The Disabled Sailing Association has two boats in active service, both berthed in Torquay harbour just at the end of the entrance ramp to the Town Dock.

‘Freedom'

Our newest boat was purchased following extensive fund-raising efforts by our members and helped by the sale of our original ‘Freedom’. ‘Freedom’ is a brand new ‘A’ class Beneteau ‘Oceanis’ 38.1. Noticeably bigger than both ‘Free Spirit’ and her predecessor, she offers increased cockpit space for more guests and crew than we could previously accommodate as well as being significantly more spacious below decks.

‘Free Spirit’ was a brand new ‘A’ class Hanse 345 in 2015, capable of crossing the Atlantic. She is also adapted for disabled use by the addition of a swim platform at the stern that allows less mobile people and wheelchairs to get on the boat easily. She also has twin steering wheels so that a disabled guest can steer under the supervision of a volunteer crew member. Again she also has extra grab rails in the cabin and fittings on the deck for wheelchair clamps. Her sailing rig was set up to simplify manoeuvring with a self-tacking jib and lines brought back to the cockpit.