The idea behind RS was born when a small group of sailors sat on a Cornish sea-wall and dreamed about moving the game forward. That sea-wall, that water, that horizon: it has always been our playground. And this World Ocean Day, on 8th June, we are reminded that playgrounds need looking after.
This year’s theme, “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet”, speaks directly to something we have believed for over 30 years. The core team at RS are life-long sailors who love being on the water, and we want to do our part to protect the environment we all enjoy sailing in. Healthy seas are not a nice-to-have. They are the reason any of us get to do the thing we love.
What We Are Doing
Sustainability has been part of the RS design process for some ten years, sitting at the heart of RS Sailing’s wider strategy. It shows up in the boats themselves. Around 70% of RS hulls are made from 100% recyclable polyethylene, built tough so they last. Majority of our boxes used in and shipped from the RS HQ are made from 100% recyclable materials.
We are proudest, though, of what happens when the boats hit the water. The RS21 is built and designed to stack so fewer containers ship and fewer vehicles drive to events, has helped lead the way. The RS21 World Championship earned Gold Level Clean Regatta certification from Sailors for the Sea in 2023, and the RS Venture Connect Class Worlds 2024 took Silver. These are not badges for the wall. They are proof that responsible sailing and brilliant racing belong together.
What RS Sailors Can Do At Events
Here is the good news: you do not need to overhaul your whole regatta to make a difference. Sailors for the Sea, supported by World Sailing, runs the free Clean Regattas programme, and their advice is simply to start small. Pick a handful of high-impact habits and build from there.
A few that travel well to any RS event: ditch single-use water bottles and set up refill stations, choose plastic-free dinnerware in the dinghy park, skip the disposable bags, and award practical or upcycled trophies rather than another piece of plastic silverware. Pull together a small “green team” so no single volunteer carries it alone. And take a leaf from the RYA, whose “Together on Water” strategy puts it perfectly: our playground is nature, the open water, the blue spaces, and it belongs to everyone.
So this World Ocean Day, however you sail, sail in a way that protects the water for the next sailor sitting on a sea-wall, dreaming.
