We welcome sailors of all ages and cater for a wide range of disabilities including autism, physical health conditions, sensory difficulties, amputees, stroke victims, moderate and severe learning disabilities, diabetics, and mental health conditions. Some of our sailors attend alone, while others are accompanied by family members, carers, partners, friends or as a group from a school, college, care home or social group such as Mencap.
Our fleet of access dinghies and KataKanus are specially designed to meet our sailors' needs. They can be further adapted for the individual needs of sailors, enabling them to enjoy an experience on the water despite their disability. Details on our fleet and accessibility arrangements are listed below in the Boats and Equipment section.
Generally a sailor will sail with one of our volunteers, but depending on the consent of the session leader a family member or support worker is able to join in on the fun. After some practice many sailors are able to sail the aquadrome on their own. At least one safety boat will be in the water during each session to provide support and give our sailors confidence on the water.
Register to sail
We offer annual individual, family, and group memberships.
- Individual membership - £40 - Includes sailor and carer, personal assistant, or family member.
- Family membership - £55 - Includes sailor and up to three family members.
- Group membership - £75 group fee & £40 per seat - No charge for accompanying carers or personal assistants.
To apply to sail with us please complete the appropriate form after reading our disclaimer.
Please also note the following:
- Each individual sailor's weight cannot exceed 127kg or 20st.
- Disabled sailors are given priority when boats are allocated over any participating family members. There may be times where members of the family cannot sail with their family membership.
Boats and Equipment
Our boats and equipment are specially designed to meet the accessibility needs of our sailors. If you have any questions regarding the boats, equipment, or accessibility infrastructure please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Access Dinghies
Access dinghies are very robust and stable sailing boats. They have heavy fixed keels and these, along with the hull design, mean the boats do not capsize as ordinary sailing dinghies do. The boats are very easy to sail - they have a joystick control (not a tiller handle) and you steer left to go left and right to go right. We find that our sailors rapidly learn basic boat control. Many sailors can master the basics in one session ...but to sail these boats well takes a lot of practice and skill.
We have 14 access dinghies, 13 of which have double seats allowing a sailor to sail with a buddy while 1 is a single seat boat. The boats can accommodate different types of seats to meet individual needs.
KataKanus
KataKanus are large and stable 6-seat boats with a trampoline between the hulls. This means a sailor can lie on the trampoline and experience the water in a different and an exciting way. Seats can be modified to meet individual needs.
Katakanus are great for families and groups. Learn more about KataKanus.
Access
When required we have the facility to hoist sailors, who may otherwise struggle, in and out of a boat. We also have the use of slider boards to assist with entering a boat.
Slings
CVSS has a small supply of slings which we use to hoist people into boats and katakanus. These slings are graded by size and the sailor/personal assistant will be asked for advice on the appropriate size.
However, if a sailor has their own sling we would prefer to use them. Please bring it along.
Buoyancy Aids
We provide a range of Buoyancy Aids of all sizes . All visitors to the lake, be it sailors or carers, are asked to wear a buoyancy aid at all times.
Katakanu Certificate of Achievement
The purpose of this scheme is to extend the skills of CVSS paddlers and to record their achievements. It is open to CVSS paddlers of all ages.
The preparation and assessing of a paddler's achievement will be carried out within normal paddling sessions. We expect much of the teaching and assessing to be carried out by the paddler’s supporters or assistants with guidance from CVSS. As the paddler's technical skills progress, CVSS will offer more advice.
We would like to thank the Canoe Foundation who sponsored the development of this scheme through the award made to CVSS in Summer 2013.
The Katakanu Skills Development Scheme information sheet and Katakanu Record of Acheivement Form can be found in the Information section of our Document Library.
RYA Sailability Certificate of Achievement Scheme
The main purpose of this scheme is to enable people with a learning disability to achieve set tasks in sailing, and to be rewarded for that achievement.
Learn more about the RYA Sailability: Certificate of Achievement Scheme please contact the Secretary or view the New Sailors page on the RYA's website.
Safety & Safeguarding
The safety of everyone is of prime importance at all times. CVSS has the use of BLYM's Safety Boats to help and assist when necessary when out on the water. This makes it possible for sailors with all levels of experience to get out on the water under instruction and in confidence of their safety.
All volunteers over the age of 16 are required to have a current DBS, and as an additional safeguard, we use the annual update service.
At the start of each season all volunteers take part in safety and safeguarding training as part of a training day when they are reminded of the importance of safety and safeguarding and the policies and procedures.
All leaders undergo additional safety and safeguarding training. If you have any questions or concern, please contact our Safety and Safeguarding Trustee
Our Safety Regulations detail the site safety, accident and fire procedures, safety procedures and precautions.
Our Safeguarding Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection covers photography/filming policy, DBS policy, how minimise risk, and details events which would bring the C/VA/YV procedures into action.