Sailing for People with Disabilities

Return to access class website

Sailing for people with Disabilities

The whole Access dinghy range is designed for the use of people with disabilities.

Any other family member, friend or carer that wishes to sail in the same fleet or possibly race with the disabled person will also find the Access dinghies easy and great fun to sail.

Steering is by a manual joystick located between the helms legs, moving it to the left to go left and to the right to go right.

All manoeuvring is carried out from the comfort of a hammock seat, making it the most comfortable dinghy available and is particularly suited to anyone who for any reason has limited mobility.

he Access dinghy range has been selected by many Sailability groups as their introduction boats.

The sail area can be reduced or increased whilst under way using a reef furling system operated by hauling on a single continuous line.

The boats are so simple to operate that almost anyone can helm them.

Manoeuvring the boat is done differently depending on the disability of the sailor involved. With paraplegics the sailor sits in a chair steering with a manual joystick and operating the mainsheet by pulling in or letting out the rope. With quadriplegics have a miniature 4 way joystick strapped to them, operated by their chin if necessary, which controls the steering and the mainsail through an electric servo system.

The retractable 15kg keel-centreboard makes the boat uncapsizable and if blown down in a violent gust, it rights it's self immediately.

The sail can be furled completely for towing or beaching.

The mainsheet Jibsheet and tiller can be fitted with electric servo-assist drives which opens up the single handed sailing of these boats to higher level quadriplegics.

There is an options of several types of seating and servo controllers so as to accomodate as wide a spectrum of abilities as possible.

Short courses laid close to the shore can be videoed for effective feedback from coaches on tactics and race decision making.

These boats allow everyone, even the most severely disabled people, to enjoy the freedom of sailing at the same level as able-bodied sailors.

These boats give the possibility of developing a real race oriented sailing experience, complete with apres sail, in a safe competitive environment which gives the optimum freedom possible to all of the competitors.

The fleets can be sailed competitively on an equal basis by using weights to equalise between individuals.

Access Dinghies pioneering sailing system is gaining recognition as an ideal rehabilitation activity for people recovering from physical injury.

Dr Phil Vardy, Sailability Australia, says, I believe sailing will become one of the major forms of recreation for disabled people. It's an undiscovered field, which offers unparalleled freedom and movement for disabled people. I think the Access 2.3 is an excellent entry-level craft for both disabled and able bodied sailors.

Access 2.3s close racing in a good wind, which ones are disabled? !

Simon Harle says:-
On land I totally depend on other people, but in a boat away from the jetty I become my own man. I have control of what I want to do and where I want to go. I,d like you to know how much being free, feeling capeble and self reliant means to me.

Andrew McGarry, journalist, says, A lone figure is seen from the shore, cutting through the water in a small boat, riding the changes of the wind. The sailor is exultant and in control. The watchers on the bank are equally jubilant, some with tears in their eyes. The sailor is a paraplegic. This scene is a dream come true for the people from Sailability, an organisation striving to help disabled people achieve freedom on the water, a freedom often lacking in the rest of their lives. The boats themselves are called Access dinghies.

Neil Anderson, president of Sailability, Dobroyt, Sydney, and Australia, made this comment. We have held a number of come and try days. I have never failed to be moved by them. You have able-bodied people on the shore cheering and clapping and more than a few crying. Then you have the people in the chairs on the bank, they're a bit cynical to start with but as soon as they see someone get out onto the water it's a case of: " I want to get out there too. Once you see them out there, you cant tell whether they are disabled or not, that’s one of the great things about sailing. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to have your mobility limited so much. That’s what makes it so special when these people get out there with the wind rushing at them and they are in charge.

Top of page | Print this page