Sailing For All, part of Steve Sawford Marine Ltd.

Access Liberty

Click this link for Prices, Order Form and VAT Forms

Note. There is a printable PDF leaflet link at the foot of this page + an Adobe reader download link if needed

Twenty percent longer than the 303 but the same width makes the Liberty a very fast and high pointing sailing dinghy. The Liberty is indeed a totally accessible performance craft which anyone can sail, regardless of ability.

The high coamings and wide side decks keep the boat dry even at extreme angles of heel and the two high aspect rudder blades ensure directional stability. The Liberty has two rudders because, being a single seater with the sailor possibly strapped in on the centreline, the boat has to be free to heel to extremes and still maintain directional stability.

Pushed on its ear with the sails hard on, the Liberty keeps on tracking straight and doesn't want to capsize.

This exiting boat is fitted with a fully roller reefable mainsail and a fully roller reefable self tacking jib. This arrangement allows the boat to be set up to sail in a broad range of wind conditions and by people with a wide range of sailing abilities.

The Liberty hard seat
The Liberty hard seat is an optional extra and is of maximum size and designed to accept a sailor’s personal cushions and booster seats for smaller sailors.

The backrest is adjustable both fore and aft plus angle and there is a choice of low and high backrests and headrests. The seat is instantly removable by drawing 2 pins.

A variety of Velcro straps are also available. Note in the seat mount picture ; under the seat is provision for ballast to bring light weight sailors up to a minimum weight for really equal competition.

The single seat cockpit gives much more side support to those sailors who need this. The boat can also be fitted with electric controls for those sailors with very limited mobility.

Ventilator Stowage Box
The Access Liberty has opened up solo racing sailing to groups of people previously excluded because of a lack of suitable craft and equipment. One of these groups are people who rely on a ventilator for their breathing. We have been successful in enabling such people in their solo sailing by building into the boat a box to stow their ventilator. This is an extra an needs to be specified at the time of ordering as it is built in during manufacture.

A choice of 11 deck colours.
maroon, red, orange, yellow, lime, light blue, Mid blue, dark blue, lilac, pink, jade.


and 11 sail colours
maroon, red, orange, yellow, lime, light blue, dark blue, lilac, pink, jade, white.
This makes for easily distinguishable fleet sailing, which is very useful for safety monitoring and video/photo feedback. Or for your club or sponsors colours to be chosen
Your own special deck colours can also be provided, Just let us know the details and we can usually provide and all at no extra cost !

The Servo Assist System

Access Dinghies Servo Assist controls are generally used to allow people with mobility problems to enjoy the freedom and independence of sailing by themselves, sailing solo. Sailing is one activity where the use of powered equipment serves only to level the field and not give the sailor an advantage. Its use therefore encourages integration and allows previously disadvantaged people to participate, to compete, and to win against others more physically able.


Access Dinghies are extremely easy to sail with servo assist and a severely disabled sailor can be very competitive against anyone. Unfortunately, however efficient servo assist equipment may be, sheet and helm winches will always be mechanical and without feel, and slower than an able bodied person working sheets and joystick manually. But without doubt, its better to be sailing without feel than not sailing at all.


The Liberty system comprises helm winch, mainsheet winch, jib sheet winch, control box, sheet winch selector module, control device (typically a 4-way joystick) and batteries. Generally the main and jib sheet winches work together like on a radio controlled model yacht, but on the Liberty the main or jib can be detached and one of them fine tuned.


We mainly use the 4-way joystick for control which is the basic system, the simplest most reliable and easiest to use. there are a range of other specialist controls available on request.
The System can easily be converted for manual use by disengaging the steering winch clutch and, on the 2.3, by winding out all but a few inches of sheet and then hauling on it by hand, while on the Liberty the sheets are double ended and can be adjusted in either mode.

Summary of Main Features

  • Steered by manual joystick operating twin rudders to maintain helm control when fully healed.
  • Mainsail controlled by a manual mainsheet.
  • Has the option of electric servo-assisted drives to the main and jib sheets and tiller, making it suitable for people with severely reduced mobility.
  • High boom is kept well away from helms head.
  • Jib is self tacking, with a diagonal strut between clew and a claw at the mast which prevents twisting as the sheet is eased.
  • Wide side decking to keep cockpit dry when heeled to extremes.
  • With the seat keeping the helms weight low plus weighted centre board type keel, the boat is virtually uncapsizable.
  • Strong construction with solid bonded hull to deck.
  • Available in many different colours of deck and sail for easily distinguishable fleet sailing, which is very useful for safety monitoring and video/photo feedback.
  • So simple and stable almost anyone can use these boats.
  • Extremely comfortable, nimble and above all great fun.

Specification

Length 3.60 m
Beam 1.35 m
Draft 1.00 m
Weight 163 kg (including 75 kg in keel).

Sail Plan Mainsail & free standing, self tacking Jib

Sail Area
Main 5.60sq m (Reefable to 0.5sq m )
Jib 1.75sq m (full roller reefing)
Total Sail Area 7.35sq m

Masts
Main Unstayed 5.00 m
Jib Unstayed 3.15 m

Seating Single hammock seat
Capacity 120 kg + 30 kg luggage

Controls
Steering Manual joystick. (Servo Assisted steering is available as an optional extra)
Mainsheet Manual. (Servo Assisted Mainsheet is available as an optional extra)
Jib Manual set and self tacking.(Servo Assisted along with the mainsheet servo)
Reefing Manual (hauling line).(This is set before sailing for racing but can be adjusted whilst sailing if cruising)

The Hull Strong GRP construction, solid bonded hull to deck joins. Positive buoyancy.

Note: The Access Liberty has the option of electric servo-assisted drives to the mainsheet, Jib-sheet and tiller, making it suitable for people with severely reduced mobility.

Boat covers and sail socks are available for the Access Liberty and are recommended to keep your boat and sails in pristine condition.

PDF copies of all Access dinghy owners manuals are now available on this website. Go to the Boats section and then to a subpage under the boats section entitled Access Owners Manuals. or click this link to go directly to the page Access Owners Manuals

Specially designed Trailers to enable your club members to join in the Access Traveler events to meet and compete with other Access sailors.

Launch trolley for the Access Liberty

Click this link for Prices, Order Form and VAT Forms

For a PDF leaflet that can be easily printed click this link Access Liberty

If you do not have a PDF reader you can download Adobe Reader free. click this link for the download page Adobe Reader



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