Australian Sailing's 2026 Sailing Summits reinforced a clear national direction for the sport, focusing on growing participation, strengthening clubs and class associations, embracing innovation and ensuring sailing remains relevant, accessible and sustainable through to 2032.

Held across each state and territory, the Summits brought together clubs, class associations and Discover Sailing Centres to hear directly from Australian Sailing staff, industry experts and leading clubs. While some presentations varied by state, the consistent themes demonstrated a coordinated national strategy focused on supporting volunteers and clubs to deliver better experiences for participants.

QLD Sailing Summit

National Attendance:

• Total Delegates: 416 attendees
• Clubs Represented: 142 affiliated clubs
• Class Associations: 33 affiliated class associations

2026 Sailing Summits:

• Northern Territory: Darwin Sailing Club – Saturday, 28 March
• New South Wales: Cruising Yacht Club of Australia – Saturday, 23 May
• Queensland: Queensland Cruising Yacht Club – Saturday, 30 May
• Tasmania: Bellerive Yacht Club – Sunday, 31 May
• Victoria: Parkdale Yacht Club – Saturday, 13 June
• South Australia: Port Adelaide Sailing Club – Sunday, 21 June
• Australian Capital Territory: YMCA of Canberra Yacht Club – Saturday, 27 June
• Western Australia: Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club – Saturday, 25 July

A copy of the Sailing Summit presentations can be found on our website.

Major Themes:

Participation Growth is the Number One Priority

The launch of Australian Sailing's new Participation Strategy was the centrepiece of this year’s Summits. Key messages included:

• Making sailing more welcoming and accessible
• Creating more flexible participation opportunities
• Removing barriers to entry
• Increasing retention rather than focusing solely on recruitment
• Building lifelong sailing journeys from first experience through to competition and volunteering

The strategy recognises changing community expectations and positions participation growth as a shared responsibility between Clubs, Discover Sailing Centres, Australian Sailing and everyone involved in the sport.

Clubs Need Support More Than Regulation

Club Support Updates focused heavily on practical assistance. Topics included:

• Governance support
• Funding opportunities
• Volunteer development
• Risk management
• Resources available through Australian Sailing
• Club sustainability

Rather than introducing significant new compliance requirements, Australian Sailing emphasised helping clubs succeed through better tools, guidance and direct support.

Innovation Must Become Normal

One of the strongest themes throughout the presentations was embracing innovation. Examples included:

• SailLAB STEM education
• Digital engagement
• Modern participation products
• New methods of introducing sailing
• Partnerships with schools
• Community activation

The message was clear: Traditional sailing remains important, but future growth depends on meeting people where they already are.

Learning From Successful Clubs

Several states showcased successful clubs who shared practical examples of growth. Common success factors included:

• Welcoming culture
• Strong volunteers
• Active promotion
• Partnerships with schools
• Beginner pathways
• Good communication
• Simple administration
• Community engagement

These presentations reinforced that club culture is often more influential than facilities or fleet size.

Inclusion Continues to Grow

Different states included presentations around inclusion initiatives. Examples included:

• Proud2Play
• SheSails initiatives
• Accessible participation
• Creating welcoming club environments

The focus has shifted from discussing inclusion as a standalone initiative towards embedding it into everyday club operations.

Volunteers Remain Critical

Across every presentation, volunteers were recognised as the foundation of sailing. Discussion centred on:

• Recruitment
• Retention
• Reducing volunteer workload
• Recognising contributions
• Providing better support

Many presentations acknowledged volunteer fatigue and the importance of making volunteering easier and more rewarding. Click here for a link to AS volunteers’ resources.

Key Learnings

The 2026 Sailing Summits highlighted several important lessons for the sport:

• Focus on Experience: People stay involved because they enjoy the experience, not because of competition alone.
• Clubs Need Practical Help: Resources, templates, funding advice and direct support remain highly valued.
• Participation Requires Modern Thinking: Future participants expect flexible, social and accessible opportunities that fit contemporary lifestyles.
• Success Can Be Shared: Clubs that have experienced success are willing to share ideas and practical solutions that other clubs can adopt.
• Collaboration Beats Isolation: The Summits demonstrated significant value in clubs learning from each other rather than working independently.

A copy of the Sailing Summit presentations can be found on our website.

Thank you to all the participants, presenters and everyone involved in making the 2026 Sailing Summits a successful and rewarding experience for all. It is always amazing to see the contributions made by so many around the country to who work tirelessly in their own communities to bring to life the vision of – More People on the Water, In More Ways, More Often.

*AI provided assistance for parts of this report.

WORDS: Ben Callard