#boatgen, a not-for-profit initiative, delivered in partnership by boatfolk and The Andrew Simpson Foundation, is hosting its next free youth participation event at Haslar Marina, Portsmouth, on 16 July.  

As part of the national series of #boatgen days, children and young adults are encouraged to sign-up to have a taste of being out on the water, learn new skills and experience the many benefits of boating and watersports.  

The event will run from 9am to 3pm on the Haslar Marina slipway and is aimed at anyone between the ages of 8 to 21. There will be a BBQ onshore, nautical themed games and competitions run throughout the day as well as a range of participation opportunities for those that attend. The event is set to be the biggest so far, with capacity for 200 participants. Registration is open now via Eventbrite. 

To support the running of the event, a series of organisations in collaboration with #boatgen will be running activities throughout the day:  

·        Andrew Simpson Yachting will be providing a mix of sailing dinghies and RIBs for taster sessions out on the water.  

·        The Gosport Sea Cadets will be providing a series of water skills demonstrations and access to taster sessions on dinghies, canoes and kayaks. 

·        The local RNLI station will be providing marine safety demonstrations and talks. 

 
#boatgen events aim to be more than one-off experiences, as attendees are provided with advice and access to future pathways to continue enjoying time on the water, be that leisure, racing, or other related avenues.  Regular updates, new events and registration for the activity days can be found at www.boatgen.co.uk. 

Dominic Zammit, director at boatfolk, said: “The #boatgen days have proven to be immensely popular so far and we are looking forward to our biggest and best event yet. We are thrilled to be able to provide more opportunities for young people to get afloat, whether they are already water lovers or just keen to try something new. We believe sailing and watersports should be accessible to all, no matter your background or previous exposure to boating. We want to foster a community of boaters for the next generation, where young lives can learn not just how to sail but essential life skills like teamwork and confidence.  We are very proud to be working with the Andrew Simpson Foundation, and are immensely grateful to the Sea Cadets, the RNLI, and the team at Haslar Marina for donating their time to make this day as exciting and fulfilling as I am sure it will be.” 

For further information about boatfolk, visit: www.boatfolk.co.uk. 

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