The survey, which is commissioned by the RYA and is now available to download, suggests that in 2011, 3.2 million UK adults participated in at least one of the 12 boating activities, including yacht racing, powerboating and canal boating. This figure is equivalent to 5.9 per cent of the population and reflects a slight increase on the 2010 figure of 2.9 million.

 

Participation in boating

Participation in boating is on the rise



Now in its tenth year, the report is designed to track UK boating trends and among its more detailed findings was the fact that both small sailboat and motorboat cruising remained among the top three boating activities. The survey also reports that participation in canal boating has continued to increase and that under 35-year olds remain the most active group for the more strenuous boating activities. And interestingly, males remain the largest group of participants with 1.7 men to every one woman figuring in the report.

RYA Sport Development Manager, Jon White, said: “It is very encouraging to see an increase in participation levels in boating. We hope to see this figure increase even further in 2012, a year where the profile of the sport has never been so high. We will be working hard to inspire even more people to get out on the water and to do so regularly”.