Draycote Water Sailing Club

What Draycote Water Sailing Club does

Draycote Water Sailing Club is a members' sailing club founded in 1967 at a 650-acre inland reservoir near Rugby, Warwickshire, UK, operated as The Draycote Water Sailing Club Ltd. (a company limited by guarantee). The club operates 364 days a year with professional rescue cover and delivers RYA-accredited training (adult and junior sailing, windsurfing, powerboat, safety boat, instructor qualifications, and shore-based theory), competitive racing across multiple fleets (Aeros, Fireballs, Flying Fifteens, ILCAs, Menagerie, Solos, Windsurfers/Wingfoilers), six annual pursuit races, and an open-meeting calendar that hosts national-class championships. The Draycote Academy, launched in 2020-2021 and led by Steve Irish, develops junior sailors to international standard and has produced world champions. The facility includes a clubhouse with bar and catering, training rooms (capacity up to 40), pontoons, changing rooms, and a fleet of 40+ hire boats and boards.

The business model is diversified across subscription membership (annual fees for unlimited access, preferential hire rates, and racing participation), professional-services training courses (RYA-certified, ranging from taster sessions to instructor qualifications), usage-based equipment hire (dinghies, windsurf boards, SUP boards), event hosting (open meetings and association training with launch fees, RIB hire, boat storage, and campervan parking), and facility hire (clubhouse for private events). Distribution is direct, primarily through the club website, WebCollect booking platform, email, and social media (Facebook, Instagram), supplemented by earned media through RYA affiliation and Academy success stories. Customers are regionally concentrated in the Midlands and include adults, youth and junior sailors (8-15), competitive racers, windsurfing/winging enthusiasts (~70 members), stand-up paddleboarders, school groups (ISA Regatta), and corporate/social group bookings.

The club is governed by an annually elected volunteer committee led by Commodore William Whittaker, with President Jeremy Atkins and Rear Commodore Sailing Simon Odling. It is engaged in an 18-month water-level infrastructure project with Severn Trent beginning October 2025 alongside ongoing lease negotiations to protect operational access to the reservoir. The club holds no patents and conducts no proprietary AI/ML work; its technology stack is limited to standard booking, weather, and race-results SaaS integrations.

Name

Draycote Water Sailing Club

Legal name

The Draycote Water Sailing Club Ltd.

Website

https://draycotewater.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Draycote Water Sailing Club is a Midlands-based members' sailing club operating on a 650-acre reservoir, delivering RYA-accredited training, competitive racing, and the Draycote Academy junior development program to adults, youth, and group customers across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recreational Sailing Club

NAICS

Marinas (713930)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAJAG

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Marine & Water Experiences (Boat Tours, Diving, Snorkeling, Fishing)

SECONDARYTHAAALAB

Water & Marine Guiding Services (Kayak, Canoe, Raft, SUP, Sailing)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Adventure & Ecotourism Equipment Rental & Guiding Services

Keywords

• Sailing instruction
• Boat hire services
• Yacht club membership
• Watersports training
• Competitive sailing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Rugby

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Club Membership: Annual membership fees provide unlimited access to club facilities, racing, sailing groups, and preferential access to activities. Members receive discounted rates on boat hire and course bookings.
2. Training Courses: RYA-certified courses including adult sailing (Level 1-2, Level 3), junior sailing, windsurfing, powerboat, safety boat, and instructor courses. Course fees range from taster sessions to multi-day intensive courses.
3. Equipment Hire: Boat and board hire for members and visitors. Includes sailing dinghies, windsurfing boards, and stand-up paddleboards. Hiring options include per-session rates and membership-inclusive access.
4. Event Hosting: Open meetings and association training events generate revenue through launch fees, race marks, safety cover, training rooms, RIB hire, and campervan bookings. Launch fees are charged per entry.
5. Day Tickets and Temporary Access: Day tickets for non-members to access facilities with their own equipment, including temporary membership. Limited to four times per year for day ticket users.
6. Clubhouse and Facility Hire: Clubhouse hire for private events, meetings, and group sessions. Catering and bar services during events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Draycote Water Sailing Club operates a 650-acre inland sailing venue at Draycote Water reservoir in Warwickshire, delivering RYA-certified training courses, annual club membership, boat and equipment hire, competitive racing across multiple classes, and youth development through the Draycote Academy. The club is open seven days a week with professional rescue cover 364 days per year and serves as both a training centre and a recreational/competitive sailing venue for the Midlands region.

Product overview

Draycote Water Sailing Club is an RYA-accredited sailing club operating as a premier water sports venue offering structured training programs and recreational sailing activities. The club operates as a unified offering combining RYA-certified training courses (adult, junior, windsurfing, powerboat, safety boat, and instructor courses), competitive racing programs (fleet racing and pursuit races across multiple boat classes), youth development through the Draycote Academy, equipment hire services, and membership packages. The club provides 650 acres of open water with professional safety cover 364 days per year, serving approximately 65 youth and junior Academy sailors alongside general members. Activities span sailing, windsurfing, wingfoiling, stand-up paddleboarding, and powerboating, with facilities including clubhouse amenities and group event hosting capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Draycote Academy: Dedicated winter Academy training junior sailors to compete at national and international race levels across a range of sailing classes. Led by Steve Irish.

Products and services

• RYA Adult Sailing Courses

Quantifiable outcome

• Draycote Academy sailor Hari Clark won his second world title at RS Tera World Championships 2025 at Lake Lipno, Czech Republic
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Royal Yachting Association (RYA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDraycote Water is an RYA Approved Training Centre and RYA Affiliated Club. This partnership provides the club with official recognition and accreditation for its training courses, access to RYA insurance schemes, racing sanctions, and resources. The club delivers RYA-certified courses including Dinghy Sailing Levels 1-3, Youth Sailing, Wind surfing, Powerboat, Safety Boat, and Instructor qualifications.
• ISA (Irish Sailing Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe club hosts the ISA Regatta, an event for school groups affiliated with the Irish Sailing Association. Charter boats are provided (Toppers, RS Tera Sport, Fusions, Picos) and the event includes coaching and racing activities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hayling Island Sailing Club: Established UK sailing club offering RYA training, youth development, fleet racing, and open meetings. Directly comparable club model, though coastal rather than inland venue.
• Rutland Sailing Club: Largest inland sailing club in the UK, operating on Rutland Water reservoir with similar year-round racing, training, and open-meeting activity. Comparable scale, catchment model, and reliance on a single inland reservoir venue.
• Blithfield Sailing Club: Midlands inland sailing club on Blithfield Reservoir with racing fleets and RYA-affiliated training. Closely comparable regional inland club competing for similar members and event hosting opportunities.
• Grafham Water Sailing Club: Inland sailing club on Grafham Water reservoir offering RYA training, dinghy racing, and open meetings. Closely comparable to Draycote in geography, venue type, and member-driven operating model.
• Carsington Water Sailing Club: Inland reservoir sailing club in the East Midlands with RYA training and club racing. Directly comparable inland venue operating a similar course-plus-membership model.
• Bewl Water Sailing Club: Inland sailing club on Bewl Water reservoir in Kent/Sussex offering training, racing, and youth programs. Comparable inland venue with similar community-led operating structure.

Broad incumbents

• Parkwood Leisure: UK-wide operator of leisure and watersports facilities under local-authority contracts. Comparable on leisure-watersports delivery but at corporate scale with outsourced, multi-site model.
• MDL Marinas: Largest UK marina operator with a national portfolio of berthing and watersports facilities. Comparable on waterfront recreation operations but at vastly larger scale and with a coastal/marina orientation rather than inland club model.

Emerging players

• UKSA (UK Sailing Academy): Charitable watersports training organisation on the Isle of Wight delivering RYA courses and youth development programs. Comparable in course-led training and youth pathway focus, but at national scale and residential.

Others

• Royal Yachting Association (RYA): UK national governing body for sailing and boating, of which Draycote is an Approved Training Centre and Affiliated Club. Relevant as the certification and racing-governance counterpart rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DraycoteWater
• Instagraminstagram.com/draycotewatersailing/?hl=en
• Xx.com/DraycoteWaterSC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/draycote-water-sailing-club-limited-the-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Draycote Water Sailing Club