Latest news from Roger Marsden
DART SAILABLITY GROUP PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Roger Marsden
Publicity Officer Dart Sailability Group
07785 901066 publicity@dartsailability.org.
Issued: 2 March 2018. For immediate release.
SINGLE HANDED SAILORS USUALLY HAVE TWO FUNCTIONING HANDS!
But not Keith White, single handed solo yachtsman.
The volunteers and sailors at Dart Sailability are busy preparing for the start of their new sailing season in May. Dart Sailability, based at Premier's Noss marina on the Kingswear side of the river Dart and now in its twentieth year, is a charity that enhances the lives of people with disabilities and their families through sailing.
Their year’s fund raising activities are launched on Monday 26th March at 7:30pm in Galmpton Village Institute where disabled sailor and Dart Sailability member Keith White will be relating his adventures during his solo sail around Britain and Ireland in 2017. He will also talk about sailing solo across the Atlantic, his attempt at a solo and single handed global circumnavigation in 2015 and about his time running supplies to the Pirate Radio station Radio Caroline. Tickets, £5 each, are available by emailing fundraising@dartsailability.org or calling 07775 845425.
During the winter, to accommodate the imminent and extensive redevelopment at Noss, Sailability have moved into a new storage and maintenance facility generously provided by Premier Marinas. Despite the inclement weather and relocation winter activities have included the refit of sixteen power boats, keel boats and dinghies, the servicing and inspection of over 100 life jackets, the installation of a new pontoon hoist to improve access to the sailing dinghies, and enhancements to the dinghies themselves to further improve their performance, safety and ease of handling by sailors with disabilities.
Following inspection Dart Sailability has retained its position as a Royal Yachting Association Sailability Centre of Excellence and been re-validated as an RYA training centre. As well as their labours on equipment fifteen volunteers have found time to train and qualify as RYA certified first aiders and four volunteers have become RYA keel boat instructors. These additional resources mean that Sailability is better placed than ever to welcome new sailors and volunteers.
Further information is available on the dartsailability.org website.