Canoe Sail Loch Lomond
By arrangement
Sheet in and smile
There is an amazing feeling that you get with the pull of the wind presses the float into the water and the boat kicks up its heels and scoots off accross the water. Elemental, joyous and exillerating.
The UK’s Largest body of water
Loch Lomond should be the sea if it wasn't for a few geological occurances - just look at it on the map you can literally walk to the sea at Tarbet (which translates as a place to portage boats).
No need to be a sailing guru
We’re here to teach and support you from our powerboat “Freedom” There probably cannot be a more beautiful sailing classroom for a nippy light boat
Canoe Sailing is super inclusive
We pioneered canoe sailing as an excellent example of how with some thought sailing can be super low tech, go anywhere and inclusive of people with a huge range of needs. We can use any beach, do on land transfers and even pull the sailing canoe inside the powerboat to make on water adjustments.
An elemental conversion of wind to joy
Canoe Sailing - lightweight, fast and independent
We love canoe sailing we love Scotland all the ingredients for a very special day indeed.
We meet at the South end of the loch at Balloch (easy access by train). And move from there by (wheelchair accessible) powerboat to our teaching spot. And begin with a briefing about how to rig and sail your boat. For some, this will be a refresher and for others the first time they have been shown the ropes.
Important canoe sail Loch Lomond Info
Dates and Costs
1 Days Adventure on the Lake
Meet: Balloch Train Station 9 AM 19th July 2023
or
Depart: 10 AM on 19th July 2023 at Duncan Mills Memorial SlipwayDepart : 4pm Duncan Mills Slipway
What is included?
We supply all your equipment, launch fees, waterproofs and lunch
Lunch Included
All technical equipment
British qualified Sailing Instructor
What do we actually do
Brush up your Sailing skills
Paddle the most sung about Loch in Scotland
Glyde around the beutiful islands and remote inlets
Have a laugh as a friendly welcoming group of like-minded people
Supportive Seating
Because canoe sailing is forward facing you can sit in a suportive seat to sail, these vary from a bit of back support to a high backed lateral support seat
Lead back controlls
Rather than have people move to the sail controlls the ropes are lead back to a control board (in two of the canoes) so that everything is in reach for general sailing
Making Canoe Sailing Inclusive
How we adapt canoe sailing to your needs
We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.
Loos during the day
We sail from our base island with built-accessible loos on the island - so you can go before. Whilst out and about we can carry portable loo and privacy shelter that can be set up in all manner of places including inside the support boat itself and wherever we have lunch in less than 10 minutes. Often though we transfer back into the powerboat, anchor the canoes and blast black to the base.
Freedom the drop front powerboat
Our drop-front powerboat makes canoe sailing possible for people in so many ways. Self-transferring sailors can transfer in and out of the boat by pulling the canoe inside the boat. This means we can launch from anywhere the boat can get to and we can get off the canoes no matter what the environment.
We can wizz to good sailing areas and guarantee that we can make it back to the launch points and camping spots.
We can rescue you from the water with minimal impact on your body by essentially floating aboard and then raising the floor.
We can come over to help with an awkward sail or stuck rope.
Radio Guidance
The radios in each boat make it easy to communicate, to be able to hear what's going on and avoids unnecessary shouting.
Making camping Inclusive
How we adapt camping to your needs
We can't list everything here but below is a summary of our top enablement tools.
Loos in the evening
Built composting loos with a large turning circle and bars on the left up a challenging boardwalk with a resting point half way. At night we can pitch our privacy shelter and portable in amongst the tents
Tipi tents
We have big lightweight tipi tents they allow chair users to wheel inside and have loads of head room and manoeuvring space to get positioned right
Raised beds or floor sleeping
We can sleep on a raised bed facilitating easy transfers or floor sleeping. For floor sleeping, we have tiered transfer stools to aid the changing of heights. Inflatable mats and an extra large inflatable mat for people with back problems.
Raised cooking and fires
We have raised fires and tables for the stoves to enable people to reach and take part in the cooking and fire lighting. The fires are special wood gas stoves that direct most heat upwards protecting low-sensation legs and wheelchairs.
The stoves also help prevent accidents as its hard to actually touch the really hot stuff
Canoe Sail Loch Lomond Accessibility
Vision
Suitable for people able to navigate short stretches of rough ground unaided and longer walks with assistance
We are well staffed for this trip, a lot of help is available for support both on and off activity time
Or
Come with an adventure buddy
Or
Arrange an Anyone Can volunteer guide
Cognition
Suitable for those able to self manage without dedicated support or with a dedicated carer
We will help with meals, reminding about medications etc
Participants should be capable of understanding and acting appropriately around at the water's edge without constant supervision
Or
Come with an adventure buddy
Mobility
The trip is possible for walking aid users.
Regular transfers are required.
Normally these are between a good quality, level, floating platform and a canoePeople who use wheelchairs (essential users)
This trip is possible for an adventurous wheelchair user who can self transfer and bum shuffle (we bring a motorboat as support)
We have a portable toilet and privacy tent with portable handrails
Auditory
Suitable for people with most auditory impairments that do not require signing to communicate
A BSL assistant instructor is occasionally available
We have radios and Tloop transmission units to aid hearing when seperated in differing boats
Or
Come with an adventure buddy
Or
Arrange an Anyone Can volunteer guide
Questions?
The how do I get there?From London by rail
Hop on the Caladonian Sleeper and snuggle up. You will wake up in Glasgow on the morning - 1 stop on the Glasgow underground and hop on Balloch train
TOP TIP look at buying a Glasgow return ticket separately which are often much cheaper and then buy singles onwards
Or
Travel up during the day before, stay overnight in Glasgow and get the Balloch train the next day.
Other places by rail
Any rail route that arrives in Glasgow is easy. Glasgow is the Northern terminal of the West Coast main line and Edinburgh (50mins from Glasgow) is similarly the head of the East Coast mainline. This means that most of the UK is in easy reach of a train going the right way.
By Air
Fly into Glasgow City (Belfast, Bristol, London, Birmingham, Manchester) one train to Centre then another to Balloch
Sounds great - let's do it
Open booking formI’ve got more questions
Ask a question or call usWe love questions, please pop anything you would like to know here and we will get back to you asap
or give us a call on 01539 310041
or drop us an email on info@anyoncan.uk
Not quite right, need different dates, want control of the itinerary or want to save money by filling your own trip?
We love commissions, requests for alternate dates and requests to make specific adaptions - in fact, we would not exist without them.
So please, if you like what you read but it's not quite there or you want something different, do get in touch and we look forward to hearing from you.
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European Start up Funded
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Anyone Can: Connecting Transport Hubs to Lake Shores - Accessible Canoeing
Purchase of an accessible powered support and rescue vessel, and a mobile fleet of canoes with trailer
It is part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development
Supported by the Cumbria Fells and Dales Local Action Group
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