Who hasn’t had a bump on the head while sailing? If you think you haven’t, is it possible you got hit so hard you forgot?

In a sport where the playing field is continuously moving underfoot and the forces on the equipment can be in excess of a few tonnes, the risk for a knock on the head is relatively high. Whether it’s by the boom swinging across the boat, a wave throwing you into a winch or any combination of unfortunate circumstances.

A new study by Auckland University of Technology aims to explore how concussion is understood and managed within the sailing community – an area that, according to one of New Zealand’s leading brain health experts, has only just begun to be investigated. The study is led by Savanna Youmans, an Honours student in psychology under the supervision of Professor Alice Theadom, an internationally recognised expert in brain health and Director of AUT’s Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Network.

The findings will be a useful tool for sailing clubs and organisations to reflect on what their participants understand about recognising and treating concussions, and therefore what approach is needed to address head injuries within their safety management systems. While the use of headgear in sailing is a focus area of the study, it’s not proposing it as the only solution. Theadom notes that widespread misconceptions persist about how helmets function and the level of protection they provide.

The study has been welcomed by Yachting New Zealand, with National Sport Development Director Raynor Haagh commenting “We all know someone who has suffered a head knock while sailing, and this research will help us to build a more complete picture of the scale of concussion in New Zealand sailing,”

“Over the last few years, we’ve been looking at the symptoms and best practices for treating concussion. Hopefully, this study will assist us in our efforts to prevent these injuries from occurring in the first place.” Haagh said.

The survey welcomes participants aged 12 and over involved in sailing – whether as an athlete, parent, coach, manager, or support crew, takes just 10 minutes to complete and is completely anonymous and voluntary.

RNZYS encourages its members to complete the survey and contribute to the enhancement of safety within our sport.

The survey will be open between the 1st April 2025 on 31st July 2025.

Click here to complete the survey.