The school operates as both an RYA Training Centre and a recognised centre for British Youth Sailing, representing the two sides of sailing: training and racing.

What is team racing?

Not heard of this, or not had a go before – fear not.  It’s great fun and will help with your boat handling, rules knowledge and strategic thinking – all vital skills when out fleet racing.

Here’s a great intro to team racing from the RYA >

In simple terms, teams of 2 or 3 boats race against another team.  The first team to get their boats over the finish line in a winning combination (points score equal to or less than 10 in 3 boat racing, last boat loses in 2 boat team racing) wins the race.  Unlike regular racing you can deploy dastardly tactics and cunning plans to help each other change places, slow the other team down and get your boats over the line in a winning combo.

While a number of pupils have aspirations to represent GB at the highest level, others want to appreciate learning to sail and work through the RYA training stages to enjoy sailing solely for pleasure.

 

 

We have many boats used for sail training to suit experience and size, while our mixed team of boys and girls race in Tera and Feva dinghies. We sail against other schools, in local regattas with the Royal Windermere Yacht Club, at RYA North West Traveller races and at Grand Prix series around the country. We are uniquely positioned to take children of all abilities and our highly qualified coaching and sailing staff seek to provide as wide a range of sailing opportunities as possible.

Girls and boys may join us as experienced sailors with aspirations to achieve highly or arrive as novices. They will receive equally dedicated support to allow them to reach their potential. We encourage boys and girls to join as young as practical, and many of our highest achieving sailors joined us at the beginning of the school life.


RYA TRAINING CENTRE

RYA TRAINING CENTRE

Windermere School has been operating for a number of years as a Royal Yachting Associating (RYA) Training Centre and, in 2018, we were delighted to become an RYA British Youth Sailing Recognised Club, one of only 15 clubs nationwide and one of only two school in the UK to hold this accreditation.

SAILING

SAILING

Pupils may join us as experienced sailors with aspirations to achieve highly or arrive as novices, and will receive equally dedicated support to allow them to reach their potential. We encourage pupils to join early on in their Windermere School journey, as many of our highest achieving sailors joined us at the beginning of their School life.

CANOEING & KAYAKING

CANOEING & KAYAKING

Canoeing and kayaking are popular after-school activities for all year groups. In the warmer months, we run a variety of different sessions from our Watersports Centre, Hodge Howe, coaching complete beginners through to more experienced paddlers.

WINDSURFING

WINDSURFING

Pupils in Year 7 to 9 enjoy windsurfing as a part of their timetabled Adventure Programme. Those in Year 10 to 13 who wish to windsurf can take it as an after-school activity, and advance to the higher stages of the RYA syllabus.