Our Team
Our Instructors
Ullswater Sailing School has a team of sailing instructors ready to run your course or taster session. They are all RYA-qualified and many of them are ‘home-grown.’ Many learned to sail at Ullswater Yacht Club as juniors, went through the club’s training scheme and became instructors themselves, happy to pass on their love of sailing on the lake to others. Meet some of them:
Chris Mulholland - Senior Instructor
Where did you learn to sail? - On holiday in Greece
Sailing qualifications - Senior Instructor and Day Skipper
What do you sail now? – RS400
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater? – The best inland sailing club on the most beautiful lake in England.
Your most memorable UYC moment - My first Birkett Trophy - a weekend of two races around the entire length of Ullswater
What advice would you give to someone interested in learning to sail? – Time in the boat
James Watts - Centre Manager
I joined Ullswater sailing school in 2022 and I came with a vision, a vision to take a small sailing school and grow and develop it to be the leading centre in the region, catering for all abilities and to create a safe and inclusive learning environment.
Where did I learn to sail? I learnt to sail on Hornsea Mere when I was 10 in an enterprise. I also went to a nautical school in Hull which brought me down a pathway of sailing and water sports which I naturally progressed down achieving all my youth stages and driving my passion for the water and wind.
Instructor qualifications? I’m a Senior sailing Instructor and Powerboat Instructor
What do I sail now? Tempest
What is my post memorable UYC moment? It would have to be watching all the boats from the race committee boat at the 2023 Lord Birkett race whilst we had 40kts of wind ripping down the lake
What advice would I give someone interested in learning to sail? Just do it! There is no better feeling than challenging yourself to learn a something new, sailing can be for everyone as long as your not afraid to get stuck in.
James Watts, 01768 807450
Steve Sykes - Senior Instructor
Steve started traveling at the age of 16, inspired by his father. Initially around Southern Africa and when apartheid fell, the world. He met his partner Sarah in Israel in 1996. They came to Ullswater in 2003 and learnt to sail in a GP14. Inspired by what sailing can offer, he dedicated all his time gaining the necessary qualifications in order to teach and then run a successful sailing school. Sarah continued her travelling, exploring the South China seas in a 40ft steel ketch.
Covid-19 led to Steve's redundancy but Ullswater Yacht Club stepped in and allowed him to continue to do what he loves doing best - working with and inspiring other people with what has got to be one of the finest ways of maintaining both physical and mental equilibrium …….. sailing.
Sarah and Steve now have two boys and live in a village on the shores of Ullswater.
- Steve Sykes, 01768 807450
Claire Neilson - Sailing Instructor
Name: Claire Neilson, Principal of Ullswater Sailing School
Where did you learn to sail? - I learnt to sail on Edgbaston Reservoir in Birmingham on a course offered to sixth formers at the city’s schools. I got the bug and have been involved in sailing, in various ways, ever since. I started sailing on Ullswater when I moved to Cumbria with my family in 2004.
Sailing qualifications – I am an RYA dinghy instructor
What do you sail now? – I currently sail a Laser and sometimes crew in a Flying Fifteen
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater? - The stunning scenery. You get a totally different perspective from the water, which changes with the weather and the seasons.
Your most memorable UYC moment ?- I have numerous fond memories of UYC. These are made up from: seeing others develop new skills, personal satisfaction when I have achieved something myself and all of the friends that I have made at the club. One image that really sticks in my mind is from a summer Sail Camp for club juniors a few years ago. There were around 30 Toppers sailing in a ‘follow my leader’ formation, zig-zagging in a long snake back to the club after the end-of-week picnic. It was an amazing sight.
What advice would you give to someone interested in learning to sail? – Join a course run by RYA qualified instructors, like those on offer at Ullswater Sailing School. That way you will learn the basic skills in a structured way. The Sailing School’s RYA taster sessions are also a great place to start if you just want to see if you like it.
Where did you learn to sail? – Marine Lake, Southport through Sea Scouts
Sailing qualifications - Senior Instructor, Power Boat Instructor and Day skipper
What do you sail now? – GP14, RS Vareo and a Hunter Legend 240
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater? – The fantastic calming impact of the location even in dramatic conditions.
Your most memorable UYC moment – The first time I dry capsized my RS Vareo with the Spinnaker up. There have been a few more since!
What advice would you give to someone interested in learning to sail? – Be safe, plan what you are doing and use the support available either through the School or Clubs like UYC.
David Sheard - Senior instructor
Tom Whitehead - Sailing Instructor
Where did you learn to sail?
-Here at Ullswater
Sailing qualifications
-RYA Dinghy instructor
What do you sail now?
-A laser!
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater?
- The best scenery in the whole country
What is your most memorable moment at UYC?
- Every single sail camp i have taken part in
What advice would you give someone thinking of learning to sail?
- Spend lots of time in boats and don’t be afraid to make mistakes - its how we learn!
Sarah Featherstone - Sailing Instructor
Where did you learn to sail?
-Ullswater yacht club
Sailing qualifications?
-RYA Dingy Instructor
What do you sail now?
-I sail RS21s with GBR Blind Sailing, Drascombe Gigs with The Outlook Trust and sail RS Feva XL at the club.
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater?
-Definately the scenery.
Your most memorable UYC moment?
-Sailing a pico on my own for the first time
What advice would you give to someone interested in learning to sail?
-Just go for it. There is absolutely nothing to stop you from trying it out or learning. It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes, it is all about having fun and enjoying yourself
Olivia Simpson - Sailing Instructor
Where did you learn to sail? - Ullswater Yacht Club
Sailing qualifications - RYA Competent Crew, RYA Intermediate Racing, RYA Dinghy Instructor
What do you sail now? - RS200
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater? - The scenery!
Your most memorable UYC moment? - Too many to choose from! Playing games on the lake, becoming an instructor, racing with friends...
What advice would you give to someone interested in learning to sail? - GO FOR IT! It’s okay to make mistakes, I sail to have fun, it’s not always a competition!
Where did you learn to sail? - I learnt to sail here at Ullswater Yacht Club
Sailing qualifications - I am a qualified RYA Dinghy Instructor
What do you sail now? - Laser
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater? - Beautiful scenery and very friendly members
Your most memorable UYC moment? - When I was younger, I walked to the top of the nearby hill to watch the start of the Birkett Race, there was a huge army of boats and it was spectacular to watch.
What advice would you give to someone interested in learning to sail? - Don’t be afraid to take risks. Failure is the greatest teacher and the Sailing School has designed its courses to be very safe so there’s nothing to worry about.
Alex Potter - Sailing Instructor
Jack Neilson - Sailing Instructor
Where did you learn to sail? - Ullswater Yacht Club
Sailing qualifications - Dinghy Instructor
What do you sail now? - Laser
What is the best thing about sailing on Ullswater? - It’s a relaxing place to sail with some great views.
Your most memorable UYC moment? - Spending weekends racing with friends and how it started my love of boating.
What advice would you give to someone interested in learning to sail? - Start by having fun and the sailing skills will come naturally.