Luckily Andrew had a database of people who like to sail. He also recruited deaf people to join the sailing experience such as Tall Ship and the Rona Sailing Project. Having experiences like this encourages us and increases our confidence and our ability to sail well under little or no supervision.

A great example of how this can lead to great achievement is Gerry Hughes, a deaf sailor who sailed for UK to America solo with help from GPS and Internet access to communicate. Gerry still

despite the fact that his GPS and Internet access broke down due to the engine cutting out half way.

If he managed to sail across without GPS or Internet Access, then we, deaf people, can do the same, providing we have the similar experience and knowledge about sailing.

As part of the team Andrew included Sussex Sailability who encouraged disabled sailors to get involved in the race. We used the yacht, Sonar, which holds up to five people. Before the races, in Cowes Week, I was asked to join the training with the team.

know what we could and could not do in the yacht.

I was selected in the last three days of the race in Cowes. The opportunity to get involved in the races was a wonderful experience for me. There were many who were very enthusiastic and there were also some serious sailors who wanted to win the races badly! During the last day of the sailing, we started very badly at the starting point, so we needed to push the yacht back

into the race. Unfortunately the boom mast broke in half and with much disappointment we had to retire from the race. This was our first real taste of racing with others. We did have a great experience and great fun.

Thanks to Andrew Taylor of DSUK and also thanks to Sussex Yacht Club for their yacht, Sonar.

I am hoping to do more training and races next year! DSUK is looking for some fund raising and sponsorship to help with the cost of training and races, please get in touch with DSUK for next years’ race.

Malcolm Sinclair
First timer of Cowes Week 2008!

DSUK is pleased to announce that there will be a dinner fundraising event at Sussex Yacht Club on Saturday 25th October so please contact Shauna Taylor, the event organiser, on shauna.taylor@dsuk.org.uk for the £20 tickets. Some guest speakers, including Oliver Westbury, the first deaf person to reach the true North Pole, will give a talk about their experience or achievements.

In addition, DSUK would be most interested to hear if you have raced in any racing event in the past in the UK, or you plan to enter your boat of any class in any future racing event in the Solent or elsewhere. We are envisaging some plans for our racing training or programme.