Windsurfers' Rights

The RYA tell us of their work in promoting and protecting windsurfers’ rights.

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Your right to windsurf wherever you want isn’t a given. All sorts of reasons can suddenly emerge which might seek to restrict the access you’ve always taken for granted to your favourite spot. New local bye-laws, wildlife protection areas, fisheries development, conflicts of water usage, you name it and somewhere in the UK that debate has probably previously arisen or could be about to break out. And when it does, who’s championing your case? If you’re an RYA member, you are. Eh?! Explain that? Ok, here goes…

Basically being an RYA member means you’re making it possible for the RYA to lobby and campaign on the critical issues affecting you on your behalf, including access and freedom to go afloat. Over the past decade, there are multiple cases of where the RYA has successfully worked to promote and protect windsurfers’ rights, meaning windsurfing has been able to continue in areas it might otherwise have had to stop. St Mawes Harbour, Cornwall and the Exe Estuary, Devon are two examples of where RYA intervention has ensured windsurfing could continue, and if you enjoy the action at Chesil Beach, Hayling Island and Cardiff Bay, these are other areas where pro-windsurfing lobbying efforts ensured your access was protected.