QUB Sailing Club "Women at the Helm"

Aim

We aim to empower, equip, and support women to confidently take the helm, stepping into leadership aboard the boat, not just crewing.

Who are we?

Queen's University Belfast Sailing Club! We're a fully student-run club with over 100 members, and we're all about creating a fun, welcoming, and empowering space for everyone, no matter their background or sailing experience. Inclusion is super important to us! 

• We regularly train at Strangford Lough Yacht Club in Whiterock every Saturday morning and Wednesday afternoon. 
• Our training is for all skill levels, and qualified instructors lead the sessions.
• Wednesdays are specifically for beginners – perfect if you're just starting out!
• We also attend seven competitive sailing events each year. These are great for gaining experience as a sailor and making new friends!
• The club includes a diverse mix of experienced and novice sailors, creating a supportive environment for everyone to develop and succeed. 

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to launch “Women at the Helm”, a new initiative designed to empower more women to take on leadership roles in sailing — both on and off the water. This project will focus on increasing the number of female sailors helming boats and leading events, areas where participation is still significantly male-dominated.

Despite having a thriving community of dedicated sailors, Queen’s University Sailing Club recognises a significant gender disparity in leadership roles on the water, with women notably underrepresented in helming positions during competitions and training. With only one female helm compared to five male helms at competitive events this year. While many women actively participate socially or as crew members, they often feel underprepared, lack confidence, or face discouragement from assuming helm positions. This disparity hinders their development, limits advancement opportunities, and impacts their long-term engagement in the sport.   

Women at the Helm is a targeted initiative designed to address this gap by creating a dedicated, supportive space focused on women’s leadership development and practical, confidence-building opportunities. The project aims to enhance skills and boost morale among female sailors, encouraging sustained engagement in competitive sailing and empowering women to confidently pursue leadership roles both on the water and within the club.

The funds raised will help us:

• Run a women-led sailing event where our female committee members will take full responsibility for planning and delivering the experience.
• Provide access to bi-weekly training for female sailors to develop the technical and leadership skills required to helm confidently.
• Cover equipment and kit costs, such as safety gear and race bibs, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent women from participating.
• Create visibility and momentum by promoting female role models within our club and beyond.

This builds on our previous “Women on the Water” campaign but takes a completely new approach by focusing not just on increasing female participation, but on developing women as leaders within the sport. We ultimately wish to create new opportunities for young women to step into leadership roles through sailing!

We’re passionate about creating a culture where women are not just involved — they’re leading the way. Your support will help us make that vision a reality.

Budget Breakdown

Below is a detailed breakdown of how we will spend the money raised through this initiative! 

Rib Rental

• Costs: £1400 (£140 per day x 10)
• Details: Hiring a RIB is essential for on-the-water safety and effective coaching. It allows our female coaches and senior members to observe, support, and guide participants during Women at the Helm training sessions. The RIB is also used during women-led events and regattas to ensure a professional and supportive environment for developing helms.

Sailing Equipment

• Costs: £650
• Details:  We’re investing in essential equipment to allow more women to take part, feel confident, and be safe:

Buoyancy Aids (x5): £175 – To ensure all female sailors, especially newcomers, have access to properly fitted and high-quality safety gear.

VHF Radios (x3): £279 – Enables female-led teams and coaches to communicate safely and efficiently during training and events.

GoPro (x1): £200 – Used to record helming techniques and team feedback sessions, especially useful for reviewing women's races and highlighting leadership growth.

Boat Rental

• Costs: £400
• Details: Allows us to provide additional boats during women-specific training days and for all-female teams to compete in external regattas. This is especially important as more women step into helming roles and need time on the water to build experience in a safe, supportive setting.

Repairs to Boats

• Costs: £700
• Details: Keeping our boats in top condition is essential for safety and performance. This funding ensures that the boats used in our Women at the Helm sessions are fully operational and safe, giving participants a positive and professional experience that builds confidence and trust in the equipment.

Coaches

• Costs:  £500
• Details: We aim to hire female coaches and instructors to lead Women at the Helm sessions. This creates strong role models within the club and fosters an environment where women feel supported in their progression. Sessions will focus on technical sailing, helming practice, decision-making, and leadership on the water.

Marketing 

• Costs: £50
• Details: Targeted campaigns (social media, posters, SU platforms) to raise awareness of the initiative, highlight the achievements of women in the club, and encourage more female students to try sailing. We want to break down the misconception that sailing is male-dominated and show that women belong at the helm.

Food & refreshments 

• Costs: £200
• Details: For Women at the Helm events and training weekends, we provide lunch and refreshments to ensure everyone is fuelled and looked after. These sessions often run for full days, so providing food helps make them more accessible, especially for students balancing time and budgets.

Umpires

• Costs: £100
• Details: Essential for fair and educational racing at Women at the Helm events. Umpires also provide post-race feedback, which helps female helms grow in confidence and understand rules, strategy, and sportsmanship.

Community impact

Who does this benefit and why?

Queen’s University Belfast Sailing Club plays a vital role in making sailing accessible, inclusive, and welcoming for a wide range of people, both within and beyond the university community.

Our club offers opportunities for:

• Students of all backgrounds to try sailing for the first time through beginner sessions and social sailing.
• Young people from underrepresented groups to gain confidence, learn new skills, and feel a sense of belonging in a sport that can often seem exclusive.
• Volunteers and student leaders, who gain experience in event management, coaching, safety, and club governance — skills they take forward in life and into the workforce.

The Women at the Helm initiative in particular will benefit female students, giving them the chance to develop leadership, confidence, and technical sailing ability in a supportive environment. By placing women at the forefront — both as helms and event organisers — we are creating visible role models and setting new norms for what leadership in sport looks like.

We believe that building an inclusive sporting environment doesn’t just benefit individuals — it strengthens the entire community. With your support, we can inspire the next generation of leaders both on and off the water.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made