Open day at Lackford Lake hailed a success with over 300 visitors

The St Edmundsbury Sailing and Canoeing Association’s Discover Sailing and Kayaking Open Day was held at Lackford Lake at the weekend.

The event formed part of the Royal Yachting Association’s #DiscoverSailing national initiative to encourage everyone to try sailing and boating in May and was supported by Haart Bury St Edmunds.

The open day was a tremendous success with a record of over 300 visitors to whom the club gave 454 on-the-water tasters of which 196 were for sailing; 188 kayaking and 70 stand up paddleboarding.

As a result, six families have already taken out membership of SESCA and there is every indication that there will be several more. There was also considerable interest in the RYA Start to Sail and beginners’ paddling courses that the club is running for members over the summer.

The weather conditions were perfect with sunshine and a light breeze providing excellent boating conditions for novices.

The day wouldn’t have been possible without the 50 club members who volunteered to help run the event, with several members using their own boats and SUPs to supplement the club’s training fleet. The club is also grateful to the Boathouse Attleborough, who brought down their demonstration fleet of paddlecraft for the occasion.

SESCA’s sailing season continues until November with on-the-water activities taking place on most days throughout the summer.

The club is host to three Sea Cadet units – Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Mildenhall; WASH Sailability, a sailing with disabilities group; Young People Afloat, a sailing youth club and the watersports section of Suffolk Scouts. 

For further details, see www.westsuffolksailing.org.uk