Research

Health and wellbeing of young dinghy sailors

Contributors:

Professor Craig  A. Williams, Ellen Blackwood, Dr Alan Barker, Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre, Sport and Health Sciences, University of Exeter

Read the technical report
Health and wellbeing of young dinghy sailors
This study explores the physical activity, mental well‑being, and motivational factors associated with dinghy sailing among children aged 8-13.

Led by the University of Exeter in partnership with ASF and the Royal Yachting Association, the research aimed to assess whether structured sailing sessions, particularly RYA Stage 1 and 2 courses, can enhance health outcomes and sustain youth interest in sailing.

The research employed three distinct studies: pre-and post-session surveys (affective improvements), accelerometry to measure exercise intensity, and qualitative interviews to uncover motivators and barriers. With a total of 118 participants (even gender split), the project offered both immediate and measurable insights into how young sailors feel before and after their sessions, and how much vigorous exercise they actually get onboard.

ASF’s contribution included facilitating access to youth sailors and integrating RYA training into the evaluations, crucial for aligning real-world activity with academic measurement. This collaboration ensured that findings were deeply rooted in practical youth sailing programmes, not just theoretical frameworks.

Key findings: Sailing significantly boosted positive mood and life satisfaction, with most children showing substantial increases in well‑being. Physically, participants logged moderate to vigorous exercise for over 80% of on‑water time, surpassing national physical activity guidelines. The study highlights important motivators, like family involvement and skill mastery, and identifies barriers such as cost, weather dependency, and transport challenges. It recommends improved access, community outreach, and further research on long‑term engagement.

Title:

Health and wellbeing of young dinghy sailors

Status:
Creator:

Academic research team at the University of Exeter (sport and health sciences)

Partners:

University of Exeter in collaboration with the Royal Yachting Association

Date published:

27th January 2020

I felt happier and more awake after the session – it was really fun out on the water.”

– Research participant

It confirmed to us that structured sailing not only gets our kids active, but also builds confidence.”

– Parent of research participant

Key findings:

1

Participants reported enhanced enjoyment, confidence, and positive mood after sailing.

2

Children highly valued social connection, sense of achievement, and parental encouragement.

3

Weather conditions, perceived cost, and transportation to sailing clubs limited participation.

Further information:

Sailing kept kids active and moving enough to count as good, healthy exercise most of the time.

Accelerometry data showed sailing sessions provided ≥ 3 METs for over 80% of the time, meeting criteria for moderate to vigorous exercise.

  • This means that during the sailing sessions, the kids were doing moderate to vigorous physical activity for more than 80% of the time they were on the water. METs (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a way scientists measure how much energy an activity uses. 3 METs or more means their bodies were working harder than at rest – similar to brisk walking or cycling.
Over 100 kids aged around 10 took part across two studies, with a good mix of boys and girls.

Participant pool: n = 66 in Study 1 (35 boys, 31 girls; mean age 10.5 ± 0.6), and n = 52 in Study 2 (26 boys, 26 girls; mean age 10.3 ± 2.7)

This tells us who took part in the two studies:

  • Study 1 had 66 kids (35 boys, 31 girls), with an average age of 10 and a half years old, and most were close to that age.
  • Study 2 had 52 kids (even split—26 boys and 26 girls), with an average age of just over 10, but with a wider age range (some a bit younger or older).
After sailing, kids felt better emotionally, and the results are strong enough to trust.

Positive affect scores (Before & After Feelings and Thoughts survey) demonstrated a statistically significant uplift in mood and energy (p < .05).

  • The children took a survey before and after sailing to see how they felt. The results showed that after sailing, they felt happier, more energetic, and generally in a better mood.
  • The phrase “statistically significant” and the number “p < .05” just means that these results weren’t random, the researchers are very confident that sailing really did boost the kids’ mood.

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