Cowes Sailability Club is offering accessible sailing trips on a 34-foot sailing yacht.
People with disabilities on the Isle of Wight are making the most of their spirit of adventure this summer! They are enjoying exhilarating, up-lifting and incredibly rewarding trips on Spirit of Scott Bader, a fully accessible, 34-foot sailing yacht, owned by the Disabled Sailors’ Association.
Cowes Sailability Club has chartered Spirit of Scott Bader for ten dates between May and September 2022 through the Gwennili Trust, an approved RYA Sailability foundation organisation. Places are currently still available on trips in July, August and September 2022, and anyone interested should contact the club for more information.
Sailing activities can be hugely beneficial for people with disabilities, improving their feelings of well-being, boosting their self-confidence and giving them pride in their accomplishments. Caroline Sims, a member of Cowes Sailability Club, took part in one of the first trips of the season. “I really enjoyed going out on Spirit of Scott Bader,” she says. “The experience gave me a wonderful feeling of freedom from being on the water, with the wind in the sails and the sights and smells of the sea.
“I was able to take my carer with me and had the pleasure of spending a day with so many interesting people. With my disability, I never thought I would be able to sail again but Cowes Sailability Club has changed all that. I’m really looking forward to going out on Spirit of Scott Bader again!”
The Gwennili Trust works with a range of partner organisations to provide offshore yacht sailing opportunities for people with disabilities, offering respite and educational opportunities. More information is available here: https://www.gwennili.org.uk/home