THE CHARITY

Every summer term, CEYS recruits 9-10 yr-olds from schools within fifteen miles radius of Rock and provides them all with an extensive course of free professional RYA lessons at Camel Sailing & Powerboat Centre, to the point that they become confident and qualified sailors.

Nearly 500 local children have been introduced to sailing in this way, and we expect around a further 30 each year.  Rock Sailing & Water Ski Club is very supportive; its warm welcome for CEYS graduates as junior members in their own right over recent years helping enormously to build a young resident dinghy base.

So, in one way or another CEYS is gradually helping to repopulate the estuary with keen young home-grown sailors; though whether we’ll find a Ben Ainslie amongst them is another matter!  When next you look out and see a group of youngsters having fun on the water in light blue boats with bright blue sails, some more serious youths racing – even in mid-winter – or indeed a group of young instructors at work, then the chances are that CEYS has had something to do with it along the way.

Note: CEYS is separate from the sailing club and the sailing centre, although the three work closely together; see 'Who's Who of Sailing in Rock'.

BOATS

CEYS children typically learn to sail in Fusions.  A recent change from the bright yellow Picos.

The Fusion is certainly no toy, measuring 3.5metres in length, weighing 70 kilos and carrying over five square metres of sail. Virtual indestructibility, safety and fun are its hallmarks and you’ll find them in beach resorts, sailing clubs and training schools worldwide. Sailed by one or two crew, and with one or two sails, the Fusion is used by adults – albeit not large ones – as well.

FINANCE

Funding is a non-stop occupation for the CEYS committee; purely run by volunteers we nevertheless have the expense of lessons costing around £10,000 each year.

CEYS is reliant on private donations in addition to our own events and participation in community activites.

If you are able and would like to donate, then we would love you to do so! Please go to our CONTACT page.