More households in the UK now
own a yacht, although an increasing
number of cruisers are choosing to
keep their boats abroad according
to a new survey.
The Watersports
Participation Survey
2017, which is
produced annually for
a consortium of marine
bodies including the
RNLI, RYA and British
Marine, shows overallThe 14th Volvo Ocean Race (VOR)
may be raced in IMOCA 60s, boats
more often associated with the single-
handed Vendée Globe Race. The
VOR is currently sailed in purpose-
built, one-design 65ft yachts by
crews of up to 11 men and women.
The move comes after Volvo
shelved plans last year to radically
change the 2019-2020 race, which
resulted in the shock departure of
former CEO Mark Turner.
A major part of Volvo’s new vision
had been a 60ft foil-assisted one-design ocean-racing monohull, and
‘flying’ catamarans for in-port races.
Now it appears that Volvo is looking
to IMOCA, after the association’s
skippers voted overwhelmingly in
favour of the possible addition of
the VOR to the IMOCA race calendar.
The president of the IMOCA class
Antoine Mermod said discussions
would continue between the two
parties so ‘the basic concept can
be drawn up for this partnership.
The skippers really want to move
in that direction and we are ready.’Volvo eyes up IMOCA 60s for its Ocean Race
Yacht ownership increasing
BELOW: Itchenor
Sailing Club rents
out boats to
encourage sailingRIGHT: Cruising
is still popularIMOCA 60s like
Hugo Boss could
feature in the 14th
edition of the Volvo
Ocean Racesailing yacht ownership increased
by 16% between 2012 and 2014, and
2015 and 2017. Just over 10% of these
yachts were kept outside of the UK
in 2015-2017, compared with less
than 5% between 2012 and 2014.Fewer households own small
sailing boats, such as dinghies
and open keel boats, with a 20%
drop between 2012 and 2014, and
2015 and 2017.
The survey of 12,000 people also
revealed that overall, 3.69 million
adults took part in one of 12 core
boating activities last year, ranging
from yacht cruising to canoeing.
In 2017, 83,000 more people
went yacht cruising compared to- Long term, cruising remains
consistent, with overall participations
remaining stable in the decade
between 2007 and 2017.
Cruisers are also choosing to sail
abroad more, with a 2.6% increase
in those sailing overseas in 2017
compared to 2016. Cruising in UK
waters fell by 2.3%.
Small sailboat activities have
declined both in the short and long
term, but canoeing and stand-up
paddle boarding is growing with an
increase of 1.3% and 1.6% respectively
between 2007 and 2017.
The RYA’s regional development
office manager Guy Malpas said
it was important that watersports
remained accessible to people
as their lifestyles changed, and
the growth in canoeing and stand-
up paddle boarding was positive
as it allowed exposure to other
boating activities.
He also said that identifying that
the traditional route into sailing
didn’t work for everyone was
crucial, especially for attracting
younger people to watersports.
Many clubs are embracing new
ways to attract new sailors and keep
them sailing, such as offering boats to
rent or organising cruising activities.
Malpas said so-called ‘pay-and-
play’ opportunities, allowing people
to dip in and out of sailing, also
encouraged people to get out on
the water, as well as RYA initiatives
such as May’s Push the Boat Out.
The survey also looked at boaters’
attitudes to safety, revealing that 57%
of yacht cruisers wore a lifejacket or
buoyancy aid continually while sailing.
More than a quarter of yacht cruisers
failed to check the weather forecast
before heading out, with just 63%
checking tide tables and 56%
checking the boat’s seaworthiness.
Jon Oxenham from the RNLI
Community Safety Team said its own
survey on Personal Flotation Device
(PFD) use showed a steady increase
since 2014.
He added that it would continue
to work with the likes of the Royal
Yachting Association and the UK
Coastguard to ‘encourage better
Graham Snook and safer behaviours.’
Mark Lloyd
NEWS