Sailing
Converting wind to joy
Sailing is a great experience converting wind energy to movement, with the water rushing below.
There is no sensation quite like feeling the energy transfer from the sail above your head to the acceleration of the water below your toes - we love it and think you will too.
Never sailed before? - No problem
We love introducing people to the joy of sailing. For us you knowing very little about sailing is an untold pleasure, as we get to be the ones to teach you.
We take a 'sailing is simple' approach to help get you started.
For example if a piece of equipment looks like a stick we will call it a stick - if it needs pushing we will tell you to "push the stick”. Fancy, highly specific vocabulary are great for sounding like a "proper" sailor or communicating exactly what needs to be done while a gale howls around the rigging but does make sailing sound unnecessarily hard. For the time being we would rather just go sailing and control the boat with the “stick”.
You will soon be in control of the boat quickly and sailing for yourself with our help and support.
Sailing - More information
We sail a few types of boat depending on the venues and what you are looking for.
Dinghies are smaller lightweight boats where you can feel and see all of the processes in an immediate and unprocessed way. In dinghies the people in the boat move from side to side to help balance the power with their weight. It is physically possible for a dinghy to fall over - though unlikely. We normally use a powerboat to look after dinghies - you might get a drive of that also. Some dinghy and sailing canoes are adapted to work without the sailor having to move at all.
Yachts are the things that people go on extended adventures in. You can sleep in most of them and they don’t rely on people to move their weight for stability, so are great for those that don’t move well or think they might like to spend multiple days on adventure.
Autism and learning Difficulty
If your party benefits from very exact times and a visual time table - no problem let us know.
If your party needs a quiet and calm environment without strangers - let us know.
Sailing for some can be confusing with lots of stimulation and conflicting information. In this instance, we will design the day around the experience and perhaps spend time in the powerboat if things get a bit much.
Mobility aid users
We have 4 types of sailing boats and lots of options for people with mobility needs.
We can enable you to sail in so many ways it's easier to talk about the different ways in context with the individual sailing boats.
You can sit in: your chair, sea pig, an all-round supportive seat (canoe sailing), an active movement seat (sea pig, yacht and canoe sailing) a seat with a backrest (Sea Pig, yacht and canoe sailing) or no backrest at all but a handle for balance (Arathusa)
Read more
You can access the sailboats via; self-transfer with transfer stools or slide board (canoe sailing or sea pig), manual lifting slings (canoe sail), hoisting (sea pig, some yachts and canoe sailing) or just a helping hand to balance.
Mobility ranges from diving side to side (Arathusa), to Bum shuffling along with a slide board (Seapig) to remaining in a fixed position (Sea Pig, Canoe sailing, yacht sailing)
The likelihood of going for a swim ranges as well from the quite likely (yacht sailing) to the "it is unusual” (Canoe saling) to near impossible (Sea Pig and yacht sailing).
Visual impairments
Sailing works well for visually impaired adventurers. Most great sailors operate by touch and feel.
A boat can operate with a completely visually impaired team with minimal external input.
Using radios on the boats allows the team to keep close audible support without shouting.
Auditory Impairment
We can include those with audio impairments via high quality and needs aware instructors.
By arrangement we can often source an assistant instrutor with a knowledge of BSL.
We possess a bank of 2-way radios we utilise to help those with reduced hearing to understand instructions and communicate. These can output directly to earpieces or T-loop compatible hearing aids
Fast Dingy Sailing
Omega Sailing is a fast physical style of sailing.
She is our only boat that you expect to end up swimming as part of the experience.
Fantastic for those that want a wilder adventure but perhaps benefit from an onboard instrutor doing the majority of the steering.
Those with a sensory imparement may find this the most fun - steering the boat is arguably the least involved job on a baot like this.
Canoe Sailing
Not many people know that Canoes can be sailed.
Which is a shame they are super simple, brilleintly. nippy and exceiillerating.
These are solo boats just you the wind and the lake. (and a powerfull safety boat, experienced instuctor and direct radio communication)
We love. them for all this but also they are brilliently accessible. You can board from the shore or powerboat which is great for people with mobility or balance imparements.
Seapig Adventure sailing boat
SeaPig is an accessible adventure dream boat.
She’s quick, exciting and thouroghly desingned to make sailing fun and adventurous.
We love that SeaPig is super stable more so than many yachts.
She is the darling of those with mobility imparements particularly because she’s super easy to get into and sail.
Mostly she lives on Winderemere but can travel to other venues like Loch Lomond.
Yacht Sailing
The full yachting experience
Coastal trips take place along the stunning west coast of Scotland
Travel by sail throughout the islands and inlets
Arrival at Oban or Ardrossan train stations for transfer to boat
All inclusive package with food, accommodation, equipment and instruction provided.
A fantastic introduction to the sport or supported adventure for those with some experience
Canoe Sailing
Have a go of sailing in a lively little boat
The day starts with building your own boat so you slowly get to learn what each bit does and how to use it an a chilled out environment.
Then after making sure everyone is comfaratable and has suitable seating and supoprt before setting off for our first experience. We tow you to a nice quiest and low stress bit of the lake before settig you off.
People mostly go solo but there is space for a friend, carere or helper in the boat for those that would benefit from the help. You’re not fully on your own though our nippy powerboat does sheepdog duties while the instructor gives guidance via easy to hear onboard walkie talkies.
After a hearty lunch and reflection on the moringing, its time to get back out there, this time armed with a bit more knowlegde and techiue to see if you can sail a triangualr course - your first sailing milestone.
Fast Dinghy Sailing
Our Omega is a fantastic boat for a wet and wild adventure.
Set out like a racing boat she is desinged to teach fast saling technique on a boat that is hard to break.
If your looking for a physical, busy experiecne of sailing give us a call.
We don’t book this one without chatting it through first with guests.
Sea Pig tiny yacht adventures
Sea Pig is a Swallow Yachts Bay Raider Expedition
She has a huge cockpit for 5 guests, she has been adapted to facilitate a huge range of people with specific needs.
Sea Pig is water balasted making her super stable which gives us unrivaled flexibility to do great stuff like; long journeys on the lake, learning to sail weekends, sailing camp outs or Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions.
She has upto 4 sails flying at one time so there is no shortage for things to do, to keep the crew busy.
Try Yacht Sailing on Windermere
We make yacht sailing accessible to a huge range of people with specific needs. The boats themselves are not adapted in any way but with some clever kit and techniques we can improve the access and make it possible for most.
The point is of course to be on the open sea but testing the systems and having a go makes sense on Winderemere.
We have techniques for hoist access, mechanical help with winching and ways of moving around below.
Coastal Sailing Mobility Edition
One of the best sailing spots in the world is just across the border
On a much larger boat than the other products (typically 40ft) this is an extended sailing experience over several days. Living and working together as a team or family, it’s a great way to spend time together while exploring the most beautiful stretches of Western Scotland.
The mobility edition focuses on the needs of those with specicfic mobility disabliltes: extra time is built in for transfers, ports are selected for their accesiblity features and nights are spent in marinas with good facilities.
Expect to experience stunning sunsets, wild life, amazing remote anchorages and possibly a distillery or two (depending on weather and plans).
You are cared for by the Skipper and 1st mate who help keep the boat running smoothly, but its also hands on for the crew with both boat handling and daily living (including washing up!).
Coastal Sailing
Coastal Sailing with more remote living
This edition is focused on the needs and asperations of those that the mobility edition does not favour.
This edition expects to live aboard the boat for overnights at anchor or mooring in remote venues.
Scotland is home to the most majestic coastline and sailing is the ultimate way to explore a harmony of wind, water, tide and land.
This may be benificail for those who may like to focus on the single environment of the boat or may find moving around the marina environment stressfull or difficult.
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