Richard (Taff) Owens

Richard (Taff) Owens

Coach

Richard (Taff) Owens RYA Coach Assessor and owner of Pembrokeshire Performance Sailing Academy

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Richard (Taff) Owens has been an RYA Dinghy Trainer since 2004 and in the time since has spent a huge amount of time coaching and training a diverse amount of sailing skills to those wishing to take their sailing further.  In the last 10 years, Taff has also been a qualifed RYA Powerboat Trainer

His biggest love is teaching and sailing in the iconic Laser 5000, the original one design twin wire skiff to hit the headlines in the early 1990s.   In addition to his RYA Coaching qualifications, Taff has also raced competitively in various class associations at National and European level.  In addition to the 5000, Taff has also gained experience in the 470 Class and RS400 in addition to racing in Laser 2000 with the Army.

Having worked with the Army Sailing Association and more recently with the RYA Cymru/Wales Youth Squads, Taff has in the last 10 years been developing Pembrokeshire Powerboating and Sailing Academy which has seen several iterations, but is now located at Neyland Yacht Haven His aim is now to develop the skills and enjoyment of powerboating and keelboat sailing to the local community and the wider commercial sectors in Pembrokeshire

Richard is a true professional in his field, he is highly motivated and driven to succeed and has played a major part in developing inshore sail training in the Army over the last few years

Richard is an imaginative and talented Sailing Coach who uses a variety of delivery methods to achieve significant improvements in his clients. Well organised and able to adapt to changing environments he is a pleasure to work alongside and can be relied upon to deliver either ashore or on the water. With ample experience in high performance classes he has a great deal to offer to those with the drive to improve.

I have done a fair amount of training with PPSA and truly cannot recommend the organisation and courses highly enough! I always come away from courses at PPSA having learned loads and perhaps most importantly with my zest for sailing renewed and my enthusiasm as high as a kite! I am already signing up for courses at PPSA in 2015 and can’t wait

Additionally, as a Dinghy Trainer, Taff is able to deliver RYA Dinghy Instructor, Senior Instructor and Advanced Instructor Training as well as multihull and keelboat training to the wider community.

As a Powerboat Advanced Trainer, Taff is able to deliver Instructor training to Powerboat Advanced Instructors  and can also deliver training in Navigation, Seamanship and Safety, Sea Survival techniques, First Aid and Marine VHF Short Range Radios.

Professional, safe and fun delivery are at the forefront of his ethos

Having gained extensive background knowledge as an instructional Officer in his previous career, Taff is now using that knowledge to deliver not only the practical ‘on water’ training that will develop skills in the individual undertaking it, but also a breadth of theory courses that enhance and improve the practical skills being taught.