What Australian Sailing does

Australian Sailing is the national governing body for sailing in Australia, operating as a private non-profit headquartered in North Sydney. Founded in 1950 (previously operating as Yachting Australia and reorganized under the One Sailing governance model in 2016), it administers, promotes, and develops sailing across all Australian states and territories. The organization delivers standardized education and certification programs (Tackers for ages 7-12, OutThere Sailing for ages 12-17, plus adult pathway courses in dinghy, keelboat, powerboat, windsurfing, foiling and wing foiling), accredits coaches, instructors, race officials and equipment auditors, runs national events and youth championships, and operates a member identification system (Australian Sailing Number) tied to a centralized online member profile. Its ecosystem spans over 500 affiliated sailing clubs and accredited Discover Sailing Centres, with the revSPORT platform powering course registration, event management, and member records.

The organization's commercial model combines three revenue streams: annual banded affiliation fees (22 tiers scaled to club membership size) from sailing clubs, transaction-based course and event registration fees paid by participants, and government funding from the Australian Sports Commission directed toward participation programs. In 2022 it completed a staff restructure under CEO Ben Houston aligned to the SAILING 2030 10-year strategic plan with three pillars (Support, Grow, Win). It maintains commercial and technical partnerships with revSPORT (core platform), Mercury Marine (core strategic partner from grassroots to high performance), Zhik, Ronstan, North Action Sports Group, and insurance partner NIH.

Customer concentration is structurally low across the club network and participant base, though the government funding stream introduces a single-grantor dependency on the Australian Sports Commission. The technology stack is primarily a domain-specific registration and identity management platform (revSPORT) rather than a software product for external sale; no AI, proprietary IP, patents, or API products are disclosed. Geographic scope is exclusively Australian, with no disclosed international operations or subsidiaries.

Name

Australian Sailing

Legal name

Australian Sailing

Website

https://sailing.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Australian Sailing is the national governing body for sailing in Australia, delivering standardized education programs, instructor and official certifications, and national events through a network of 500-plus affiliated clubs and accredited Discover Sailing Centres across all states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Governance and Sailing Education

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

Keywords

• Sailing education
• Sailing certification
• Sports governance
• Sailing membership
• Sailing clubs

Headquarters

HQ city

North Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Club Affiliation Fees: Annual affiliation fees charged to sailing clubs based on a banded structure determined by club size and membership. Clubs are allocated to bands 1-22 with fees scaled accordingly.
2. Course and Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from course registrations (instructor training, coaching, officials training) and event registrations for national championships and youth programs.
3. Government Funding: Funding from Australian Sports Commission for participation programs, including increased investment for participation initiatives and Play Well Classification programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Australian Sailing is the national governing body for sailing in Australia, administering and developing the sport through a unified portfolio of education programs (Tackers, OutThere Sailing, Dinghy, Keelboat, Windsurfing, Foiling), nationally recognized instructor/coach and official certification pathways, club affiliation and governance services, national events and championships, and a centralized member identification system (Australian Sailing Number). It operates under the One Sailing governance model consolidating the previous Member Yachting Associations into a single national entity.

Product overview

Australian Sailing operates as a unified national governing body offering a portfolio of sailing education and membership programs. The core offerings include Discover Sailing Programs for beginners across multiple disciplines (Tackers for kids 7-12, OutThere Sailing for teens, Discover Sailing Days), skills development courses (Dinghy, Keelboat, Powerboat, Windsurfing, Foil-LAB, Learn to Wing), and advanced training (Safety & Sea Survival, Instructor/Coach Training, Officials Training, Equipment Auditor Training). These programs are supported by the Australian Sailing Number membership system and Member Profile portal. The organization also runs participation initiatives like SheSails and manages youth sailing events including Youth Sail and Zhik Youth Sail programs across Australian states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Discover Sailing: Program introducing new people to sailing through Discover Sailing Centres and Discover Sailing Days
• Tackers
• OutThere Sailing
• SheSails
• Foil-LAB
• Learn to Wing
• Youth Sail
• Australian Sailing Team

Products and services

• Tackers Program Fun introductory games-based sailing program designed for kids aged 7-12 years, delivered through accredited Discover Sailing Centres.
• OutThere Sailing Program for 12-17 year olds keen to have fun on the water with friends across multiple craft types.
• Dinghy Program Sailing courses on small dinghy boats for all ages, from introductory to advanced skill levels.
• Keelboat Program Learn-to-sail courses on keelboats up to 10 metres, available for all ages.
• Powerboat Program Provides necessary skills to safely drive small powerboats.
• Windsurfing Program Windsurfing courses designed for participants of all ages keen to learn the discipline.
• Safety and Sea Survival Program Course for sailors wanting to effectively manage safety and emergencies at sea.
• Instructor and Coach Training National certification pathway covering Dinghy, Keelboat, Powerboat, Windsurfing and Safety and Sea Survival Instructor credentials, plus coaching qualifications including the free Foundation Coach Course.
• Officials Training National certification pathway enabling participants to become Race Officers, Judges, Umpires or Measurers at sailing competitions.
• Equipment Auditor Training National certification pathway enabling participants to become qualified equipment auditors for sailing classes.
• Discover Sailing Day Discovery experience offered at accredited clubs for the general public to try sailing in a low-commitment format.
• Foil-LAB Foiling taster program designed to give participants the opportunity to try foiling in a controlled and safe way, focused on body-centric foiling classes.
• Learn to Wing Course to get participants up on their board and confidently going upwind, mastering tacking and gybing on wing-foiling craft.
• Participation Programs Stage-appropriate coaching programs available for any class of boat or board, supporting broad participation across disciplines.
• Australian Sailing Number Unique identification number issued to sailors that tracks membership status, registration details, qualifications and participation history across the Australian sailing network.
• Australian Sailing Member Profile Online portal allowing members to view and manage basic details, contact details, membership history, course history, qualification history and invoices.
• Club Affiliation Membership Annual affiliation membership for sailing clubs using a National Banded Fee Structure (Bands 1-22 scaled by club membership size), with access to national programs, governance support, the national event calendar and Sport Integrity frameworks.
• Foundation Coach Course Free online entry-level coaching qualification for sailing instructors, with associated ASC Community Coaching Essential Skills e-learning modules also provided at no charge.

Quantifiable outcome

• Play Well Classification Level 10 out of 10 achieved from Australian Sports Commission

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mercury MarinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026Australian Sailing partnered with Mercury Marine for the benefit of grassroots clubs up to the high-performance program. This partnership supports sailors across all levels from beginner clubs to elite competition.
• ZhikminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZhik sponsors Youth Sail events including Youth Sail NT and Youth Sail QLD programs, supporting youth sailing development across Australia.
• RonstanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRonstan sponsors Australian Sailing with 25Blocks products for sailing equipment.
• North Action Sports Group AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial supplier of foiling gear for Australian Sailing, providing clubs, coaches and sailors with access to discounts on foiling equipment.
• revSPORTcoreTechnology or IntegrationrevSPORT provides the technology platform powering Australian Sailing's member management, course registration, event registration, and Australian Sailing Number system.
• Australian Sports CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian Sports Commission provides funding for participation programs and has awarded Australian Sailing the highest Play Well Classification Level 10 out of 10.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Royal Yachting Association (RYA): UK national sailing body responsible for training, certification, club affiliation, and competitive pathways. Closest international peer to Australian Sailing in scope of programs (junior to elite) and recognition as an official NGB.
• Sailing Canada / Sail Canada: National sailing federation in Canada operating club affiliation, coach certification, and national championships. Directly comparable NGB model with member clubs, programs, and government/sport funding alignment.
• Yachting New Zealand: National body for sailing in New Zealand providing coaching pathways, club support and national events. Compares as a smaller Anglosphere national federation with similar governance and program structure.
• US Sailing Association: National governing body for sailing in the United States. Directly comparable to Australian Sailing as the official NGB administering training, certification, events, and high-performance sailing programs at a country-wide scale.

Broad incumbents

• World Sailing: International federation governing the sport of sailing globally. Sets the international standards and recognition framework that Australian Sailing operates within, making it the international umbrella counterpart.
• Swimming Australia: Another Australian national sporting organization receiving ASC funding and competing for participation, high-performance funding, and youth pathways. Comparable as a peer NGB model competing for share of government sport funding.
• Sport Australia / Australian Sports Commission: Australian federal agency that funds and oversees national sporting organizations including Australian Sailing. Comparable as the parent regulator/funding body shaping Australian Sailing's strategy, classification status, and program funding.

Emerging players

• Surfing Australia: National body for surfing and water sports in Australia, competing with Australian Sailing for youth water-sport participation and ASC funding. Comparable as an adjacent national water-sport governing body targeting overlapping demographics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLabTcZDZ031HD_7SSCqh6KGGYd4lXDkHd
• Facebookfacebook.com/AustSail
• Instagraminstagram.com/austsail
• Xx.com/AustSail
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-sailing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian Sailing