成人论坛

Nineteen-year-old Ed is a member of Saltash Sailing Club.

Founded in the late 19th century, the club now has several hundred members who regularly compete in a range of events in Saltash and the surrounding areas.

Set on the banks of the Tamar River, it's in a stunning location. Motorists entering Cornwall over the Tamar Bridge can often see brightly-coloured sails of the boats travelling on the water below.

I began by asking Ed at what age he decided to take up the sport.

Saltash Sailing Club

"I started when I was 10," he says, "At that age you can join the Sailing Club as a Cadet. We met up on Friday evenings and got to grips with the basics of dinghy sailing."

The Club has always been popular with local young sailors, and currently has roughly 80 Cadet members. But compared to a lot of the other sports available to local people, surely sailing must be very expensive?

"It is an expensive sport", Ed confirms, "You could easily spend over 拢5,000 on a dinghy, for example, but a lot of places now hire out equipment."

I was keen to find out if, like many sports, fitness is an important aspect of sailing.

"I'd say it's more about skill than fitness", says Ed. "Physical strength definitely helps, but just being strong isn't enough to be competitive."

Ed was also keen to stress the importance of being able to work as part of a team.

"Everybody has a job, or a few jobs, to do on the boat", he points out.

"When the wind's light it's easy to fall asleep, but actually it's just as demanding as in heavy conditions!

"When the wind blows it's really important to be on the ball. Sheet loadings can get really high, a few tons, and things can go bad quickly. Working as a team and knowing the boat is important as it keeps everything under control."

Sailing in Falmouth

I wanted to know what Ed thought made Cornwall an ideal place for sailing.

"Wherever you are in Cornwall, you're never very far from the sea", he told me.

"There are a lot of sailing clubs all over the county, and most hold their own events."

There are several popular sailing events based in Cornwall held annually. The best-known is Falmouth Week, the South West's largest regatta. It usually sees over 100,000 people attend every year, and features a wide variety of boat races and impressive scenery.

There is also the Fowey Royal Regatta, taking place every August, which has had many famous visitors over the years and regularly features displays by the Red Arrows.

I asked Ed if he had any advice for young people wanting to get involved with sailing in Cornwall.

"I'd recommend any RYA (Royal Yacht Association) Centre, like South West Lakes, that run taster courses in dinghy sailing," he says

"There are sailing schools that teach yacht sailing and offer taster sessions, but again, it can be quite expensive. If you can afford it, it's definitely worth it!"