A manufacturer-backed initiative, unveiled at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show 2026, reduces upfront ownership costs by up to 70% and redefines how sailors and clubs access dinghies.
The team behind Performance Sailcraft has today announced the launch of Magic, a new asset intelligence fintech business created to modernise how dinghy sailing is funded, managed and accessed. Magic has been developed to address one of the biggest barriers to participation facing the sport: the upfront cost of dinghy ownership.
The initiative enables sailors and clubs to access a new Performance Sailcraft dinghy with a 30% initial payment, followed by 24 interest-free payments. At the end of the term, customers can choose to buy the dinghy at a predetermined price, trade it in for a new model, or return it.
Under the new programme, Performance Sailcraft is the manufacturer and programme owner. Magic operates as the asset intelligence and structuring platform underpinning the model, while Sporta – the new financial home for UK sport – provides a proportion of the capital and financial structuring that enables the flexible payment framework to operate.
With more than 70 years of heritage, Performance Sailcraft is best known as the builder of the Olympic-class Laser, one of the most widely sailed and recognisable dinghies in the world. Its boats are used at every level of the sport – from first-time club sailors to Olympic medallists – and are trusted globally for durability, consistency and performance integrity.
Nick Ogden, Chairman of Performance Sailcraft’s parent company Performance Marine Group, and a long-standing fintech and financial services entrepreneur, has been the driving force behind the creation of Magic. Ogden said: “If we want more people sailing and more clubs thriving, we have to rethink the financial structure around the boats themselves. Participation in our sport should not be constrained by outdated ownership models. Magic is designed to strengthen the entire sailing ecosystem, from entry-level participation through to Olympic competition, by creating a more sustainable and predictable framework for accessing equipment.”
Magic is currently available exclusively on Performance Sailcraft dinghies and includes manufacturer guarantees, consumer protections and free insurance. Insurance is provided through Navigators & General, a specialist marine insurer with more than a century of experience serving the sailing and watersports community.
Andrew Smith, Founder & CEO of Sporta, said: “This partnership shows what becomes possible when finance is structured properly for the realities of sport: giving athletes and clubs access to the equipment they need at the moment it matters most.”
The programme has been tailored to support both individual sailors and sailing clubs. Clubs can modernise and expand fleets without significant upfront capital outlay, spreading costs through interest-free payments while benefiting from structured asset management and defined end-of-life pathways.
Another significant benefit to sailing clubs is the addition of the Performance Sailcraft Club crediting system, providing credit incentives for clubs when its sailors use the Magic programme. Credits can be redeemed by sailing clubs to purchase any dinghy model or equipment spares manufactured by Performance Sailcraft.
The Performance Sailcraft global dealership network plays a central role in delivering the programme, supporting customer relationships, servicing, and structured resale or upgrade pathways. Each dinghy within the Magic programme is equipped with NFC tagging linked to a digital asset register, recording boat history and condition to support lifecycle management and transparent value outcomes.
