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Local Sail Training


Find out what National Sail Training Organisations and the Youth Council do… and discover how you can get involved locally.

Several different committees and members are involved in running our charity – they have a say in what we do and how we do it. They also represent lots of different countries around the world. These members aren’t individual people – they’re National Sail Training Organisations (NSTOs).

There are sail training organisations (run by NSTOs) all over the world that can help you get involved with sail training.

Each NSTO is different – some have lots of resources, while dedicated volunteers run others on a shoestring budget. But they all have one thing in common… they want to help you take part in the adventure of a lifetime.

NSTOs provide lots of support for people just like you, including:

      • Supporting local sail training and sail training events.
      • Promoting sail training for young people of all abilities and experience levels.
      • Advertising crew vacancies.

Don’t hesitate to contact your local NSTO to find out more about sail training vessels in your area, ask questions, or request advice on bursaries and funding.

Local Sail Training

Australia and new zealand

Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand

TANZ was founded in 1996. It represents the interests of 16 sail training organisations and Tall Ship operators in Australia and New Zealand. Its purpose is to promote the development of sail training, with an emphasis on adventure training for young people at sea under sail in Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere. TANZ also plays a key role in the development (for sail training vessel operators) of safety-related codes of conduct and on-board management systems, trainee and professional crew training programmes, and other related programmes.

www.tallships.org.au and www.tallships.org.nz

Belgium

Sail Training Association Belgium

STA Belgium was founded in 1994. It’s a registered charity with national membership. It restored, owns and operates the T/S Williwaw, and it promotes sail training for young people on many other Belgian vessels.

www.we-sail.com

Bermuda

Sail Training Association of Bermuda

STA Bermuda works to provide opportunities for young people from Bermuda to become trainees on sail training vessels participating in races and festivals in Europe and North America. We believe that sail training is beneficial for the well-rounded development of the youth of Bermuda. STA Bermuda also helps adults take advantage of the same opportunities. Our motto is: Changing Lives Through Ocean Adventure.

www.tallshipsbermuda.com

Canada

Tall Ships Canada

The Canadian STA was founded in 1984. Its membership now includes the owner/operators of 18 vessels, ranging in size from a six-metre open sloop to an 80-metre barquentine. It provides sail training programmes as diverse in scope as the vessels themselves. One of the organisation’s key priorities is to ensure a regulatory environment that is consistent with the goals and activities of sail training operators and their programmes.

www.tallshipscan.org

Denmark

Danish Sail Training Association

DSTA was founded in 1996. It represents the interests of 30 members in Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. It also represents 10 sail training vessels (ranging in size from an 18-metre ketch to three Class A full-rigged ships) and five ports. The organisation operates a grant scheme to assist trainees taking part in the Tall Ships Races.

www.dsta.dk

Estonia

Sail Training Association Estonia

STA Estonia was founded as a non-profit organisation by six sail training enthusiasts in 2011. It has grown every year since. Since then, it’s taken more than 350 trainees to sea and has regularly participated in the Tall Ships Races and other sail training events. The organisation’s aim is to promote and provide sail training for young people in Estonia, cooperate with sail training vessels, and organise maritime events.

www.staestonia.eu

info@staestonia.eu

Finland

Sail Training Association Finland

STA Finland was founded in 1973. Since then, its sail training vessels have taken more than 16,800 young people to sea. These young trainees have also formed their own organisation (The Sail Trainees of Finland Association), which provides opportunities for continuing contact between the trainees, and also helps to promote sail training in Finland.

http://www.staf.fi

France

Sail Training Association France – Amis des Grands Voiliers

STA France was founded in 1990. It represents the interests of around 40 vessels and approximately 400 members (individuals, associations, charities, and vessel operators) in promoting sail training for young people through exhibitions at various maritime festivals and other events. It publishes a quarterly magazine called “Grands Voiliers Infos,” along with a monthly magazine, which help potential young trainees find opportunities to embark on sail training vessels around the world.

www.amisdesgrandsvoiliers.org

Germany

Sail Training Association Germany

STAG was founded in 1984 as a not-for-profit organisation. Its main purpose is the education, development and support of young people of all nationalities through sail training. Its members include 50 sail training vessels and more than 5,000 individual members. The organisation operates a bursary programme for sail training vessels and individual trainees.

http://www.sta-g.de

Greece

Sail Training Hellas

STA Hellas was founded in 2008 and became the 25th National Member of Sail Training International. It’s a non-profit organisation that aims to develop, support and promote sail training for young people in Greece.

info@sailtraininghellas.org

sthellas.org

Hungary

Sail and Life Training Association Hungary (S.A.L.T.)

S.A.L.T. was founded in 2011 as a not-for-profit organisation to promote sail training in Hungary. Although the country is land-locked, S.A.L.T.’s goals are to promote the development of sail training for young people in the Adriatic and Mediterranean Seas. It encourages and supports Hungarian young people to participate in educational sail training programmes and to take part in the annual Tall Ships Races and Regattas, through national and international bursaries and trainee exchange programmes. It focuses on helping and supporting young people who are recovering from serious illnesses, such as cancer. Although S.A.L.T. doesn’t have its own sail training ship, it encourages small ship owners and operators to participate in sail training activities and events.

www.salt.org.hu

Ireland

Sail Training Ireland for Youth Development

STIYD is the recognised Sail Training International representative body in Ireland. Its vision is to provide Tall Ships sail training to the people of Ireland, and its aims include promoting and supporting the development of young people through the sail training experience.

www.irishsailtraining.com

Italy

Sail Training Association Italy

STA Italy was founded in 1996 by a partnership between the Italian Navy and the Yacht Club Italiano. Its charter is to develop and promote sea training for young people, as a means to further their personal development and education. Through the cooperation of the Navy and many owner/operators of other vessels, STA Italy offers a variety of sail training opportunities to young people, including berths at no charge or ones that are highly subsidised. The organisation also operates an international trainee exchange programme, which is currently expanding.

www.sta-italia.it

Japan

International Sail & Power Association Japan

International Sail & Power Association Japan (ISPA-J) was established as a non-profit organisation in 2001 as a sister organisation of ISPA based in Canada. The organisation consists of 800 graduates, 80 individual members and 7 corporate members. The mission is to provide Sail Training programs to different marine institution and promote sailing in general. Since 2015, the program has extended to young sailors focusing on youth development through Sail Training in the inter-cultural settings using both keel boats and tall ships.

www.ispa.jp

Latvia

Sail Training Association Latvia

STA Latvia was founded in 2002 by 23 sail training enthusiasts in the country. The organisation also has three members who own/operate vessels, two yacht clubs, and three maritime companies. STA Latvia’s principal goals are to develop sail training for young people in Latvia by encouraging other vessel owners to participate in sail training activities and events, and through an international trainee exchange programme.

www.sta-latvia.lv

Netherlands

Sail Training Association Netherlands

STAN was founded in 1985. Its goals are to encourage and develop sail training for young people in the Netherlands. To achieve this, STAN organises maritime events and races for sail training Tall Ships in the Netherlands.

www.stanetherlands.nl

Norway

Norwegian Sail Training Association

NSTA was founded in 1999. It has four membership categories: sail training vessels, past and prospective host ports for the Tall Ships Races, individuals and organisations supporting NSTA ideals, and corporate entities. The organisation promotes sail training for young people and international friendship through sail training.

www.nsta.no

Poland

Sail Training Association Poland

STA Poland was established in 1993. It has more than 100 individual (voting) members and is co-owner and sole operator of the Class A sail training Tall Ship Pogoria. Supporting (non-voting) members include the Maritime Academy of Gdynia (Dar Mlodziezy), the Polish Navy (ORP Iskra) the Polish Scouts Union Sea Training Centre (Zawisza Czarny) and the Polish Yachting Association (Kapitan Glowacki).

www.pogoria.pl

Portugal

Portuguese Sail Training Association

Portugal’s STA, Aporvela, was founded in 1980 as a registered charity. It has three categories of membership and owns three sail training vessels, including the Caravel Vera Cruz. The organisation’s main objectives are to promote off-shore sail training, mainly for young people.

www.aporvela.pt

South Africa

South African Sail Training for Life Skills Association

The SASLA was accepted as a full member of Sail Training International in 2008. It has 11 member organisations, with a focus on marine career development, promoting peace, environmental work, and youth development. SASLA is dedicated to providing regular sailing activities to young people, particularly those aged 11-17 years old. It also focuses on arranging international sail training opportunities for culturally diverse groups.

www.sasailtrainingforlifeskills.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-sasla.html

Spain

Sail Training Association España

STA España was established in 2002. Its members include all sail training vessels in Spain, the Spanish Navy, the Royal Sailing Federation of Spain, and a number of ports. It also has 100 individual members who support the organisation’s mission. The organisation promotes sail training for young people in Spain, and encourages international friendship through tall ships events and sail training.

www.sailtraining.es

Sweden

Sail Training Association Sweden

STA Sweden was initially founded in 1998 to support the Tall Ships Races. Today, its members include a number of Swedish ports, the Swedish Navy, and some 60 vessels engaged wholly or occasionally in sail training activities.

www.sta-sweden.se

United Kingdom

Association of Sail Training Organisations (ASTO)

ASTO was founded in 1972. It represents the interests of all major UK Sail Training organisations. It has 24 full members, nine associate members, and two honorary members, operating 56 sail training vessels ranging in size from a 10-metre sloop to a 65-metre barque. The organisation grants bursary funding towards the costs of more than 70,000 berth days for young people, including disabled trainees, each year.

www.asto.org.uk

United States of America

Tall Ships America

TSA was founded in 1973. It represents the interests in the US of 300 member sail training vessels from more than 20 countries. There are also 100 affiliate members, including museums, schools and universities, and close to 500 individual members who support the organisation’s mission. TSA raises funds and administers several scholarship programmes, as well as a professional development grant programme to support the continuing education of professional sail trainers and marine educators.

www.sailtraining.org

STI Youth Council

At Sail On Board, our mission is simple:
“The development and education of young people through the sail training experience…”

Young people are at the heart of everything we do – we want to hear what you have to say and take your suggestions on board. So, we launched STI Youth Council (STIYC)… and it’s gone from strength to strength.

STIYC includes representatives from nearly every one of our NSTOs – we’re hoping everyone will get involved soon. These dedicated members are all under 26 and they work hard to support young people and promote sail training around the world.

These are its objectives:

  • To represent a youth voice in decision making within the Sail Training International community.
  • To inspire, support and promote the involvement of young people in all aspects of sail training.
  • To provide opportunities for development of the next generation of sail training leaders.
  • To support sail training communities in enabling young people to become active contributors.
  • To promote individual growth through international friendships and multicultural understanding.
  • To create a positive environment for the exchange of ideas and innovations.
  • To support and assist Sail Training International to achieve its goals.

STIYC meets every November at the International Sail Training and Tall Ships Conference. It reviews the previous year’s activities and makes plans for the next. The Executive Committee (Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary) also meet every April.

For questions about local sail training, feel free to drop STIYC a line at stiyc@sailtraininginternational.org.

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Visit Find Your Adventure Under Sail and answer three questions. You can choose the type of sail training you’re interested in, which year you’d like to get involved, and where in the world you want to go. We’ll let you know which vessels might fit the bill, and you can visit their websites and contact them directly to book your place. Simple.

If you’d like help finding and booking your adventure – we’re here to help you every step of the way. Even if you haven’t quite decided on what you want to do, and where you want to go, we can guide you through the process. From finding an event and ships that’s right for you, to contacting a vessel, or finding out more about funding options.

Email the Sail On Board support team on enquiries@sailonboard.com, or give us a call on +44 (0)23 9258 6367. We’ll happily answer all your questions, and try to solve any problems you might be experiencing.