Rockley Wins British Marine Business of the Year in 50th Year

A national award in Rockley's anniversary year

British sailing, watersports and training organisation Rockley has been named British Marine Business of the Year 2026, receiving the recognition during its 50th anniversary year. The National Awards were presented in conjunction with the British Marine Trades Association awards on 21 September, with British Marine publishing a detailed report on 5 October.

The honour recognises a business whose long-running work spans sailing instruction, outdoor education and entry routes into marine careers. Rockley is not a superyacht builder or a large-yacht management company; its relevance to the wider yachting industry is the role of training organisations in developing maritime skills and encouraging new people to enter the sector.

From a small operation to multiple education centres

Rockley traces its origins to 1976, when it began as a family-run sailing operation on the shore of Poole Harbour. The business has grown into an organisation operating several UK centres, offering watersports activities, Royal Yachting Association training, sixth-form education programmes and family experiences.

That broader structure gives participants opportunities to progress from recreational boating into more formal qualifications and professional instruction. It also creates practical employment routes for people whose experience starts in smaller boats, even though a sailing course or instructor certificate alone does not qualify somebody to work in a particular position on an internationally regulated superyacht.

Why training investment matters to the marine sector

Boat manufacturers, marinas, refit yards and yacht operators depend on workers who understand safe operations around water, equipment inspection, communications and the responsibilities attached to professional seamanship. Not every task aboard a superyacht has the same training pathway, but many entrants build confidence and technical habits through ordinary sailing and powerboat programmes.

Businesses offering accessible education can expand the pool of potential employees and help participants identify whether they prefer practical engineering, deck operations, hospitality, teaching or other marine careers. Employers still need to check the qualifications, sea time, flag requirements and specialist training relevant to each vacancy rather than assume all recreational training is transferable.

A second recognition for participation

Earlier in 2026, Rockley also received Business of the Year at the first Access to Boating Sector Awards. British Marine identifies that recognition with work to broaden participation in boating and help more young people discover marine-industry opportunities.

Access initiatives can affect the long-term health of a labour market by introducing candidates who may not otherwise have considered boating or marine engineering. However, measuring success requires following what participants do next: whether they gain qualifications, remain active in the sector, enter apprenticeships or find sustainable roles over time.

The company's account of its development

Owner Peter Gordon described the anniversary award as recognition of the people who have passed through Rockley during the past five decades. Managing director Pip Woods and commercial director Jack Clark also emphasised the contributions of current and former staff to the organisation's development.

British Marine presents Rockley as an example of sustained training and participation within its membership rather than a newly announced expansion in superyacht fleet capacity. For managers concerned about recruitment, the message is that long-term skills development begins well before candidates arrive at a superyacht training academy or a specialist engineering yard. The report uses the organisation's original award photograph.