As Commodore of our local Youth Sailing Assoc it is traditional that I run a week of less serious activities in the early summer. Our lake is not very large, only about 8 acres with a small island in the middle, which restricts activities a little.

Last year we had a sailing tug-of-war, a relay race where another crew member joined the boat after each lap (did you know a Topper dinghy can still be sailed with 8 people aboard?). I thought I might try boat polo – like canoe polo but with sailing dinghies. Has anyone got any tried and tested ideas that work with up to 24 youngsters aged 8 to 16 and a range of abilities from novice to experienced sailor. We have plenty of adults and full safety boat cover and a good selection of single and double-handed craft.

DM