WHO do the DSA take sailing?

Any person with a disability and who wish to simply enjoy participating in a sail with other full members and the volunteer crew. There are no age limits but there is a minimum weight limit of 20 Kgs due to lifejacket specifications. Both our boats are adapted to take wheelchairs and our crews have appropriate training.

How do I become a FULL member?

You will be asked to complete a membership form so that we are fully aware of your personal circumstances.  Once accepted, you will be a FULL member and be added to our membership list. You are then eligible to sail on any mutually convenient date, we regularly send out available sailing dates for you to choose from and we also have an on-line ‘Sail Request’ calendar you can use.  Family and friends can also join as ‘Supporters’ to accompany our full members if space permits, so all can enjoy the sailing experience.

[Please note all sailing is dependent on the weather and may have to be cancelled at short notice]

WHEN does the DSA sail?

The regular sailing season is April to October. and the boats usually sail at 10:30 am and return mid-afternoon or later depending on everyone on board.  The winter months are generally used for crew training and development but we also take full members out for winter sailing if conditions permit.

WHERE does the DSA sail?

Our regular sailing trips take place in and around Torbay. We also arrange longer day-trips to Dartmouth, and occasionally more extended trips, sometimes with overnight stays, to local ports such as the annual fireworks display in Plymouth. We also regularly take part in the Annual Eddystone Challenge Pursuit  and have also taken members on trips to the Channel Islands and France.

What boats do DSA sail?

The DSA currently has TWO Class ‘A’ ocean going yachts.  Our newest boat, “Freedom”, is an 11.5m Beneteau ‘Oceanis’ and our other yacht, “Free Spirit”, is a 10m Hanse.  Both are suitably modified to assist people with disabiliies and all safety equipment is provided.

Who are the crews?

There are a minimum of three crew members on board, ‘Skipper’, ‘Mate” and ‘Crew’ who hold the relevant RYA qualifications and generally have several years’ sailing experience. They are also required to undergo DBS clearance, First Aid training and disability awareness.

How much does it cost to sail?

The DSA do not charge for the sailing trips but we expect people to pay an annual subscription. The DSA is fully dependent on donations to continue to function and all donations are very welcome.

The Disabled Sailing Association (DSA) is an ‘RYA Sailability’ affiliated and approved organisation. We were established as a charity in 2005 by six disabled people who loved sailing at sea and wished to encourage and provide the opportunity to others with a disability to enjoy sailing.

We are a non-profit making organisation, all our management team, administration help and volunteer crew are unpaid volunteers and the organisation is fully reliant on external funding, donations and voluntary contributions.

Currently we have over two hundred regular members with disabilities, providing sailing for all ages with a wide range of life-limiting health issues, up to and including those confined to a wheelchair.  We also work closely with specialist agencies helping those who suffer from issues such as autism, Parkinsons disease, learning difficulties and chronic illness, ensuring they can also enjoy time on the water with us.

We have two modern yachts which fully comply with the required RNLI sea safety checks and recommendations and are specially adapted for people with a range of disabilities. Wheelchair access is provided via a specially designed ramp and makes them accessible for those who have very limited mobility.

Enjoying the fun and freedom of being at sea, handling the boat and the social company of working together in a small team builds confidence, friendships and social skills. As an outdoor activity it promotes a healthier lifestyle and freedom from the usual four walls.

Sailing is a great tradition in Torbay and until the DSA came on the scene many of our disabled members felt excluded from this great activity. Our boats are in a prominent position in the harbour and they are regularly seen by the local community and visitors to Torbay allowing them to see for themselves the ability, and not the disability, of our members.

Our primary objective is to provide the fun and freedom of sailing at sea for anyone with disabilities.  We currently own two specially modified, modern sailing yachts, ‘Free Spirit’ and ‘Freedom’.

Our main summer sailing season runs from April to October, sailing seven days a week when possible.  In 2023 we undertook over three hundred trips carrying a total of over a thousand disabled members and we are advised we are the busiest sail boats in Torquay harbour!

We do continue to sail regularly throughout the winter months, weather permitting. This is primarily for crew training but we will include some of more hardy disabled members if conditions allow.

We utilise RYA qualified volunteer skippers and crew, all with DBS clearance, who are experienced in working with our disabled members to ensure they participate as fully as possible in the seagoing sailing experience.

We encourage and support all our members to take advantage of the range of training courses available to them through our in-house RYA registered training centre. Several of our disabled members have already taken advantage of this service.

For all our disabled members, our regular sailors, those who travel from futher away, the ‘SEND ‘ youngsters and those from the Parkinsons groups and similar, their smiles and thank-you’s at the end of the sail are what the DSA is all about.

The Disabled Sailing Association (DSA) is an ‘RYA Sailability’ affiliated and approved organisation. We were established as a charity in 2005 by six disabled people who loved sailing at sea and wished to encourage and provide the opportunity to others with a disability to enjoy sailing.

We are a non-profit making organisation, all our management team, administration help and volunteer crew are unpaid volunteers and the organisation is fully reliant on external funding, donations and voluntary contributions.

Currently we have over two hundred regular members with disabilities, providing sailing for all ages with a wide range of life-limiting health issues, up to and including those confined to a wheelchair.  We also work closely with specialist agencies helping those who suffer from issues such as autism, Parkinsons disease, learning difficulties and chronic illness, ensuring they can also enjoy time on the water with us.

We have two modern yachts which fully comply with the required RNLI sea safety checks and recommendations and are specially adapted for people with a range of disabilities. Wheelchair access is provided via a specially designed ramp and makes them accessible for those who have very limited mobility.

Enjoying the fun and freedom of being at sea, handling the boat and the social company of working together in a small team builds confidence, friendships and social skills. As an outdoor activity it promotes a healthier lifestyle and freedom from the usual four walls.

Sailing is a great tradition in Torbay and until the DSA came on the scene many of our disabled members felt excluded from this great activity. Our boats are in a prominent position in the harbour and they are regularly seen by the local community and visitors to Torbay allowing them to see for themselves the ability, and not the disability, of our members.