Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy

Who we are

WPNSA has close links with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) working with them in many significant events such as the Sailing World Cup and Youth National Championships.  In addition, WPNSA is the training base for the British Sailing Team.

Our History

The Royal Yachting Association had been trying for decades to secure a suitable site locally to make the most of these natural advantages, but the opportunity came when in 1999 it was announced that the Royal Naval Air Station at Portland was to be closed.

A group of local people established a not-for-profit company to take the vision of a national centre of excellence for the sport of sailing forward and with the support of the Royal Navy, the Royal Yachting Association, the South West Regional Development Agency, Sport England and all the local authorities in the area, this idea started to take shape.  The Academy started sailing operations on the site in March 2000.

After initially operating from the disused military buildings and facilities, in 2003 the Academy was in a position to start construction work on redeveloping the site.  At the same time the London bid to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games was gathering momentum and the Academy was selected as part of the sailing venue in the bid to the International Olympic Committee.