Grafham
Water Sailability is a charity based at Grafham
Water in Cambridgeshire. Our objective is simply to enable people with many
types of disability to experience the thrill of sailing.
Our members can enjoy accompanied leisure sailing or going solo in our
Challenger trimarans and even competitive racing.
Many of our sailors are wheelchair users or have other disabilities.
Some members have learning disabilities and some are
visually or hearing impaired. Out on the lake everyone sails on equal terms and disability is no
bar.
See a video
interviews with our sailors. Click
here.
These interviews with two of our
most recent sailors to go solo in our Challenger trimarans give
powerful testimony to what we do here at Grafham Water Sailability. This
video has been shared on Facebook by sailing clubs and Sailability groups
throughout Britain and Ireland.
We welcome
new members with disabilities - and helpers, even if
you have never been
sailing before. We also welcome new associate members - our hard working
supporters without whom we
wouldn't get afloat.
Scroll down this page to the Contact section, send us an email then come along
and meet us. Your first visit and maybe a trial sail is completely free
and without obligation. After that you can apply for membership of our friendly and welcoming club.
Our full membership fee is just £30 for a whole year - incredible value
compared to most sailing clubs. There are no additional charges.
The 2019 Sailing
Season starts on the first Thursday of April. Sailing starts at 1.00 p.m. and
finishes around 4.30 p.m. every Thursday between April and October. All sailing is, of course, subject to the
weather which is assessed at the start of each session.
Scroll down to the online information files link for our 2019 club calendar.
Our Fleet Of
Boats includes twelve Challenger trimarans which can be sailed solo or
with an accompanying sailing buddy-instructor, two
Hobie Tandem Mirage trimarans and a Drascombe Longboat which can
accommodate a group of six plus our skipper and first mate. We also have our own fully equipped
Safety Boat and a coaching RIB..
So whether you're
interested in racing or relaxed sailing come
along and meet us. You may be surprised by how much we have to offer.
You can support
GWS with a donation via our MyDonate page. Click on the link at the head of this page.
There are no fees or commission charged by MyDonate.
Download our
online information files by
clicking here.
Contact
us
by clicking on this email link then come
along and meet us:
Email
Enquiries
Grafham
Water Sailability
Grafham Water Centre,
Off Chichester Way,
Perry,
Huntingdon,
Cambridgeshire PE28 0GW
For a Google location map
click
here
and key
in PE28 0GW
We are located at the 'A' symbol, by the waterside at Grafham Water Centre
Grafham Water Sailability is a Registered
Charity, No
1116917
Thank You Judi -
Judi
Figgures M.B.E. It was with immense
sadness that in November 2017 we announced the death of our co-founder Judi Figgures M.B.E.
We have recently named our latest new Challenger in her honour - 'Judi'.
Both will be with us for many years to come.
Fundraising
Gratefully Received - Grafham Water Sailability obtains
funding through the efforts of its own members and our Rotary supporters.
We receive no funding from statutory bodies. We offer thanks to many
organisations, including £300 recently donated for a new boat cover by
Ridgeons, the Cambridgeshire Builders Merchants.
Online
GWS Information Files:
Download GWS
Calendar 2019
Download Membership
Application Form
Download Notes On Challenger Sailing
Download GWSC
Signal Flags
Download Essential
Guidance for GWS Sailors and their Carers
Download
GWS
Safety and Operating Procedures
Our GWS Policy
Documents:
Download GWS
Protection Policy
Download GWS
Equal Opportunities Policy
Download GWS
Data Privacy Policy
Download GWS
Risk Management Plan
Download GWS
Bullying and Harassment Policy
Download GWS
Dog Policy
GWS PICTURE GALLERY
GWS Sailing Secretary Pauline Shaw chatting to H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh
during his visit on 25th May 2016 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of Grafham Water reservoir. Prince Philip also met other GWS personnel and showed great interest in our members and our boats.
A selection of pictures from our 2014 David Campbell Memorial Race. This was the race's fourth outing and traditionally takes in the water tower in the north-west of the lake, one of David's favourite routes. These photographs are by Marcia Carpenter.
Some
of our Rotary supporters and our sailors -
