Bolton sailing club wheelchair jetties
Bolton Sailing club is a Sailability centre, which offers sailing for disabled people. Previously, disabled sailors were lifted into their boats on a shore mounted crane, which involved pulling the boat ashore and relaunching with every changeover of sailor.
The preferred option was to have a jetty based crane, but the existing jetties were too narrow for wheelchair access. Hence the need for new wheelchair accessible jetties with craning facilities on the water, which would afford greater sailing opportunities by avoiding bringing boats ashore.
The solution
The sailing club had drawings for their existing jetties which were modified to take wheelchairs and cranes, and these became the basis for the new jetties.
The benefit
The outcome has already been a success with more disabled sailors accessing the water at each Sailability Day, and demand for access based on the new facility has led to the purchase of one extra disabled access boat, and the search for funds for another one.
The Sailing Club and the Sailability group are delighted with the jetties, and at the launch, JLR agreed to add a new jetty extension, to the work they have already done.
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