If you participate in sailing then you may be interested to read that the SV Tenacious, the world’s biggest utilized tall sailing ship made of wood, has recently completed a sailing trip from the UK to Australia. The 65 metre long vessel that weighs 586 tonnes set off from Southampton back in November last year and nine months later, in July 2016, arrived in Sydney, Australia – a distance of 18,000 miles. It is now on a year long tour around the coast of Australia.
One thing that is particularly interesting about this vessel is that it can be crewed by people with disabilities as well as those without a disability. The tall ship with 21 sails that cover an area of 1200 square metres was built for the Jubilee Sailing Trust and was launched back in 2000. 65% of the funding to build the vessel came from the National Lottery.
It has some features that are for the benefit of disabled people who sail it including those in wheelchairs. For instance, the decks are wide and flat making it easy to get around the ship. To get between the decks there are wheel chair lifts. It has a speaking compass that will make it easier for those that are say partially sighted and a hearing loop for those that have hearing difficulties. For those people who are not particularly strong, the hydraulic power assisted steering no doubt proves invaluable. Some of the toilets and showers are designed with the severely disabled in mind. It has a mess room, bar, bunks and some cabins that are suitable for disabled people.
It has a professional crew of 7 supported by a number of volunteers who are experienced sailors. 40 guest crew are permitted on a voyage of whom 8 can be wheelchair users.
So, if you are interested in going on a voyage on the SV Tenacious at some point in the future, why not get in touch with the Jubilee Trust.
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