Sail Our Way Case Study: Wynnum Manly Sailing Club

Club: Wynnum Manly Sailing Club
Location: Manly, QLD

Contact: Alyce Lopez Brierley, alyce@wmyc.com.au

 

About the project

 

Wynnum Manly Sailing Club delivered its SheSails/Sail Our Way Discover Sailing Day 2026 on 26 April 2026, introducing women to sailing in a supportive and inclusive environment.

 

The objective of the event was to increase awareness of sailing opportunities for women, strengthen community connection and outreach, and create clear and accessible pathways into ongoing club participation through SailPass, Sunday Afternoon Go Sailing (SAGs), and social membership opportunities.

 

Messaging centred around “Find Your Crew”, reinforcing that sailing could offer social connection, confidence-building, recreation, competition, and personal growth in a welcoming environment.

 

The initiative targeted women aged 18–65 across the Bayside region, while also engaging broader community groups including wellbeing organisations, cultural groups, LGBTQIA+ communities, recreation groups, youth groups, and inclusion-focused organisations.

 

Participation and campaign reach

 

The campaign delivered strong engagement and participation outcomes across both digital promotion and on-water participation:

 

  • 91 registrations received for the event
  • 69 attendees participated on the day
  • 20 participants attended Sunday Afternoon Go Sailing sessions following the event
  • 24 Skippers and boats made available for use
  • 53 attendees expressed interest in future sailing opportunities
  • 28.6K+ digital views and engagement achieved through social media promotion. Most successful posts extending reach through tagging relevant partners and community
  • 5 community partnership activations supported campaign reach and visibility
  • 508 new Facebook page followers in the month of April during the course of the campaign

About the delivery

The event included a club introduction, safety briefing, and a three-hour on-water sailing experience aboard keelboats skippered by members, with several private boats generously loaned to support participation.

Participants also enjoyed a BBQ lunch and heard from a three-person female guest speaker panel representing different areas of the sport, helping showcase the variety of pathways and opportunities available within sailing.

The day was designed to provide a welcoming and low-pressure introduction to sailing, supported by experienced women sailors and volunteers who helped participants feel comfortable both on and off the water.

Marketing and promotion

A key strength of the project was its integrated marketing and community engagement strategy, designed to maximise visibility and participation.

The campaign combined paid advertising, organic social media content, newsletters, community partnerships, and print promotion to create consistent exposure across the local region and reach audiences beyond traditional sailing networks.

Community partnerships and committee-led social media sharing played an important role in extending campaign reach, helping connect with women interested in recreation, wellbeing, inclusion, and social connection.

A key component of the strategy was the development of contra partnerships with local community organisations aligned with these values, helping engage audiences who may not have otherwise considered sailing opportunities.

In return, partner organisations received visibility through logo placement on clubhouse TV slideshows during the campaign period, acknowledgement in club communications where appropriate, and opportunities to connect with the wider club community.

Promotion ran from February through April 2026 and included:

  • Weekly organic social media content across Facebook and Instagram – testimonials and stories from female sailors getting the most traction through the extended reach that came from tagging people, commenting and engaging with the posts as well as sharing to different Facebook groups
  • Fortnightly email newsletters through official club channels
  • Personal email invitation to attend from WMSC Chair
  • Activation of community through consistent calls for volunteers, skippers and experienced crew
  • A paid Facebook and Instagram 2 week campaign was planned using Meta Ads targeted women aged 18–65 within the local Bayside region, supported by event videos, testimonials static imagery designed to drive registrations. However, due to the success of the organic campaign achieving well above its KPIs, the paid campaign was not needed.
  • A dedicated Facebook Event and promotion through local community Facebook groups
  • Printed collateral including DL flyers, pull-up banners, teardrop banners, noticeboards, and membership brochure inserts displayed throughout the club and community
  • A large vinyl sign placed along the fence outside the club which captured 30 participants who were walking or driving by
  • Promotion through libraries, local publications, Sailability networks, and community organisations including Sails at Bayside
  • Clubhouse TV promotion and refreshed website landing pages to support registrations and event visibility
  • Cross-promotion opportunities with local businesses and community groups focused on wellbeing, inclusion, recreation, and community connection
  • Leveraging content and upcoming club events on social media and email post-event to further nurture, engage and activate a warm audience, with the goal of converting them from participant to Member
  • Thank you and follow up email to thank particpants for attending, sharing photos, highlights and testimonials from attendees.

                                      

Outcomes and impact

The SheSails Discover Sailing Day delivered strong outcomes in supporting women’s participation and engagement in sailing:

  • Strong community reach: The campaign successfully reached new audiences through targeted digital marketing, local partnerships, and inclusive messaging.
  • Increased participation: Registrations and attendance significantly exceeded original targets, demonstrating strong demand for women-focused sailing opportunities.
  • Ongoing engagement: Twenty participants and counting have attended follow-up sailing sessions, while many others expressed interest in future programs and club activities.
  • Pathway to Membership: Continuous and consistent touchpoints that build familiarity, confidence and connection over time from initial awareness, to participation, storytelling, skills development, mentorship and personal connection to the community.
  • Inclusive participation: The event created a welcoming environment for women of all backgrounds, identities, and experience levels.
  • Pathway development: SailPass and social sailing opportunities created clear next steps for participants to remain involved in sailing and club life.
  • Community connection: Participants were able to build relationships with mentors, volunteers, and other attendees, strengthening confidence and belonging within the sailing community.
  • Increased club visibility: The campaign strengthened awareness of Wynnum Manly Sailing Club as an inclusive and welcoming environment for women and girls in sailing.

How the funding helped

The Sail Our Way grant supported the delivery of the event through SailPass subsidies, event catering, promotional materials, and targeted digital marketing.

Funding enabled the club to invest in a comprehensive campaign strategy that significantly expanded reach and visibility across the local community. It also supported accessible participation opportunities and helped create meaningful pathways for women to continue engaging with sailing beyond the initial event experience.