“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats”
Kenneth Grahame, Wind in the Willows
Accessible Boating Thames is a charity based at Bisham Abbey near Marlow that provides opportunities for people with all types of disability to go sailing on the River Thames.
We sail on the stretch of water from Marlow Bridge up to Temple Lock.
Sessions are normally 2 hours long (on the water) and both morning and afternoon sessions are available both on weekdays and Sundays.
Our NEO 495 small keel-boat which allows two crew to sit side by side facing forwards steering the boat using a joystick. Because of the weight of the keel the crew do not have to move to balance the boat so it is suitable for people with limited movement.
This is an ideal boat for beginners, visually impaired and those that just enjoy a sail buddied by a volunteer, as well as experienced sailors who enjoy sailing with company.
With it’s high aspect rig and slim hull it has considerable performance.
There is a ramp from the top level to the floating pontoon which is equipped with a hoist to enable easy transfers into and out of the sailing boats helped by our friendly volunteers.
Buoyancy aids/life jackets are provided and each session is covered by a safety boat.
For the more experienced sailors who are able to sail single handed we have two 2.4M single handed keelboats.
These boats have similar arrangements to the NEO with a forward facing seating position and joystick. These boats were used as the official single-crew class boat of the Paralympics from 2000 – 2016 and offer an impressive performance.
To sail these requires an RYA sailing certificate. Training is available from Bisham Abbey Sailing School who host our activities.
