Cowes Sailability Club became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (registration number 1161473) in 2015, but began providing recreational boating opportunities for disabled people on the Isle of Wight more than a decade before then. We are one of over 140 Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Sailability groups in the UK that together provide sailing and recreational boating opportunities for 53,000 people with disabilities every year.
Our history
The RYA Sailability group on the Isle of Wight was founded in 2002 to help make sailing and boating accessible to disabled island residents. Initially, the club was based in Fishbourne on the eastern side of the island and known at that time as Fishbourne Sailability Club. In 2010, it relocated to Cowes to avoid the constraints of the tide in Fishbourne Creek and changed its name accordingly to Cowes Sailability Club. That same year, we were proud to receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, an honour which recognises our volunteers’ incredible commitment to providing opportunities for people who face immense personal challenges.
The incredible opportunities provided by Cowes Sailability Club simply wouldn’t be possible without the unfailing support of our host, Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club (CCYC). Founded in 1952, CCYC provides berthing for our club boats and a base for our Monday afternoon sailing activities and meetings. CCYC has a long tradition of encouraging accessible sailing and helps to support the training of Paralympic sailors through the Andrew Cassell Foundation.
