A Boost for RYA Sailability 

Disabled sailing, and particularly the RYA Sailability programme, has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years and at present there are around 25,000 disabled sailors regularly participating in the sport.

When you bear in mind that there were about 16,000 in 2007 you realise the inroads being made and this Autumn has given disabled sailors even more reasons to be buoyant.

Fundraising evening 

Those in the know will be aware that RYA Sailability is a charity and therefore fundraising is absolutely vital. With this in mind, Sailability did it in style at a glamorous fundraising evening in London on November 27.

Hosted by Coutts Bank, with HRH Princess Anne and the 2008 Paralympians as guests of honour, the evening raised over £35,000 which will be split between grants for the purchase of specially adapted boats and the disability racing development programme.  

Special guests were Skandia Team GBR’s SKUD world champions Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell who recently returned from the IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships in Athens with Gold.  

Alexandra Rickham said: "RYA Sailability provides fantastic support at the grass roots club level in getting disabled people to try sailing and experience the sort of exhilaration and freedom that they don't always get on their own.

"Now Sailability is starting to help train up the potentials for the 2012 Paralympics here in the UK and for Rio in 2016 after that....perhaps Niki and I had better look out!"  

The Impossible Dream

Beyond this, one man who is showing the way for disabled sailors the world over is Geoff Holt. Not satisfied with sailing around Britain Singlehanded, quadriplegic Geoff is planning to cross the Atlantic on his new 60ft catamaran Impossible Dream.

If you fancy a sneak peek behind the scenes on board Impossible Dream, check out the Sailability TV footage which will be posted on December 5. 

Geoff, an Ambassador for RYA Sailability, will be embarking on his challenge in December 2009.  The 3,000 mile journey will take him up to a month to complete, across some of the most hostile waters in the world.  

To follow Geoff’s progress visit his website.