In a time-honoured ceremony, Sailability Tauranga's two new Hansa 303s were added to the fleet recently, giving the sailing charity a boost that will allow for an increase in the fast-growing charitable trust's sailing roster.

The boats were bought with the assistance of grants from TECT and Bay Trust.

The chairman of TECT, Bill Holland, and the chief executive of Bay Trust, Alistair Rhodes, were there for what Sailability chairman Peter Dallimore says is a 'turning-point” occasion.

'Two other sponsors deserve special mention and they are Mike Farmer of Farmer Auto Village and Bill Mitchinson, president of the Past Commodores Association, International Order of Blue Gavel NZ who were prepared to sponsor us before we had even put a boat in the water,” says Peter.

'Their conviction after considering the structure we were in the process of putting into place, and their understanding of the benefits this programme could bring meant that we had to succeed; there was no room for failure. Thanks to them and the sponsors who were to follow, Sailability Tauranga has become a reality for the long-term.

'Of course we could not have succeeded without the support of the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club and the Tauranga Marina Society who bent over backwards to allow this project to proceed by placing absolutely no hurdles in our way at all. Without their help we could not have even started this project.”

The two brand-new 303 Hansa boats are intended for use by disabled sailors. They are a recognised international class which means that not only can disabled sailors benefit from going for a sail, the more competitive sailors can compete.

Until now Sailability Tauranga has been working with two hired dinghies. The Hansa 303s feature armchair-style seating with the two passengers in the boat instead of on the gunwale. They are steered by a joystick and the centre board weighs 38kg, making them almost impossible to capsize.

The class is international and is sailed in the para-Olympics.

The cockpit of the Hansa 303. Photo: Nikki South.

Sailability Tauranga was established in June 2016 by a group of experienced sailors and compassionate citizens wishing to share their accumulated years of sailing experience and the joy and fun that sailing provides with those who thought sailing was an inaccessible sport.

It is run by volunteers and provides people with physical, learning or sensory disabilities the opportunity to sail safely, to experience adventure and freedom, and to build mobility, self-confidence and pride through achievement.

Sailability Tauranga has 55 sailors registered and will now be able to increase that number with the new boats.