Access Dinghy

The Access Dinghy classes were designed in Australia and specifically for the disabled sailor and proved an instant success. They have been adopted by Frensham Pond Sailability which has 15 Access dinghies, both two-person and single-person versions.

The two-person 303 dinghies are perfect for introducing newcomers with a disability to sailing and, after a few hours, most can progress to sailing independently in the very simple 2.3 single sail boat. For the sailor with less mobility, the single-person 2.3 boat can be sailed with electrically powered controls to the tiller and the mainsheet via a joystick.

Those with a competitive streak can take part in racing which is organised both at Frensham Pond, mostly on Thursday afternoons, and around the UK during the summer season. There is also a 2-day National Championship every year, and Frensham sailors have won the Championship in both the 2.3 and 303 classes in recent years.

In June 2010, the World Championships will take place at Rutland Water in the East Midlands, and many Frensham sailors are expected to take part.

There is more information on the Access class website: http://www.accessclass.org.uk