Couple urges Derbyshire people to try sailing

Neli Garbuzanova and Delyan Ivanov were complete beginners when the appeal of discovering a new outdoor activity they could enjoy together enticed them to Errwood Sailing Club’s Push The Boat Out open day last May. A year on and they can’t get enough of the freedom of flying on the water in the stunning Goyt Valley.

Nine venues are hosting Push The Boat Out events around Derbyshire this month including Errwood Sailing Club on May 13, Combs Sailing Club and Carsington Sailing Club both on May 19.

Delyan, a senior research scientist, believes you won’t regret it. He said: “Everybody at the open day was very friendly and made sailing seem so easy and enjoyable. We liked the sensation of gliding on the water with the wind in our hair.

“Sailing allows you to be at one with nature by harnessing the power of the wind; you can breathe fresh air without the need for a noisy motor. It requires you to be in the present, to seize the moment and can be therapeutic after a stressful day at work.

“We have made good friends and have learned new skills. Errwood is an amazing place to sail. We love the combination of water, mountains, moorland and forest. Everyone is really friendly and always ready to help. It really is an activity for everyone.”

After doing their RYA Start Sailing certificates, the couple, both 33, now sail as much as they can. Meanwhile Neli, a senior procurement manager, is now Errwood’s ‘new members rep’, helping new sailors settle in at the club, and has also joined the Sea Cadets and is helping to support the activities of the junior Cadets.

She adds: “When we went for the Push the Boat Out open day we thought sailing would be very easy and chilled. In fact it can be quite physically demanding and requires a great deal of concentration, technical ability and practice. However, it is all worth it when you catch the right wind and you whizz through the waves!”

More than 22,000 people regularly go along to a sailing club in the Midlands every month. To find out all the details for your nearest Push The Boat Out venue at www.rya.org.uk/ptbo