New sails boost junior sailing success

Chipstead Sailing Club, located just outside Sevenoaks in Kent, is celebrating the recent sponsorship from leading Kent and London law firm Thackray Williams. This support has breathed new life into the club by providing custom-made sails for four boats specifically tailored for their junior and youth development programme. The new sails have been designed for the Oppies, a sturdier variant of the Optimist dinghy that forms the backbone of the club’s ‘Chipmates’ junior sailing class, which has been a cornerstone of youth sailing instruction for over two decades.

“The new sails have replaced four of the old ones that have been in use since Chipmates started 20 years ago. Over time, sails become baggy and lose their shape. This makes the boat less responsive and harder to handle,” explains 16-year-old dinghy instructor Mim Asker. “For beginners and younger sailors this is extra frustrating and, as well as slowing their progress, threatens their enjoyment.” The introduction of new sails has addressed this issue, enhancing the sailing experience for the junior members and significantly boosting their confidence.

Nick Sinclair, the club’s Junior Class Captain, highlights how essential these sails are for the young sailors: “At Chipmates, Juniors have the opportunity to use club boats for as long as they need to. The new sails boost the confidence of the sailors who use them and mean they are in a much better position to compete against those who are fortunate enough to have their own boat.” The availability of club boats is particularly vital, as many junior sailors come from non-sailing families, making it harder for them to access the sport otherwise.

“We’re also delighted to support a club whose commitment to sustainability matches our own,” says Thackray Williams’ Co-Managing Partner, Vikki Herbert, reflecting the firm's ethos and community spirit. She adds, “with the ‘retired’ sails being given a new lease of life through effective upcycling and recycling.” This commitment to sustainability is evident in the plans for the old sails, with Nick commenting, “It's rare anything gets thrown away by the Junior fleet, so even though the four old sails will no longer be used on boats, they'll be repurposed,” suggesting they will be given to local schools or transformed into bags.

These Thackray Williams sails will be prominently featured throughout the sailing season, utilised in every Chipmates session from April to November. They will enhance the club's weekly races, annual junior regatta, summer camp, school sessions, RYA courses, and the upcoming Young Guns end-of-season event, reinforcing the importance of community support in nurturing young talent in the sport.