Otley Sailing Club from West Yorkshire, will use the Sunsail’s Funding the Future grand prize of £6,000 to revitalise old Laser dinghies to make sailing more accessible for adult club members.
Yacht charter company Sunsail has announced the latest winners of its Funding the Future initiative, which champions sailing across the UK by providing vital financial support to clubs.
Funding the Future 2025 received a record number of 66 entries from Royal Yachting Association (RYA)-affiliated sailing and yacht clubs and charities across the UK.
Each entry highlighted the dedication and innovation within the sailing community.
Otley Sailing Club from West Yorkshire was awarded the top honour and grand prize of £6,000.
Wilsonian Sailing Club and Henley Sailing Club were celebrated as runners-up, with each awarded £2,000.
All the winners were announced at a ceremony presented by Dee Caffari MBE on the opening day of the Southampton International Boat Show, held on the Sunsail stand H062 last Friday, 19 September.
Young Henley Sailing Club members claimed their club’s runner-up prize. Credit: Sunsail
£6,000 prize for Sunsail Funding the Future winner
Otley Sailing Club received unanimous praise from the judges for its highly scalable proposal to use the funding to purchase and refurbish five second-hand Laser dinghies, creating a new “Club Laser” membership scheme that allows members to sail without owning a boat.
The scheme aims to make sailing more accessible and affordable for young adults, students, families and casual sailors.
The judges appreciated the application for its sustainability credentials while also supporting innovation in membership models.
Rob McCandless, sailing secretary for Otley Sailing Club, which is just north of Leeds and Bradford, accepted the award on behalf of the club.
He told PBO: “The competition entry was all about sustainability and introducing more people into sailing.
“One of the things we’ve been working on a lot over the last couple of years is getting kids in and doing their RYA training courses.
“And what we’ve found this year is their parents now want to learn to sail, so we’ve been doing a lot of adult level 1 and 2 courses, and after that we always have a question about ‘What boat should we get?‘
“Particularly for families who have got kids who’ve just bought their first Topper, there’s a bit of resistence to buy an adult-size boat as well – so we wanted to find a way to get boats for adults as well that weren’t going to cost a fortune.
“So we decided to try and buy some old, basically dead Lasers, and refurbish them, put new sails and rigs on, bring them up to a useable standard again and make them available to adults, to parents, as part of their club membership.”
He added: “Without the funding, I think we would’ve thought it was a great idea but not quite had the money.
“I think we would have had some fairly tired old Lasers that would have been available but these will be decent boats now, they’ll have decent sails and rigging on them – kit that makes it work for people to actually sail.
“Hopefully it means we will get some more people sailing who weren’t going to spend money on buying a boat. This will help them get into sailing, they can just turn up and use it, which will be brilliant.”
£2,000 runner-up prizes
Round-the-world sailor Dee Caffari, who is the only woman to have sailed single-handed, non-stop around the world in both directions, is a Sunsail ambassador and one of the returning judges for the initiative.
Dee Caffari said the job of selecting the winners from the 66 entries involved “much negotiation, much argument, much contemplation” by the judges. Credit: Chris Ison/PA Images/Alamy
She said: “I was blown away by the number of applicants this year, it was good to see familiar locations and many new ones.
“The entries showed there is a real clarity in how diverse our sport is, and how so many clubs and associations have a different perspective on how they are making a difference.
“It gives me great hope for the future of our sport and I am proud of this collaboration that is helping fund the future.”
Wilsonian Sailing Club from Kent was awarded one of the runner-up prizes for its proposal to invest in the future of junior sailing by creating a dedicated junior clubhouse, new training tools and better coaching facilities, to benefit young sailors, their families, and the wider community.
Henley Sailing Club was also awarded a runner-up prize for its unique application written by a 10-year-old club member Charlotte.
In the application the ambitious youngster wrote a compelling case to use the funds to buy an extra Laser dinghy and children’s lifejackets, so more juniors and adults can take part in racing, training, and fun sailing for the small, family-friendly sailing club based on the River Thames.
Wilsonian Sailing Club from Kent was awarded one of the runner-up prizes for its proposal to invest in the future of junior sailing. Credit: Sunsail
Tough job for Sunsail Funding the Future judges
Katrina Lawson, Sunsail’s head of brand and acquisitions, said: “We were delighted to see a rise in applications for Funding the Future this year.
“The standard of entries has noticeably advanced, and we were truly impressed by the thought, effort and vision shown by so many clubs.
“This initiative is something we care deeply about, as it reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening sailing communities across the UK.
“Each application demonstrated not only creativity and ambition, but also a clear sense of how clubs can deliver meaningful and lasting benefits for their members and the wider community.
“Funding the Future is about much more than financial support – it’s about giving clubs the tools and confidence to drive positive change, and we’re proud to play a role in that journey.”
Mark Jardine, managing editor of YachtsandYachting.com and returning judge, said, “It’s getting harder and harder to pick the most worthy clubs for this award.
“So many fantastic initiatives that show how sailing is continually innovating in a changing world.
“Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who make all of this possible!”
Gareth Brookes, from the RYA and new judge for 2025, added: “I’m delighted to join the judging panel for the Sunsail Funding the Future Awards.
“This initiative is a fantastic example of how collaboration and targeted investment can help strengthen the grassroots of our sport.
“At the RYA, we are deeply committed to supporting participation and growth at every level, and this programme clearly aligns with our drive to empower clubs and help communities thrive.
“For many clubs, access to development funding can be the difference between having a good idea and delivering a transformative project.
“Whether it’s improving facilities, expanding youth programmes, or increasing accessibility, the impact of this support is felt not just in the short term, but for years to come.
“It enables clubs to dream bigger, reach further, and continue to be the beating heart of sailing and boating in their regions.”
“It was a tough job picking the winner”, said PBO editor Katy Stickland, who was a new judge for Sunsail’s Funding the Future initiative 2025. Credit: Richard Langdon
Katy Stickland, PBO editor and new judge for 2025, said: “It was impressive to see all of the work and effort which went into every single entry for Sunsail’s Funding the Future, and it was a tough job picking the winner as so many clubs had proposed really worthwhile plans but the winning club, Otley, had a clear, costed vision of how it planned to use five second-hand lasers to help young sailors in their racing journey and nurture membership at the club, growing sailing sustainably within their community.
“It is going to be interesting to see the difference it will make to the club in the coming years and the scheme’s lasting impact.”
Last year’s overall winner of the award was West Lancashire Yacht Club, which secured the 2024 top prize into invest in infrastructure and outreach through schools and training, with runner’s up prizes going to Yeadon Sailing Club – to expand its access and participation through fleet expansion and inclusive membership, and Rudyard Lake Sailing Club – to boost its training resources and facilities to support growth and sustainability in skills development.
Want to read more articles like this?
A subscription to Practical Boat Owner magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price.
Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals.
PBO is packed with information to help you get the most from boat ownership – whether sail or power.
-
-
-
- Take your DIY skills to the next level with trusted advice on boat maintenance and repairs
- Impartial, in-depth gear reviews
- Practical cruising tips for making the most of your time afloat
-
-
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter
Leave a Reply