Disabled crews take to the high seas with a Tenacious tall ship

Among the medley of yachts and motorboats that dwell in the many bays and marinas of the Caribbean Islands, the Red Ensign hangs particularly proud at the stern of a majestic tall ship that never fails to steal the show.

The sight of a tall ship gliding past the defensive relics and ramparts that line the entrances to the harbours of the old British and French empires would have been all too familiar 150 years ago, yet the dawn of steam ships and the diesel engine spelt the demise of this graceful mode of transport, the sight of which is now more akin to recent Hollywood offerings than the daily comings and goings of these turquoise waters today.

It’s this reason above all others that the spectacle of the Jubilee Sailing Trust's (JST) ship Tenacious coming alongside in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua at the start of her migration rarely fails to impress.

That is however until you climb aboard and discover there is much more to her than meets the eye.

Indeed, standing out from the crowd has never been a problem for the tall ships of the JST because Tenacious and the Trust’s first ship, Lord Nelson, are truly unique as the only tall ships in the world designed and built to be fully accessible to disabled travellers.

This allows disabled and able-bodied sailors to set to sea, working as a member of crew on year round voyages to numerous destinations throughout Northern Europe the Canaries and the Caribbean.

Humble Beginnings

The JST evolution began as the dream of one man, Christopher Rudd who, although running dinghy sailing schools for disabled people in the 1970’s was frustrated at having to leave them behind when he sailed offshore, unable to share with them the thrill and exhilaration that sailing on the open ocean brings.

Determined to address this problem, the concept of the JST was born; established with a donation from the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Appeal Fund in 1978, with the mission of integrating able-bodied and physically disabled people through the challenging task of crewing a tall ship at sea.

The metamorphosis of the JST from a relatively small charitable Trust into the dynamic operation it is today was a swift evolution and simply a natural response to meet demand for what has become a hugely popular activity.

The pinnacle of this early success occurred when Lord Nelson, the Trust’s first ship emerged from the drawing board. Pilot schemes undertaken on adapted vessels in the early 1980’s proved the integration of able bodied and physically disabled crew was not only a possibility, but an immensely successful reality.

The construction of this first ship set the JST on a permanent course from which it has not faltered for 30 years.

Tenacious

In 2009 the work of the Trust and indeed the continuing journeys of Tenacious and Lord Nelson will go on.

Whether undertaking one of their many exciting voyages to beautiful destinations or even battling away in the thick of the action at the Tall Ships Races, both ships are set to be at the forefront of the action for many years to come.

Aboard the ships the permanent crew ensure voyage crew get the most from their adventure; regardless of physical ability they expose you to as much or as little sailing as you feel comfortable with.

One thing that’s certain is that although people may step aboard a JST ship a complete novice, everyone has the opportunity to step off with some great new skills; from start to finish the whole experience teaches the practical skills needed to sail a tall ship.

Voyage crew not only learn to set sails, helm the ship and climb the rigging, but have the opportunity to try their hand at celestial navigation and also activities such as sail making/repairing and working with ropes and rigging.

From a fantastic four week passage challenge, to an enchanting eight day voyage in European waters, people can select from the trip of their choice and indulge the adventurer in them with a wide variety of voyages to suit many tastes.

If you are looking for a holiday that can offer diverse wildlife, stunning scenery, competitive sailing or just sailing for fun, you can combine this with a great social life and a real sense of adventure on a voyage with the JST. But there’s more- anyone can sail with us regardless of physical ability or previous sailing experience.

If you don’t want to get left behind then get involved with an organisation that is quite literally going somewhere- go sailing with the JST, www.jst.org.uk

More Information

For a full schedule of the Jubilee Sailing Trust's schedule for 2008/09 follow the link.

Alistair Meharg