What The AHOY Centre does

The AHOY Centre is a UK-registered charity (Charity No: 1084122) founded by Clive Ongley in 2000 and officially opened by HRH Princess Anne in November 2003. It operates from a single Thames-side facility at Borthwick Street in Deptford, south east London, delivering water-based training, accredited courses, and youth-development programmes. Its core technology is the physical infrastructure of sailing dinghies, rowing boats (coastal quads and traditional Thames Waterman Cutters), and powerboats used to deliver RYA and British Rowing certified instruction.

The organisation serves five primary beneficiary segments: disadvantaged and at-risk young people aged 8–18 (Shipmates Saturday club), disabled adults aged 18+ (Sailability), students referred from Pupil Referral Units (On The Right Tack), NEET youth aged 16+ on a 16-month apprenticeship (delivered in partnership with Coach Core), and children aged 8–14 on structured Holiday Activities. Commercial revenue is generated through RYA-certified courses (Powerboat Level 2 at £400, Adult Level 1 Start Sailing at £250, Youth Stage 1, Learn To Row at £130), Holiday Activities at £300/week, and venue hire of a 100-capacity Function Room and a 30–60 capacity Training Room.

Income is diversified across donations (including a "Friends of AHOY" £5+/month regular-giving scheme), fundraising rowing challenges generating £3,000–£6,000 per event, corporate partnerships (Charity of the Year, payroll giving, sponsorship), course fees, and venue hire. The charity is led by CEO David Reader and chaired by Rachel Hedley, with a board including trustees drawn from UBS and Mazars. Operational headcount is 11–50 employees, and a "Watersports Operations Manager / RYA Principal & Chief Instructor" anchors instructional delivery. The AHOY Centre reports hundreds of beneficiaries annually and counts employment outcomes — apprentices becoming lightermen and boat captains at Thames operators such as Cory Environmental and City Cruises — as its core impact metric.

Name

The AHOY Centre

Legal name

The AHOY Centre

Website

https://ahoy.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The AHOY Centre is a UK charity on the River Thames in Deptford that delivers water-based training, RYA-accredited courses, and youth-development programmes for disadvantaged, at-risk, and disabled participants, funded by donations, course fees, venue hire, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Maritime Training and Development Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Youth watersports training
• Sailing education programmes
• Rowing courses
• Maritime apprenticeship training
• Disability sailing activities

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individual supporters, regular giving through 'Friends of AHOY' monthly subscriptions (£5+/month), and fundraising events including rowing challenges where teams raise £3,000-£6,000 per challenge.
2. Course Fees: Revenue from paid water sports courses including sailing, rowing, and powerboating programmes. Prices range from £130 to £400 per course.
3. Venue Hire: Hiring out facilities including Main Function Room (100 capacity, 13.5m x 10m with Thames balcony view) and Training Room (30-60 capacity, 9.2m x 6m) for events, seminars, and celebrations.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships including volunteer days, Charity of the Year programmes, sponsorship of events, and payroll giving schemes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The AHOY Centre is a registered charity that delivers water-based training, courses, and youth development programmes on the River Thames in Deptford, London. It teaches sailing, rowing, and powerboating to disadvantaged, at-risk, and disabled young people aged 8–18, alongside disabled adults, producing RYA and British Rowing accredited qualifications that lead to maritime employment. It also sells RYA-certified courses to the public, runs a 16-month apprenticeship, and operates corporate team-building rowing challenges and venue hire.

Product overview

The AHOY Centre is a charity offering a portfolio of watersports programmes and courses focused on disadvantaged, at-risk, and disabled young people. The core offering consists of funded youth development programmes (Shipmates, Sailability, On The Right Tack, Holiday Activities, Apprenticeship) that use sailing, rowing, and powerboating to build life skills and qualifications. Commercial offerings include RYA-certified courses (Powerboat Level 2, Adult Level 1 Start Sailing, Youth Stage 1 Start Sailing), Learn To Row courses, and corporate rowing challenges. Venue hire facilities are also available for external events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Programme
• Shipmates Saturday Club
• Sailability Programme
• On The Right Tack Programme
• Holiday Activities Programme
• RYA Powerboat Level 2 Course
• RYA Adult Level 1 – Start Sailing Course
• RYA Youth Stage 1 – Start Sailing Course
• Learn To Row Course
• Corporate Rowing Challenges
• Venue Hire

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of young people served annually with measurable behaviour and attitude changes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Core CoachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Core Coach for the apprenticeship programme, which leads to a Level 2 Activity Leadership qualification. Core Coach provides educational framework and support for the 16+ NEET youth programme.
• Coach CorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoach Core helps young people not in education or employment with sports apprenticeships. Introduced beneficiaries like Akorede Adesina to AHOY programmes.
• The Candlelight TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity founded by Trustee John Goodey that funds 120 children annually to learn to sail at AHOY. Active partnership for over 12 years.
• City CruisesminorOthersMaritime company where AHOY apprenticeship graduate Akorede Adesina is pursuing Boat Master's licence and career opportunities.
• Cory EnvironmentalminorOthersWaste management company using the Thames as 'green highway'. Employed AHOY apprentice Keon Ste-Croix as a lighterman.
• JAC Group - Project Management LtdcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner that has participated in AHOY rowing challenges for nine years, raising significant funds through annual Meridian Pull event (8.5-mile Thames row).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/AHOYofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/AHOYOfficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ahoyofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/ahoyofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 The AHOY Centre