V17 for FS Bulwark Navy Cadets
FS Bulwark Navy Cadet Force held an official launch for their V17 on 8 April. The new boat will enable children and young cadets with any type of physical or cognitive disability to take part in water-based activities from their unit’s HQ and, for the very first time, offer equal opportunity for all. The new boat is named ‘Lilibet’ after the late Queen, a name unanimously voted for by the cadets and their parents.
Over 100 people, including excited cadets, proud parents and local dignitaries, all gathered on the banks of the River Soar to watch her take her maiden voyage. Leicestershire’s Deputy Lord Lieutenant Lt Col David Young TD DL cut a ceremonial ribbon and gave a short speech to officially launch the new boat, before the cadets set sail in the sunshine for an afternoon on the river.
Derry Hand, FS Bulwark’s Chairman of Trustees, said: “We have long wanted an accessible powerboat and are thrilled that our unit can now provide equal opportunities and experiences to everyone, but especially those who may not have previously had the chance. Now, any disabled child or young cadet can enjoy and explore the River Soar alongside their able-bodied cadets using our new Wheelyboat, which is an immensely exciting prospect. FS Bulwark is a very community orientated unit, and there are many other groups nearby which I’m sure will benefit from using our Wheelyboat too. We’re looking forward to seeing our cadets, and others, enjoying the water this summer in a way that wasn’t previously possible.”
Acquiring the V17 has been made possible thanks to the generous support from NL Community Fund, The Big Give/Hospital Saturday Fund, Green Hall Foundation, Middlesex Sports Foundation, TS Shipman Charitable Trust, Leicestershire Masons, East Midlands Airport, GE Ellis Foundation, Star Trust, Canal & River Trust, Alpkit Foundation, Tesco, Florence Turner Trust, JR Corah Foundation, Melton Mowbray Building Society and Bruce Wake Trust. The cadets have also worked hard to raise funds by organising various fundraising events and by bag-packing at local supermarkets.
To join FS Bulwark Navy Cadet Force and to use their new Wheelyboat, visit their Facebook page: @FSBulwark, or contact them via bulwark@navycadetforce.co.uk or 07913 352447.
First ever accessible hire boat launched on the Avon at Stratford
The first ever fully electric wheelchair accessible hire boat has been launched on the River Avon in Warwickshire. The Coulam V17 Wheelyboat will now enable wheelchair users of all ages and abilities to access and enjoy the waterway that runs through the heart of Shakespeare’s Stratford for the very first time.
Thanks to funding support from Stratford District Council and The Wheelyboat Trust, Avon Boating is now able to provide Stratford’s first electric accessible boat for local disabled people, their friends and families, along with the many disabled tourists who visit each year. As well as being able to enjoy the River Avon as passengers, disabled users will also be able to drive the boat independently, if they wish, thanks to its drive-from-wheelchair helm.
The new boat was officially launched on 20 September by The Wheelyboat Trust’s Director, Andy Beadsley, who cut the ceremonial ribbon. Also in attendance was Cllr Chris Kettle, Jim Clarke (Business Mentor and Account Manager from Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub), Elizabeth Dixon (Disability Advisor from Accessible Stratford), Janine Ray (Council Licensing Officer for Stratford District Council) and boatbuilder Jim Coulam, who have all been instrumental in making this project come to fruition.
For bookings and enquiries go to www.avon-boating.co.uk.
Minister launches Ramor Watersports Club’s V20
On 18 June, Heather Humphreys TD, Minister of Community and Rural Development, officially launched Ramor Watersports Club’s Coulam Wheelyboat V20 in front of a large crowd of club members and well-wishers. Guests of honour and project ambassadors, Paralympians Britney Arendse and Kerrie Leonard, each addressed the large crowd of supporters. Club member and wheelchair user, Jim O’Reilly, took the helm for the inaugural trip.
The V20 is named Lady Amanda in memory of club member, Amanda Brady. Her children, Jasmine, Martyn and Merryn assisted Minister Humphreys with the launch.
Lady Amanda will support the activities of the club and provide the community of Virginia and surrounding countryside with guided tours of the 4½ mile long lough. For more information go to www.ramorwatersportsclub.ie.
Peter Kay launches a V17 at The Anderton Centre
Bolton comedian, writer and actor, Peter Kay, has launched the first ever Coulam Wheelyboat V17 in Lancashire. Lancashire Outdoor Activities Initiative (LOAI) and national charity The Wheelyboat Trust joined forces to fund, build and provide the V17 which will enable disabled people from Lancashire to take part in waterborne activities at The Anderton Centre for the first time.
On Saturday 23rd April a small group of VIPs and locals gathered to watch the new boat take her maiden voyage at the centre located on the shores of Rivington Reservoir near Chorley. Peter Kay, who was born and still lives in Bolton, cut a ceremonial ribbon and talked about the importance of accessibility and need for shared opportunities, before declaring the boat officially launched. Other honoured guests included Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP (House of Commons Speaker) and Cllr Steve Holgate (Mayor of Chorley), George Holmes (Vice-Chancellor, University of Bolton), and representatives from The Wheelyboat Trust, Help for Heroes and the Royal Yachting Association.
On launching the boat, Peter Kay said: “It's an honour to be asked to launch this very special Wheelyboat, and I hope it brings great happiness to all the people who use it. The new boat will give everyone chance to experience the joy of The Anderton centre, a fantastic place which I wish every continued success.”
The Anderton Centre is perfectly placed to host a range of water-based activities but until now disabled people haven’t been able to fully participate due to a lack of accessible equipment, all of which has changed thanks to their new Wheelyboat.
David Germain, Anderton Centre’s CEO, said: “The North West has the second highest proportion of disabled people in the UK, and in Greater Manchester alone there are over 521,000 people living with disabilities. We’ve long wanted to be able to accommodate those on our doorstep (and further afield) to take part and enjoy a range of waterborne activities, and for once participate on equal terms with their able-bodied counterparts. Our V17 will make a significant difference to The Anderton Centre’s ability to facilitate fully inclusive activities and we are extremely grateful that Peter has launched our new boat.”
The Anderton Centre offers a range of water and land-based activities for local young people and community groups. It has exclusive use of Lower Rivington Reservoir, the largest expanse of water between the Midlands and the Lake District which is often referred to as Lancashire’s mini Lake District, and is spread across four acres of woodland. The LOAI, which operates the centre, was established by Lancashire County Council, The Sports Council and various other local organisations and trusts in 1991, so it is deeply rooted in the county.
The new V17 would not have been possible without the generous support from the many donors including Bruce Wake Trust, Peter Harrison Foundation, Duchy of Lancashire Benevolent Fund, WO Street Charitable Foundation, RYA Sailability Investment Fund, Arnold Clarke Charitable Foundation, Bernard Sunley Foundation, The Harold & Alice Bridges Charity, Manchester Guardian Society Charitable Trust, The Thornton Trust, Aviva Community Fund, The Anderton Centre Paddle Sports Club and the Lancashire Outdoor Activities Initiative.
To book the V17, please visit www.andertoncentre.co.uk or call 01257 484220.
Blakeney’s V20 launched by The Countess of Leicester
The first ever wheelchair accessible powerboat on the north Norfolk coastline has been launched. The Coulam Wheelyboat V20 is also the first Wheelyboat in the UK to be powered by both electric and petrol-powered outboards, making her a real trailblazer.
The Blakeney, Cley and District Royal British Legion, The Norfolk Charitable Trust and The Wheelyboat Trust joined forces to bring the V20 to Norfolk. Named Poppy, she will enable wheelchair users and anyone with mobility difficulties across the county and beyond to access and enjoy north Norfolk’s vast and beautiful coastline for the very first time.
Poppy was officially launched by Polly, The Countess of Leicester on Friday 22nd April. A small group of locals and VIPs, including Duncan Baker (MP North Norfolk) and representatives from local care homes and day centres, gathered at Blakeney Quay to watch Poppy set sail. The Countess of Leicester cut a ceremonial ribbon and Reverend Richard Lawry blessed Poppy before she took her inaugural trip out to sea with locals John Pryor, Mary Athill and Tony Blout on board.
Tom Harrison, Secretary of the Blakeney, Cley and District Royal British Legion said: “We can’t wait to welcome anyone who wants to independently access north Norfolk’s waters, including care home residents, SEN schoolchildren and their family and friends. We also hope that Poppy will encourage anyone wanting to visit this part of Norfolk who previously felt they couldn’t, to come and see this beautiful stretch of coastline for themselves in a safe and dignified manner.”
James Cowan, Proprietor of Norfolketc and who instigated the project, added: “I’m thrilled that Poppy will enable disabled locals and visitors alike to enjoy all that the beautiful north Norfolk coastline has to offer, from quietly admiring the famous seal colony at Blakeney Point to exhilarating powerboating out to sea.”
Poppy’s 100hp petrol Suzuki outboard can be used when there’s a strong tide and for out-of-harbour action when more adventurous powerboating is desired, whereas the electric Torqeedo outboard can be used for cruising at slower speeds in amongst the many inlets and quieter areas of coastline.
Enormous thanks to the following for their generous support: the friends and family of Kevin Adams; Blakeney, Cley & District Royal British Legion; Blakeney Garage; The Blakeney Harbour Room; The Blakeney Old Wild Rovers; Tony Blount; Bluestone Shoot; Briningham Shoot; Bruce Wake Charitable Trust; Clarke Charitable Settlement; Coastal Rowing Association of Blakeney; DHL; The Geoffrey Watling Charity; George Tufts and Son Ltd; Terry Getley; Andrew Gray; Roger & Jane Hendry; Localgiving Foundation; Mark Lynton; The family of the late Mrs Jean McDonnell; The Norfolk Charitable Trust; Norfolk Community Foundation Fund; RC Snelling Charitable Trust; Sheringham Shoal Community Fund; The Timothy Colman Charitable Trust; and David & Elaine Vaughan.
To book a trip in Poppy telephone 07785 731804.
All Wheelyboats are handmade and fitted out to order by Jim Coulam of Coulam Ltd boatbuilders in Lincolnshire.
Mk III for the Wey and Arun Canal
The Wey and Arun Canal Trust’s Mk III Wheelyboat was officially named the Walter Grove at a special ceremony in Loxwood on Saturday 23rd October. The purchase of the refurbished Wheelyboat was made possible by a generous donation from Peter Grove and has been named in memory of his grandfather, who was a master carpenter on the Wey Navigation from 1885 to 1930.
Wey & Arun Canal Trust chairman Sally Schupke said: “Over the next few years it is clear that we will be offering boat trips in different parts of the canal. The versatility that this boat offers is something we were looking for.”
The Wheelyboat Trust Director Andy Beadsley said the benefits of getting disabled people out on the waterways were huge. “There are lots of health and wellbeing advantages to being out in the open air and on the water. We’ve worked with many disability groups, SEN schools and charities and we’re delighted to be able to work with the Wey & Arun Canal Trust. We hope lots of wheelchair users in Surrey and beyond will be able to enjoy life on the canal as much as their able-bodied counterparts, thanks to the new Wheelyboat.”
Seating and bimini canopy and electric outboard, battery and charger for the Wheelyboat have been generously provided by the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust and Henry Smith Charity respectively.
Final two Wheelyboats in the Angling Trust project up and running
Coulam 16 Wheelyboats are now in operation on two very contrasting waters - Ravensthorpe Reservoir near Northampton and Loch Bayhead on South Uist (now officially the most remote Wheelyboat in the British Isles). Rainbow trout fishing in the midlands and wild brown trout with the occasional salmon and sea trout in the Outer Hebrides.
V17 launched at Ladybower Fisheries
Ladybower Fisheries’ brand new Coulam Wheelyboat V17 was launched on 26 May by Brian Littlejohn, Provincial Grand Master of Yorkshire West Riding Freemasons. After a short speech and ribbon cutting ceremony, guests from SHASBAH Sheffield enjoyed the afternoon on the water in the V17 under the care of helmsman Troy Chadwick, manager at Ladybower. The V17 joins a Coulam 16 Wheelyboat launched at Ladybower in 2016 which has helped the fishery become one of the most disabled friendly in the UK. It will be used for angling but its main role is to open up the reservoir to disabled people for power and pleasure boating trips and make it an all round accessible venue. This was the vision of Gillian Scotford from Accessible Derbyshire who got the ball rolling for the Coulam 16 Wheelyboat and found very willing participants in Geoff Smith and Troy Chadwick who run Ladybower Fisheries. We are very grateful to the following donors who helped fund the V17: West Riding Masonic Charities Ltd, ALA Green Charitable Trust, Evans Property Group, the Duke of Devonshire’s Charitable Trust, The William Dean Trust, The Helen Jean Cope Charity, The Gordon Trust, Mansfield Building Society Community Support Scheme, and many individual donors.
Mk III for the Regents Canal
Hire boat operator, Walker’s Quay, has added a Mk III Wheelyboat to their fleet for accessible pleasure boating on the Regents Canal in North London. A tricky launch from the towpath at Little Venice was executed successfully!
Mk II for Elinor Trout Fishery
Elinor Trout Fishery, near Kettering, has replaced their ageing Mk I with a refurbished Mk II.
Pitsford’s new Wheelyboat, the Bob Church MBE, launched
L to r: Nicola, Stephen, Donna and Jeanette (Bob’s family) and Andy Beadsley
A Coulam 16 Wheelyboat in memory of angling legend, Bob Church MBE, was launched at Bob’s home water, Pitsford Reservoir, on Monday, 21 September.
Bob was an angler of enormous skill and influence, encompassing coarse fishing for freshwater fish, sea fishing and game fishing for trout and salmon. He won Gold at the World Fly Fishing Championships in 1987 and again in 1988, was a renowned angling author having written over 20 books, held several records for specimen fish and was a pioneer of reservoir trout fishing, developing flies and techniques that are still used today. In recent years as his health sadly deteriorated from Parkinson’s disease, Bob relied on the old Mk II Wheelyboat at Pitsford Reservoir to get out fishing on the water he so loved. Now, the latest accessible angling boat available from national charity The Wheelyboat Trust – the Coulam 16 Wheelyboat – has replaced Pitsford’s older Mk II Wheelyboat in a fitting tribute to Bob. The old Mk II will be refurbished and found a new home.
Jake Williams, Head of Parks and Conservation, represented Anglian Water at the launch and said: “We are delighted that the Church family have chosen to have a Wheelyboat in memory of Bob here at Pitsford Reservoir. Bob was a huge part of the angling family at the reservoir and was well respected by everyone. We hope many more people with limited mobility will be able to use the boat to gain access to the water as a lasting legacy to Bob’s passion and love for the sport.”
The Coulam 16 Wheelyboat was funded entirely by donations from Bob’s family, friends and his many admirers.
More Angling Trust Wheelyboats launched
L to r: Ben Farley, Will Barnard, Andy Beadsley, Martin Salter, Nigel Faulkner, Kirsty Halford and Karen Woolley at the launch at Farmoor.
On 23rd and 24th July, Coulam 16 Wheelyboats were launched at St Andrews Angling Club, Fife and Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire - numbers four and five in our project with the Angling Trust funded by the fisheries, the Peter Harrison Foundation and Lord Barnby’s Foundation.
Nicky Donaldson christens St Andrews Angling Club’s new Wheelyboat with a dram of Kingsbarns single malt.
The Coulam 16 Wheelyboats for Cobbinshaw Angling Association and Loch Leven Fisheries were delivered just before the country went into lockdown. Now that restrictions have eased and fisheries are open again, they have entered service and are getting disabled anglers out on the water. Andy Beadsley, Wheelyboat Trust Director, visited both fisheries on his way to St Andrews and met Jock Gilchrist and Andrew Anderson from Cobbinshaw and Willie Wilson Leven (see below).
The remaining two Wheelyboats in the project are for Ravensthorpe Reservoir and North and South Uist angling clubs and are in build.
V17 supplied for private use
A V17 has been handed over to private customer in Devon. Fitted out with Suzuki DF90ATL, A-frame, nav lights, horn, folding bench seating, Garmin Echomap 75C, storage cover, console cover, twin axle braked trailer. Happy powerboating Alan!
Angling Trust Wheelyboat project
The seven Coulam 16 Wheelyboats available to fisheries all over the UK in our project with the Angling Trust, funded by grants from the Peter Harrison Foundation and Lord Barnby’s Fund, have all been allocated. They will be going to Wimbleball Fly Fishery, St Andrews Angling Club, Ravensthorpe Reservoir, Cobbinshaw Loch, Loch Leven, Farmoor 1 Reservoir and North and South Uist Angling Clubs. The first to be launched will be Wimbleball’s on Friday, 27 March.
Mark Underhill from Wimbleball Fly Fishery takes delivery of the new Coulam 16 Wheelyboat.
Coulam 16 Wheelyboat delivered to Ireland
Glanmire & District Salmon & Trout Anglers Association (Co Cork) took delivery of their new Coulam 16 Wheelyboat on 18 March. It will be heading to Tibbotstown Reservoir near Carrigtohill where it will be used for trout fishing.
Thames Scouts Wheelyboat launched
‘Don Everitt’s’ keys are handed over in the formal launch and naming ceremony on 8 March. Photo Malcolm Hunt.
On Sunday 8 March, Thames Ditton based Warspite Sea Scouts launched their new Coulam Wheelyboat V17, enabling disabled scouts and members of the community to access and enjoy a myriad waterborne activities for the very first time. The new boat will make a fundamental step change in the scout group’s ability to provide water-based activities that everybody, irrespective of disability, can participate in fully.
The event saw Scouts young and old gather on the banks of the River Thames to watch their new vessel be launched and named Don Everitt after the late lead-instructor and well-known member of Warspite Sea Scouts who passed away in 2012.
Richard Hunt, Group Scout Leader at Warspite Sea Scouts, said: “Our new Coulam Wheelyboat V17 will ensure that those in the scouts whose mobility is limited can participate in a variety of water-based activities, rather than just spectate from the riverbank. Our new Wheelyboat will challenge our conventional thinking as to what’s now possible for those with limited mobility, which is something we’ve been wanting for a while, so this is a really exciting time for us. Don had a real love for getting children out on the water, so naming our Wheelyboat after him is a very fitting tribute and we’re delighted that his family will be with us on the day.
“This project has been led by three Sea Scout groups in the area: the 1st Cuddington (Warspite), 4th Thames Ditton (Ajax) and 1st Surbiton (Sealion). With their shared heritage and joint love for activities on the water, all three groups have been working with The Wheelyboat Trust to raise the funds for this vessel. We’re all looking forward to seeing where the Don Everitt takes us”.
The Wheelyboat Trust and the Warspite Sea Scouts are very grateful to the following for their generous support in funding the project: The Borrows Charitable Trust, Chalk Cliff Trust, Dairy Crest Group plc, The Shanly Foundation, The Sterry Family Foundation, The Small Boat Club, Surrey Army Cadet Force Association, Thames Scout Cruising Club, Thames Water Utilities Ltd – Community Investment, Wheelwrights Charity, The Whirlwind Charitable Trust and many individual donors.
Proud winners of RYA Sailability’s MoreThanSailing Award 2020
The MoreThanSailing award recognises a new and innovative project or activity that has given those with physical and/or mental disabilities the opportunity to become more active on the water, and is all about collaboration at both a local and national level too. This year it was awarded The Wheelyboat Trust for the charity’s ongoing work enabling people of all ages, who have a wide range of sensory, learning and mobility impairments, the opportunity to enjoy water-based activities independently via Wheelyboats.
Wheelyboat number 200 launched
Debbie Braden launches the Coulam Wheelyboat V17 named in memory of her late husband who was RYA Cymru Chief Executive. Photo Karl Midlane.
The significant milestone of Wheelyboat number 200 has been reached in the Trust’s 35th anniversary year. A Coulam Wheelyboat V17, the Trust’s brand new model, was launched at the Conway Centre on the Menai Straits, Anglesey on 19 October. Named Phil Braden after the late RYA Cymru Chief Executive who did so much to support the project, the Wheelyboat is operated by Sailability group SEAS @ Conway Centre.
Jon Gamon, Chief Instructor of SEAS @ Conway Centre, said “The arrival of Phil the Boat as we affectionately call it, marks an enormous leap forward in the capability of the SEAS group to deliver inclusive activities. Not only does this vessel enable our disabled volunteers to take a more integral role in the delivery of sessions, but it also allows new activities such as paddle sports and fishing to be tried – something we’re very excited about. Another aspect of gaining our first Wheelyboat that I’m excited about is that it is a purpose-built craft that we can use to train and qualify our disabled members as powerboat drivers and instructors. We already have Powerboat Level 2 courses planned for wheelchair users and we’ve been working with and training our volunteers with the view to them becoming instructors themselves. The capabilities and build quality of the Coulam Wheelyboat V17 is a milestone in SEAS’ long term sustainability and success, and we couldn’t be more thrilled that this boat has coming to our centre.”
Phil the Boat is powered by a Suzuki DF90ATL that gives a top speed of just under 40mph!
SEAS @ Conway Centre and The Wheelyboat Trust are very grateful to Sport Wales, Lord Leverhulme’s Charitable Trust and the Hedley Foundation whose grants provided the funding for the new Wheelyboat. The launch of the Wheelyboat comes at the end of a particularly busy and successful season for the Conway Centre, sponsored by the Thomas Howell Education Fund for North Wales and the Outdoor Partnership. MenCap Mon, the Anglesey arm of a UK charity for people with a learning disability who support their families and carers, and Leonard Cheshire who support individuals to live, learn and work as independently as they choose, whatever their ability, supported the launch event.
This is the project that was featured in BBC1’s Countryfile in March 2019 and a repeat is scheduled in a Countryfile programme focusing on the work of communities and volunteering between Christmas and the New Year.
Brand new Wheelyboat model - Coulam Wheelyboat V17 - launched at Wareham Boat Hire
On Monday 19th August, a brand new wheelchair accessible powerboat – the Coulam Wheelyboat V17 – was launched in Wareham, Dorset by Councillor Hilary Goodinge, the Mayor of Wareham, who officially named the new boat. Wareham’s Town Crier Jacquie Hall helped to make sure that the residents and summer holidaymakers of Wareham got to hear all about it!
Wareham Boat Hire’s V17 is the first one off the production line. As a registered Royal Yachting Association (RYA) training centre, Wareham Boat Hire will be able to offer disabled people RYA Powerability training and tuition for the first time, in addition to enabling their disabled customers to enjoy being able to access the lower reaches of the River Frome and Poole Harbour.
While accessible boating is a very important service to provide, with the new V17 Wheelyboat disabled users will be able to go to the next level, training to attain Powerboat Level 1 and 2 qualifications and eventually become qualified powerboat drivers, skippers and instructors. With such qualifications, users will be able to operate the V17 Wheelyboat themselves, representing a level of freedom most able-bodied sailors simply take for granted.
Wareham Boat Hire already has one Wheelyboat – a Mk III – which is immensely popular, attracting 1,000 users per year. Though this has been very successful and is enjoyed by many, the Mk III doesn’t have the capability or horsepower to safely navigate the open waters of Poole Harbour – the largest natural harbour in the world. Therefore, with a Suzuki 100hp outboard and reaching speeds of more than 30mph, the new V17 fits the bill perfectly.
Matt Jones, Director at Wareham Boat Hire, said “The design of the V17 accessible Wheelyboat is second to none. The roll-on, roll-off access and drive-from-wheelchair helm is exactly what we have been looking for to provide inclusive access to the water, bringing accessibility to the heart of Wareham. Our current Wheelyboat, the Mk III, is one of the most used throughout the UK, and we cannot wait to introduce users to the Coulam Wheelyboat V17 and the Powerability programme. Seeing the community and disabled holidaymakers truly benefit both physically and mentally from this vessel will be so rewarding and we are very excited to add the V17 to our fleet and expand the services we offer to disabled people here in Dorset.”
Wareham Boat Hire and The Wheelyboat Trust are very grateful to the following trusts and organisations for their tremendous generosity in helping fund the new Wheelyboat: Colin & Anna Frizzell Charitable Trust, Douglas Arter Foundation, Fishmongers’ Company Charitable Fund, The Late Francis Crabtree Charitable Settlement, The Leonard Laity Stoate Charitable Trust, M & P Property Investments Ltd, Talbot Village Trust, The Valentine Charitable Trust.
Ireland’s first Coulam Wheelyboat V20
Kinsale Outdoor Education Centre’s new Coulam Wheelyboat V20, ‘Saoirse’ (meaning ‘freedom’), was officially named and launched on Friday 26 August by Denis Leamy, CEO of Cork Education and Training Board, the Mayor of County Cork, Councillor Christopher O’ Sullivan and Jon Hynes, Kinsale OEC’s Director. The launch took place ahead of the Watersports Inclusion Games which saw over 500 people descend on Kinsale for a water-fuelled weekend of fun, offering attendees the opportunity to sail, kayak, stand up paddleboard, surf and, of course, powerboat in Saoirse.
Jon Hynes said “Inclusion and accessibility are two words synonymous with us here at Kinsale OEC and what we offer our users. We aim to ensure all our programmes and activities are open to all, and this year a new chapter is unfolding. We’re thrilled that we can now offer our disabled users the chance to powerboat for the first time and we hope that Saoirse will continue to be a positive spirit after the Watersports Inclusion Games spreading our mission and aim to make the waters around Kinsale accessible to all.”
For nearly 40 years, Kinsale OEC has provided a range of programmes and courses for the people of Cork and those further afield to gain access to the great outdoors. Now, the new Coulam Wheelyboat V20 offers a new unique selling point and adds to the many other inclusive activities already on offer. Saoirse offers users the chance to receive specialist training allowing them to become certified to skipper the new boat, something that’s not been possible until now. In addition, users will also be able enjoy tours of the Bandon Estuary and Kinsale Harbour as well being able to take part in mackerel fishing and wildlife watching.
Over recent weeks, Jon and his staff have been conducting sea trials and staff training in order to be ready for the Watersports Inclusion Games. In particular, users from the Rebel Wheelers and the Irish Wheelchair Association have participated in some sample trips ahead of the launch, which were thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Fife Sailability launch their Coulam Wheelyboat V20
Annabelle Ewing MSP was guest of honour and declared the V20 officially launched.
The Coulam Wheelyboat V20 enables Fife Sailability to expand their activities at Lochore Meadows sailing loch and provide wheelchair users and people with any kind of impairment with the ability to participate in and enjoy the power and pleasure of boating.
Annabelle Ewing MSP was guest of honour at the launch which took place on 11 May. She said “I am absolutely delighted and honoured to have been invited to be guest of honour and participate in the naming ceremony. Accessibility has been a very important part of the development of Lochore Meadows and this new boat brings that access-for-all ethos onto the water. Well done to everyone at The Wheelyboat Trust and Fife Sailability and I wish everyone involved many happy times aboard.”
Fundraising for the Wheelyboat was a joint effort by Fife Sailability and The Wheelyboat Trust and it was generously funded by Sport Scotland, The Robertson Trust, Hugh Fraser Foundation, Barcapel Foundation and Tay Charitable Trust. It has been fitted out with Suzuki’s new 100hp outboard (the lightest in its class), which was specifically funded by Spifox. Enormous thanks to all the donors from us all.
Annabelle Ewing MSP takes the helm.
Coulam Wheelyboat V20 and the work of the Trust filmed for BBC1’s Countryfile
Countryfile presenter, Steve Brown, interviews North Wales Sailability volunteer, Ian Roberts, at the V20’s helm.
On 17 March, the BBC’s flagship countryside programme, Countryfile, will feature the Coulam Wheelyboat V20 on a trial run at North Wales Sailability on Anglesey where a Coulam Wheelyboat V17 will be delivered later in the year. Taking part in Countryfile has been a major objective of the Trust for some time and it’s PR company, Firebird PR, secured the prime-time slot when they approached the programme’s producers in December with an idea for a feature. The Trust and North Wales Sailability are working together to fund a V17 for the group and a larger V24 is planned next year. Presenter, Steve Brown, had great fun helming the V20, his first time at the wheel of a powerboat, and some stunning footage was taken of the V20 in action. The programme shows how a Wheelyboat would enhance the activities of the Sailability group, broaden members’ experiences on the water and make it so much easier and speedier to board and disembark via the bow door. Filming took place amid a busy Sailability session and most people attending were interviewed. Needless to say, there was much excitement about the prospect of being on the telly!
Angling Trust and The Wheelyboat Trust launch their project to provide seven clubs and fisheries across the UK with new Wheelyboats
The Wheelyboat Trust and Angling Trust have partnered together to part-fund seven new Coulam 16 Wheelyboats that will enable clubs and fisheries across the UK to provide disabled anglers, and wheelchair users in particular, with access to their waters and the fishing. The project will be divided into two parts with the first round in Spring 2019 providing four Wheelyboats and the final round in Autumn 2019 the other three Wheelyboats.
Applications from clubs and fisheries are now being invited for the first four Wheelyboats in the Spring round.
Purpose-built angling boats, both the Coulam 15 and 16 are already widely used on fisheries all over the UK. The Coulam 16 Wheelyboat is identical to the standard Coulam 16, but is built with a hydraulic platform amidships that lowers the angler from gunwale height to floor level. The angler wheels up a short ramp onto the platform and a lever is pressed that lowers the platform. At floor level the angler can then position himself at the bow or stern. The Coulam 16 Wheelyboat can be driven from a wheelchair and, once on board, the disabled angler can operate the Wheelyboat entirely independently.
The Coulam 16 Wheelyboat is best boarded from a floating pontoon or jetty, but boarding from the bank is possible with a longer ramp. It has a maximum capacity of three people and the maximum outboard motor is 10hp. It is designed for angling on still waters on the drift or at anchor. Its wide beam makes it unsuitable for rowing very far, but it can be used on a river if motored to the swim or pool and anchored up. For salmon fishing, where a boatman rows and the angler fishes from the stern, then a Coulam 15 Wheelyboat is recommended. Two of these accessible boat operate on the River Tweed and applications can be made for this model instead of the Coulam 16 Wheelyboat.
The Wheelyboat Trust has raised £35,000 in grants from the Peter Harrison Foundation (£30,000) and Lord Barnby’s Foundation (£5,000) to support this initiative. It is with huge thanks to them both that the seven Coulam Wheelyboats will each be discounted by £5,000 bringing the cost of each boat down to the same price as the standard, non-accessible, version of the Coulam 16.
The application process is now open at https://grants.anglingtrust.net/ where detailed information about the project and what is funded is also available. The closing date for applications is Friday 31 May.
Assynt Crofters’ Trust launch a Coulam 16 Wheelyboat
This year is the 25th anniversary of the Assynt Crofters’ Trust taking ownership of the beautiful North Assynt Estate in the highlands of Scotland comprising of 21,300 acres with over 200 lochs. As part of a week-long celebration, ACT launched their new Coulam 16 Wheelyboat on Loch Drumbeg. The lochs are only accessible to the fit and able-bodied and therefore ACT is launching their new Wheelyboat to be able to offer all their visitors, regardless of age or ability, the opportunity to fish and watch wildlife in this stunning setting.
The fully accessible Coulam 16 Wheelyboat was launched on Saturday 30 June, as part of a day’s fishing competition for all anglers to be involved in, either on shore, or on the boat. The purpose-built fishing boat is ingeniously modified for wheelchair access and is an essential facility on larger waters. This project is an important development as it creates opportunities for mobility impaired anglers in a remote and pristine environment fishing for wild brown trout. Anglers will not be the only beneficiaries, however, as the Wheelyboat will also play an important role as an accessible boat for wildlife tourism.
This joint project between ACT and The Wheelyboat Trust would not have been possible without the fundraising efforts of both charities. The Wheelyboat Trust contributed almost half of the total funds and provided a total of £5,000 from grants raised from Anne Duchess of Westminster’s Charity, Christina Mary Hendrie Charitable Trust, Mr J Collins, Mrs J Howman, JTH Charitable Trust, Lord Leverhulme’s Charitable Trust, Souter Charitable Trust, Sylvia Aitken Charitable Trust and Mr K Williams. ACT raised their contribution from Assynt Fly Fishing, Living the Dream, Pudding Boy Productions, Scottish Hydro Electric and Scottish Water.
For enquiries telephone 01571 855298. www.theassyntcrofters.co.uk
HRH The Princess Royal officially launches 'Susan Mary'
ollowing the handover of a Coulam Wheelyboat V20 to Lymington Sailability at 2017’s Southampton Boat Show, HRH The Princess Royal in her capacity as President of the Royal Yachting Association formally declared the Wheelyboat launched. The ceremony took place at the Pebble Beech Restaurant, Barton on Sea, on 11 May. Guests included Lymington Sailability members and supporters, local Councillors, project donors and representatives from RYA Sailability.
For enquiries, telephone 07979 778144 or go to www.lymingtonsailability.com.
Papercourt Sailability launches Mk III Wheelyboat
Papercourt Sailing Club is organised with passion by the members for the members. The club is an RYA Champion Club, a recognised RYA Training Centre and the club was the UK’s RYA Sailing Club of the Year, as well as being a Sailability Foundation Status club. Their programmes are accessible to all abilities and ages from their vibrant youth programme, which has over 150 children, to their adult training programme. All are welcome to join the Club either as a non-sailing individual or family, or without owning a boat, learn to sail at very reasonable cost, and get friendly advice about which boat to buy, with first class facilities and a wonderful safe environment in which to learn and sail. There are already six Access dinghies, designed so that they will not capsize, and these will now be complemented by the new Wheelyboat offering a different type of fully accessible boat in the fleet.
For more information about the Sailability programme at Papercourt, email sailability@papercourt-sc.org.uk.
Many thanks to Peter Snow for providing us with photos of the launch.
Coulam 16 Wheelyboat launched on Llyn Brenig
Brenig is Welsh Water’s jewel in the crown of fisheries in North Wales attracting anglers from all over the UK but its location is particularly well-suited to anglers from Wales and the north west. It is a stocked trout fishery renowned for its hard fighting rainbow trout that are grown on in the lake. It is a large expanse of water with 14 miles of bank, none of which is accessible to disabled anglers who are therefore totally reliant on a Wheelyboat. Brenig has operated a Wheelyboat continuously since 1989. The first one was replaced in 2004 with a Mk II model and this is now having to be retired after 13 years of sterling service.
The Coulam 16 Wheelyboat joins a large fleet of standard Coulam boats and it looks and performs identically. Its two predecessors have been aluminium craft with bow doors that lower to form a ramp and as such some disabled anglers felt self-conscious using them. Having an accessible boat with identical capability to the rest of the fleet is important for the self-esteem of its users. Also, disabled anglers who fish Brenig’s competitions will now be able to do so entirely on equal terms with their able-bodied counterparts.
The launch took place on 8 June and Terry Evans, regular Wheelyboat user at Brenig, formally declared the Wheelyboat launched.
We are very grateful to Lord Leverhulme’s Charitable Trust for helping us fund this project.
To book the Wheelyboat for a day’s fishing on Brenig, telephone 01490 420463.
Mountain Ash Fly Fishers’ Coulam 16 Wheelyboat launched on Penderyn Reservoir
Mountain Ash Fly Fishers Association is a fly-fishing club based in the Cynon Valley in South Wales. It was formed in 1958 and leases Penderyn Reservoir which it operates as a day ticket water for rainbow trout. In recent years MAFFA has made a concerted effort to improve the facilities there, particularly for disabled anglers, including improvements to pathways, parking, and accessible casting platforms. These new and updated facilities enable schools, groups and organisations such as the local Scouts to try fishing for themselves. The Wheelyboat project is the final element that has transformed the reservoir into a fully accessible fishery for all to enjoy. Also benefitting from the new Wheelyboat will be members of the Welsh Disabled Fly Fishing Team who come to Penderyn to practice.
The Wheelyboat project cost a total of £10,882. Huge thanks to the project’s donors: Natural Resources Wales, Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust, Sport Wales and Pen-y-Cymoedd Community Fund.
To book the Wheelyboat, telephone 07547 868862 or go to www.mountainashflyfishers.yolasite.com.
Local Solutions launch V20 in Liverpool docks
A Coulam Wheelyboat V20 was launched by not-for-profit charity Local Solutions at their Liverpool Watersports Centre on 12 April. It is the first fully accessible powerboat at the centre, strengthening existing provisions for people with disabilities.
The Wheelyboat was officially launched by Lady Maureen Massie and is named ‘Sir Bert Massie’ after the renowned disability rights campaigner and long standing trustee of Local Solutions. Also in attendance was the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Mr Mark Blundell, and local Councillor Pam Thomas, Cabinet Member for Inclusive and Accessible City of Liverpool City Council.
Local Solutions’ Watersports Centre is in the process of developing its facilities specifically for people with disabilities to boost well-being, self-esteem and skills. The combined successful fundraising of £33,220 by Local Solutions and The Wheelyboat Trust with the support from Sport England for the new Wheelyboat has allowed the thriving centre to enrich the lives of their learning, sensory and mobility-impaired visitors with this new roll-on, roll-off accessible powerboat, which will enable them to enjoy the excitement of water sports without the need to leave their wheelchairs.
Local Solutions prides itself in being a thriving centre delivering services to support individuals, families and communities with a primary focus on those experiencing disadvantage, exclusion and vulnerability. The special features of the Wheelyboat will provide users with mobility impairments with new skillsets, as disabled users will be able to learn to operate the boat themselves, as well as achieving accredited watersports qualifications. To find out more about the availability of the Wheelyboat telephone the watersports centre on 0151 708 9322 or go to www.liverpoolwatersports.org.uk.
Caldecotte Xperience’s V20 launch
Caldecotte Xperience in Milton Keynes launched their Coulam Wheelyboat V20 on 15 March, the first fully accessible power boat to operate at this outdoor activity centre. The new boat was aptly named ‘The Wheel of Opportunity’ in a competition won by local school, Great Linford Primary.
The Wheelyboat Trust’s and Action4Youth’s partnership started in 2015 when an instructor from Caldecotte Xperience saw a V20 being towed along the M1. The instructor realised this might be the perfect vessel to fill a significant gap in provision for mobility impaired people at the centre. After Googling the model name, the instructor contacted The Wheelyboat Trust who arranged to visit with their demonstrator for a trial run. The V20 seen on the M1 was being towed by boatbuilder, Jim Coulam, on its way to the Southampton Boat Show. This twist of fate led The Wheelyboat Trust and Action4Youth working together to fund the Coulam Wheelyboat V20. The total cost of the project was £41,000 for features including folding bench seating, wheelchair anchorage for the helmsman’s seat, and a 4-wheel braked trailer, with the Wheelyboat Trust raising £10,500 towards the overall cost. Caldecotte Xperience can now enrich the lives of their learning, sensory and mobility impaired visitors with this new roll-on, roll-off access power boat, which will enable them to enjoy the excitement of water sports, without the need for them to leave their wheelchairs.
For enquiries telephone 01908 232042 or go to www.caldecottexperience.org.uk.
For reports and photos of earlier Wheelyboat launches, please download our Waterwheels newsletter.