same direction. It means every sailor can see a next step.

The A-Rater Problem: How Do We Keep the Tradition Alive?

Now we come to the thoroughbred: the Thames A-Rater.

These boats are not just racing dinghies. They are living history. They are spectacular, powerful, beautiful and slightly outrageous in the best possible way.

They are also not beginner boats.

A Thames A-Rater needs skill, teamwork and confidence. With a tall rig, large sail area and a crew of three, it is not the sort of boat where someone should simply be thrown in and told, “You’ll pick it up as you go along.”

Although, to be fair, that is probably how quite a lot of sailing has traditionally worked.

If clubs want to keep A-Rater racing alive, they need people. They need crews. They need helms. They need younger sailors, adult beginners, experienced dinghy sailors and practical people who are willing to learn.

The boats themselves may be historic, but the crew pipeline has to be deliberately created.

An A-Rater Progression Scheme

Clubs like Upper Thames Sailing Club and Thames Sailing Club could create their own A-Rater progression route. It would not need to replace RYA training. It would sit on top of it.

A possible pathway might look like this:

Stage 1: Basic Sailing Confidence

The sailor completes RYA Level 1 and Level 2, or reaches an equivalent standard through club training.

They can steer, tack, gybe, stop, launch, recover and understand basic safety.

Stage 2: Double-Handed Experience

The sailor spends time in a boat such as a Toura, Wayfarer, Feva, Merlin or National 12.

They learn crewing, helming, communication, balance and sail handling.

Stage 3: Club Racing Introduction

The sailor joins supported club races, perhaps with an experienced helm or crew.

They learn starts, marks, right of way, course boards and how racing works on the river.

Stage 4: River Skills

The sailor learns the local conditions: wind shadows, stream, short tacking, moorings, landing areas and the particular behaviour of the club reach.

This is especially important on the Thames.

Stage 5: Specialist Skills

The sailor is introduced to spinnakers, performance boats, race tactics and more advanced boat handling.

This stage builds confidence and awareness.

Stage 6: A-Rater Shore School

Before sailing an A-Rater, the sailor has a shore-based introduction.

This could include:

• Parts of the boat
• Rig layout
• Crew roles
• Safety considerations
• Launching and recovery
• How the boat differs from a normal dinghy
• What to do in a gust
• What not to touch unless asked

That last one may be particularly important.

Stage 7: First A-Rater Sail as Third Crew

The sailor joins an experienced crew in suitable conditions.

The aim is not racing glory. The aim is familiarity.

They learn where to sit, when to move, what to watch, how commands are given and how the boat feels.

Stage 8: Regular Crewing

The sailor becomes part of a crew pool.

They sail regularly, gradually take on more responsibility, and perhaps move between boats to learn different approaches.

Stage 9: Advanced Crew or Helm Development

Those who want to go further can learn more technical rig control, race strategy and eventually helming.

Not everyone needs to helm an A-Rater. Good crews are just as essential.

Clubs Need Their Own Courses

The RYA system is excellent for nationally recognised training. It gives structure, safety and consistency.

But each club has its own boats, water, traditions and racing culture.

That means clubs should not be afraid to create their own internal courses.

Not necessarily formal certificates. Not bureaucratic paperwork. Just clear pathways.

For example:

• “First Race Evening”
• “Toura to Racing”
• “Introduction to Double-Handers”
• “Spinnaker Confidence”
• “River Racing Skills”
• “A-Rater Crew Introduction”
• “Classic Boat Handling”
• “From Crew to Helm”
• “Safety Boat Support for Racing”
• “Understanding Club Race Duties”

These courses could be short, friendly and practical. They could run on summer evenings or quiet weekends. They could be led by experienced club sailors, instructors, race officers and boat owners.

The point is to make progress visible.

Why Progression Helps Retention

People stay in clubs when they feel they belong.

They stay when they know what to do next.

A new sailor who does Level 2 and then sees no obvious route may drift away. A new sailor who is invited to a supported race, then a Toura session, then a spinnaker evening, then a crewing opportunity, is much more likely to become part of the club.

Progression builds confidence, but it also builds relationships.

That is how clubs survive.

Not just through boats.
Not just through buildings.
Not just through racing calendars.

But through people being helped from one stage to the next.

The Tradition Will Not Preserve Itself

It is easy to admire a Thames A-Rater from the bank.

It is harder to create the next generation of people who can sail one.

If we want these boats to remain part of the living river, not just photographs in a clubhouse or memories from past regattas, we need progression.

We need beginners.
We need improvers.
We need crews.
We need helms.
We need patient mentors.
We need boat owners willing to invite people aboard.
We need clubs willing to make the route clear.

The journey from a first boat to an A-Rater may seem enormous, but it does not have to happen in one leap.

It happens one tack at a time.

First, you learn where to sit.
Then you learn how to steer.
Then you learn how to tack.
Then you learn how to race.
Then you learn how to crew.
Then one day someone says, “Would you like to come out in the A-Rater?”

And that may be the moment a sailor becomes part of a tradition much bigger than themselves.

Conclusion: Build the Ladder and People Will Climb It

Sailing clubs should not simply hope that new sailors will somehow find their way from beginner courses into racing fleets and historic classes.

Some will. Many will not.

A better answer is to build a ladder.

Use the RYA courses as the foundation. Add club-specific training on top. Teach the local water. Create supported racing. Offer crewing opportunities. Introduce performance boats carefully. Make the spinnaker less frightening. Let people experience boats they might never otherwise dare to approach.

And above all, create a pathway into the boats that define the club’s character.

For Thames river clubs, that must include the Thames A-Rater.

Because traditions do not stay alive because they are old.

They stay alive because new people are invited in.