My goal:

To win the Waszp Games 2020.

Where is it?

Lake Garda, Italy, July 30th - August 6th 2020.

Why do I need to do this?

To put myself as one of the first choices for foiling in the sailing world and put myself in a great position for Youth America's Cup selection.

The Waszp is the fastest growing foiling dinghy in the world, and offers world class competitive racing. I have been lucky enough to have been able to learn and develop my foiling skills onboard the family Waszp for the past 3 years, and attended my first Waszp event ever in May 2019, the UK Nationals, where I finished 4th overall.

Foiling is pretty new in dinghies but is already being branded as the future of sailing. With the upcoming America's Cup now raced in foiling monohulls, I want to put myself on the forefront of foiling and ensure that I am one of the first choices for foiling expertise in the UK.

What is the Waszp Games?

Basically the world championships, with the highest level of Waszp racing seen around. This year is expected to be a big one with 200 expected entries.

Why do I need help?

Professional sailing is always tough financially, especially at my young age, and I simply do not have the financial backing to seriously attempt to compete at the top end of these championships. The competition is going to be extremely tough, with some very good sailors competing from all around the world. Whilst I believe I have the skills required mount a challenge to win, all I need now is the best possible equipment and transport out to Italy.

The family Waszp I use is now 3 years old and whilst it is in good shape, unfortunately it is not in world class condition. The sail, foils and tramps are all parts which degrade over their life and have a big impact on the speed of the boat. Upgrading these three parts could put me right back up there and make the family Waszp competitive again.

In total I am trying to raise £2,447.34 to pay for these new upgrades, transport as well as accommodation in Italy. Here are the costs broken down:

What can I offer?

I am extremely grateful for any donation little or large. If you would like to get something in return for your donation here are some of the available options:

£10

For £10 I will put your name onto my Waszp and sailing website as well as keep you updated on my training and progress before, during and after the championships.

£50

For £50 you can buy a 20cm x 20cm patch on my hull to put whatever you like onto it - whether it be your company logo, name or even just a cool photo. In total there are 16 spots on my hull (8 on each side - see example below with the white squares) and 30 on my sail (15 each side) so feel free to buy multiple spots if you want to be even more prominent!

£210

For a £210 donation I will come and coach you for a day - foiling or not - either at your chosen location or down at my home town on the Jurassic Coast. I specialise in the Laser, RS Aero or Waszp but have tips and tricks for anything powered by the wind! This is subject to travel distance and expenses.

Why now?

Generation Graphics, the UK’s leading marine and yacht wrapping company, have partnered with me to design and create the coolest looking Waszp out there. We have come up with a custom design which looks smart, sleek and stands out from the crowd. I can incorporate your logo/name into this design and create a visually impressive and cool floating billboard.

I also feature heavily in quite a few online videos such as the Head to Wind series as well as lots of promotional material for the Waszp class - my Waszp is probably the most seen Waszp in the world - so there is plenty of potential exposure opportunity.

Who am I?

I am a 22 year old full time sailor from Swanage, in Dorset, sailing the Laser as part of the British Sailing Team and one day hoping to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games. In my spare time I like to sail the Waszp and a variety of other boats to enhance my sailing skills as I strive to become one of the best sailors in the world. As well as this I host the marine video series Head to Wind and this year am also hosting the RYA Dinghy Show 2020.

More info.

For more information about the Waszp visit the class website or check out the below video from Day 3 of the UK Waszp Nationals last year.

For more information about my sailing check out my sailing website here:

www.samwhaley.com

Thanks very much for your support!

Sam