Peter Ball, Commodore of the East Cowes Sailing Club has been recognised by the Royal Yachting Association, the governing body of sailing, boating and water sports in Great Britain, with a gold impact award.
Peter was instrumental in 2024 in aiding the Spanish sailor, Dani Pich, to become the first completely blind sailor to sail solo, unassisted around the Isle of Wight.
A remarkable feat made even more remarkable by the fact that Dani sailed a catamaran dinghy that has no rudder or centreboard and is steered by the movement of body-weight alone.
Alongside a certificate that now hangs inside the Club’s Clarence Road clubhouse, the RYA acknowledged Peter’s significant contribution recently, with Sara Sutcliffe MBE, the Chief Executive of the RYA saying:
“Peter has been selected as a recipient of this certification which celebrates individuals who have made a significant and lasting impact through their dedication and passion for our sport. Their achievements truly embody the spirit of the RYA and the values we all strive to uphold.”
From the success of the around the Isle of Wight challenge, Peter set a goal to re-invigorate Youth watersports from the club’s boat park down on the East Cowes Esplanade. The biggest issue the club has faced in recent years has been gaining access to the Shrape with significant winter shingle build-up covering the slipway.
Working with the Isle of Wight Council, the local Mayor’s office, local businesses and key stakeholders, and following a fundamental review of the topology of the area by the South Coast’s Chief Coastal Scientist, permission for the shingle to be removed was granted.
Furthermore Peter, on behalf of the East Cowes Sailing Club, has successfully applied for funding to buy Kayaks, Paddleboards, dinghies and storage facilities to be installed in the dinghy park and working with UKSA to secure training for club members to begin a free-to-all watersport club for local children aged 8 to 18.
The East Cowes Sailing Club watersports programme will start at the end of May 2026 with support from Cowes Harbour Commission, GKN Charity Fund, East Cowes Town Council, the Isle of Wight Sports Foundation, a Community Capacity Grant Fund plus private donations from local businesses and ECSC club members, have all made the project a reality.
Speaking about the award, Peter Ball commented:
“It’s lovely to be acknowledged by the RYA, but truthfully I accept this on behalf of the membership of the East Cowes Sailing Club who have not only supported the vision, but given their time so freely to give back to the underprivileged children of East Cowes who otherwise would never have the opportunity to use the Shrape, and get on the water in what is the ‘home of world sailing.
“We are hoping to inspire generations to come, to use the facilities and hopefully join the club and get it back to its pre-eminence in the glory days that it enjoyed up to the mid-1990’s.”
Tony Cole, President of the East Cowes Sailing Club, congratulated Peter saying:
“As a club, we are very fortunate to have such a tenacious Commodore in Peter who is continually driving the club forward and supporting the community. The slipway project brought together the best of the membership in a myriad of different ways from professional services to volunteers doing the initial exploratory dig of the shingle on the beach.
“It really has been a whole club effort, and I’m delighted to see that Peter has accepted the RYA Impact Award on behalf of so many who have given so much of their time and effort to support the project to get underprivileged kids out on the water and enjoying the Island’s natural amenity.”
The RYA Impact Award recipients are all put forward for the RYA National Individual Awards – one of the highest recognitions in the sport of sailing – for consideration with the winners announced at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show in February 2027.
