After finishing 2018 as Blind Fleet Racing World Champions, January’s training weekend the sailors s

January and February training weekend, sore ten visually impaired sailors embark on their selection process, thanks to Hollingsworth Lake Sailing Club kindly opening their doors to the charity providing a great winter base. The sailors took to the water in dinghies having great fun as the breeze was up both weekends, verifying their training ashore, sailing setting and basic match racing rules. The charity has developed their training in Match Racing as, unlike the fleet racing, the sighted sailors are taken off at 7 minutes and the sailors use acoustic sound to race each other around the course.

January’s training we welcomed Ryan and his family. Ryan is deaf and visually impaired, but it was great to use the Comfort audio loop system we have been using and see a young sailor smile and sail at a new level working and communicating in a team. It is true to say that water and sailing can take away the struggles of the day and, using our other senses of feeling the breeze and the boat, all can enjoy the water.

Our thanks go to the club in opening their doors to the charity and also their kind yearly donation. It is also our thanks to Vice Commodore David Fisher who volunteered all weekend making the team hot meals certainly made our training.

It was also a great chance for Lucy Hodges MBE, Commodore of Blind Sailing, to share the donation made by the members of Superyacht UK for £2,520.