Belfast Lough Sailability

Belfast Lough Sailability: putting the ability into sailing

If you were in or around the Carrickfergus town hall on Tuesday, April 9^th you may have noticed a little sailing boat.  This is one of Belfast Lough Sailability’s access dinghies. Belfast Lough Sailability gives an opportunity to people with disabilities to try their hand at sailing.  Their special access dinghies are so stable it is virtually impossible to overturn them. 

  The group has been operating since 2002. It has two 19foot Squib dinghies and three access dinghies in its fleet. Two of these were acquired just before Christmas 2007.

  The access dinghy is designed to accommodate any disabled person.  The boat is lifted in and out of the water after each session. Sailors sit low in the centre of the boat rather than by leaning over the side. A donation from Comic Relief and continuing support from the Northern Ireland RYA enabled the group to buy the two most recent acquisitions.

  I spoke to Bill Foster, the Chairman of Belfast Lough Sailability last week.  He’s very ambitious. He is already talking about raising a team for the Paralympics in 2012. 

  Bill sails despite his blindness. As he puts on his welcome letter on the group’s website:

‘I had been sailing about ten years when I discovered I was losing my sight, what a blow; but I was determined to carry on as long as I could. Then I discovered that there were blind people out sailing, I was not alone. There were other daft people like myself out there. Then I discovered that there are lots of disabled people who have sailed as individuals. There are people with limbs missing, spinal problems, learning difficulties, blind people the list is endless. If you have the will to try you probably will succeed.’

  The group is keen to gain new members.  Now that we are well and truly into Spring and what we hope will be calmer weather, they hope to be out on the lough every chance they get. If you’ve ever fancied a life on the ocean wave, but ruled yourself out because of injury or disability you can think again.  There’s a place for you with Belfast Lough Sailability.  Between Easter and the end of September, you can see the brightly coloured sails every Sunday between 10:00am and 2:00pm around the ramp opposite the Carrick marina building.

 Find out more by checking out www.belfastloughsailability.org.uk, by email to info@belfastloughsailability.org.uk, or by old fashioned snail mail to Mrs Rosy Meadow, Honorary Secretary,Belfast Lough Sailability, Carrickfergus Waterfront, The Marina, 3 Rodgers Quay, Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, BT38 8BE.