Discover Sailing Centre in Focus - Royal Perth Yacht Club

Nestled on the shores of the Swan River in Perth, the Royal Perth Yacht Club’s Discover Sailing Centre has been welcoming over 500 participants annually to experience the thrill of sailing on the water.  

Established in 2013 under the Australian Sailing framework, the Discover Sailing Centre operates as part of the Royal Perth Yacht Club under Commodore Janet Hornbuckle, the first female Commodore in the club’s history. 

The Centre runs a wide range of Learn to Sail courses including Tackers sessions that are particularly popular in the school holidays, OutThere Sailing for teenagers and Windsurfing for both juniors and adults. Additionally, they run more programs for adults including Start Crewing, Start Helming and Adult Learn to Sail classes.  

2024 was marked as one of the busiest years in the Discover Sailing Centre’s history. Not only did they have over 35 individual course blocks scheduled, they saw the return of specialised Adult courses and Windsurfing programs. The Centre has also seen significant expansion in Windsurfing and Foil Fleet, as well as outstanding retention from the Tackers programs.  

Boating Operations Manager, Travis Burtenshaw said the biggest success from the last three years is the journey sailors go on from starting at the Discover Sailing Centre.  

“A number of sailors progressed through RPYC’s DSC and are now competing in state-level and National Youth Championships, with some training alongside elite WAIS athletes.” 

The club continues to go from strength-to-strength with offering more than Learn to Sail programs. They incorporate Youth Mentor Pathways with older sailors assisting with Tackers and OutThere sessions, run SheSails events, and run an extensive range of coaching programs beyond introductory courses. The DSC also supports inclusive participation through Sailability and Hansa 303 sessions for sailors with disabilities.  

The Off The Beach (OTB) section at the Centre provides sailing opportunities for all skill levels through its Dinghy Division, catering to both solo sailors and families. The boost in this offering has been a major success for the DSC.  

“The revitalisation and rapid growth of the Off The Beach (OTB) junior sailing section, led by structured coaching, inclusive social culture and strong parent engagement, has resulted in a new generation of skilled sailors and windsurfers,” said Burtenshaw.   

As the DSC looks ahead, the foundation built over the past decade positions it perfectly to continue nurturing the next generation of sailors, all while maintaining a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere for those looking to start their sailing journey. 

To find out more about the Royal Perth Yacht Club’s Discover Sailing Centre and their programs, click here.