Adapted boats bring accessible sailing to Norfolk
Image caption,
The floating pontoon has a hoist at the end, meaning people with mobility issues can safely get into the boat
Clare Worden
BBC News
Reporting from
Snettisham Beach
-
Published
10 September 2024
A Norfolk sailing club has invested thousands of pounds in accessible boats and equipment to allow people with a wide range of abilities to take to the water.
People with mobility issues will be able to get into the two vessels using a new pontoon which has a hoist built into it.
Snettisham Beach Sailing Club has invested £27,000 in the facilities, which are the first of their kind in the county.
Accessible sailing sessions will start in April 2025, but volunteers are needed to start training now.
Image caption,
Alex Hawtin enjoys sailing so much he has become an instructor at the club
Adrian Tebbutt is the commodore at the club and is managing its accessible sailing programme.
"There are no facilities like this within a 50-mile radius," he said.
"There are a lot of people who will now be able to access the water [...]