DISABLED SAILING - SAILABILITY

RYA Sailability is the national organising charity for disabled sailing.   It aims to encourage active participation by people with disabilities in the sailing community.

Membership is open to anyone who shares its aims and BTYC is an RYA Foundation Sailability centre.   This means that we want to make BTYC a club which is accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities and where they can take part in a full range of sailing activities and club social events.   We have re-developed the clubhouse and launching area to improve access and facilities for the disabled.

We have 2 Challenger trimarans which are specially designed for sailing solo by people with limited lower body movement.   They are fast, exciting and stable (in medium to light winds).   They are suitable for a beginner with an instructor or an intermediate /expert on his/her own.

The Challengers are regularly sailed on Thursday evenings, and at other times by arrangement.

If you have a disability and are interested in any of the above activities and would like to discuss these with someone please contact Mahmood, Sailability contact, by click to email

We have members who are visually impaired and with other disabilities.   One young member, David Morse (see below), is in the paralympic race-training programme.

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Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show sponsor David Morse’s Paralympic Bid

BTYC member, 17 year-old , David Morse suffers from the rare condition Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita which limits the use of his lower limbs.   In spite of this, David has already had a successful sailing career, starting at Barnet Youth Base in North West London when he was nine.   David then joined BTYC Sailsports and sailed the Challenger trimaran – a fast but stable boat specifically designed for people with physical constraints.

David has secured sponsorship from the Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show and had his own stand at the show in 2007 to launch his 2012 Paralympic campaign.

James Brooke, Managing Director of the Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show said, “David is an inspirational young man and we are delighted to be able to support him in his quest to take part in the 2012 London Paralympic Games.”

David symbolises all that is positive in disabled sailing and proves how hard work and dedication can achieve great results.   He is incredibly focused and there is no stopping him!

David joined the Challenger Class Association and began racing the BTYC Challenger donated by ECI Partners, quickly moving from Bronze Class to Silver Class.   He competed in the London Regatta at Greenwich, in the new Artemis 20, coming in a very respectable Second!   David has also competed in the International Multihull Championships in 2007 and 2008 and has been selected for the Challenger Transition Squad (a pre-Paralympic training squad).   He has also completed his first personal challenge - sailing single-handed across the Solent.