Dinghy Sailing
Dinghy sailors of all ages launch from the beach in front of the clubhouse to sail in Lyme Bay and are also able to enjoy the more sheltered surroundings of the River Axe.
Background
In the post war years, dinghy sailing was the predominant Club activity, initially with the Axe One Design fleet and then with the Scorpion Class dinghy. In the early 1970s the Club fleet numbered approximately 30 Scorpions and the leading boats were also appearing at the top of the fleet in national and area championships. However, with the move toward single handers in the late 70's, the number of dinghy sailors at AYC dwindled and cruiser sailing became a more popular activity.
Over the last fifteen years dinghy sailing at AYC has seen a resurgence. There has been increased enthusiasm for getting the younger members of the Club and their parents out on the water. A 5-year strategy for developing family sailing at AYC was put together in October 2012 and a number of second hand Oppi & Topper dinghies were purchased for use predominantly on the River Axe. The Executive Committee decided to invest some of the legacy left by John Templeton-Knight in three RS Fevas for use by cadets.
In 2016 the Executive agreed to replace the old Oppi fleet with six new Topaz Taz dinghies as the Club's entry level dinghy for cadets. The Club was also awarded a Sport England grant for a project to encourage more adults & older teenagers to try dinghy sailing. With this grant, three training dinghies suitable for adults (two Topaz Vibes & a Topaz Argo) were purchased, enabling the Club to offer dinghy sailing taster sessions and basic training to adults & older teenagers as well as cadets.
Following on from three very successful 'Push The Boat Out' open days in 2017, 2018 and 2019, the number of families joining the Club increased significantly and the number of adults wanting to get involved in dinghy sailing also increased. In 2018, the old Toppers were replaced with three ex demo Topper Topaz dinghies, which are suitable to be sailed by adults and cadets either single handed or two up.
A Cadet Activity Week during the summer holidays was introduced in 2013 and was run annually by parents and other volunteers until 2023 (with a 2 year break during COVID). The week included dinghy training sessions (not RYA certificated), led by a small number of more experienced Club sailors. These Cadet Weeks were very popular and helped to develop a group of cadets who then became regular sailors at AYC. Post COVID the number of regular dinghy sailors dropped again and it seemed that Cadet Week was just providing entertainment for cadets and their families for those few days without developing regular sailors. So for the last couple of years, rather than running a full week of activities, we have re-focussed on two or three day 'Club sailing weekends'. Dinghy coaching is provided by more experienced sailors, some of whom are RYA instructors. The next coaching sessions are planned for May 2026, with the aim of encouraging more adults and cadets to then sail regularly throughout the season, developing their confidence and skills by experience.
Club Dinghy Racing
With a core group of sailors, we hope to see a return to regular dinghy racing in Lyme Bay as racing is an excellent way to improve your sailing skills. The River Race series is open to all classes of dinghy and the number of participants has increased in recent years. There is a growing fleet of Mirrors taking part alongside the traditional Axe One Designs, as well as a variety of scows.
RYA Training
AYC has been a recognised training centre (RTC) for a number of RYA shore based courses since 1974. In 2015 the Club also gained recognition from the RYA to run powerboat courses. As a result, we now have more members trained as support boat drivers who can support the dinghy sailing activities.
In 2017 Dinghy Instruction was added to our list of RYA recognised courses. Although AYC aims to help cadets and adults develop their skills in a way that is complementary to the way that the RYA teaches, due to the unpredictable nature of beach launching and the tidal nature of the river, we cannot offer formal RYA dinghy training courses in the same way that a commercial RYA sea school can. RYA coaching/certification weekends have been organised at intervals. Over these weekends, an RYA Senior Instructor (SI) formally assesses the skills which members have gained during the season. These are NOT formal RYA courses but being a recognised training centre allows the SI to award RYA certificates if appropriate skills are demonstrated. AYC members also have the opportunity to complete stages/levels of the RYA National & Youth Sailing Schemes at neighbouring centres if they wish.
Click this link for more information on the Dinghy Fleet & Sailing Programme