Wetwheels Solent, Accessible Sailing Experiences 

As the title may suggest, Wetwheels Solent are an amazing non-profit company who make boating experiences possible for those with disabilities or health conditions. I’d heard of their partner organisation in Yorkshire previously since Richard and I often visit the coast there and particularly enjoy Whitby Goth Festival (despite the hilly, cobbled terrain for my wheelchair!). The region that Wetwheels Solent covers includes Portsmouth, the South Coast and the beautiful Isle of Wight. Richard and I joined the team in Cowes Harbour (on the Isle of Wight) during our  summer holiday of 2025, bringing our lovely staffy dog Milo with us. 

We personally sailed from the Isle of Wight but Wetwheels Solent do cover lots of areas in the south of the UK. Portsmouth has a really rich maritime history and has a plethora of naval museums to visit. You can even visit iconic warships such as the HMS Victory which is preserved there in pride of place. More information on these can be found here if you have access requirements; it might be a wonderful activity to pair with a Wetwheels Solent trip in the area. Although all of these experiences are suitable for budding sailors of all ages, this would be a perfect opportunity for fond recollections of a life well lived on or by the water for older individuals who have personal history in the area.

I’m always overjoyed to see any experience or hobby become accessible but I am particularly thrilled when it’s a high-adrenaline, unique experience that many may have written off automatically as inaccessible or difficult for them. Experiencing the world brings so much joy and many therapeutic benefits to everyone, regardless of their age or ability. There are legitimate articles written about ‘Blue Water Therapy’ which suggests that being on or near the open water reduces stress and anxiety whilst also boosting creativity and general wellbeing. Mental Health Foundation wrote a research paper that said that 65% of people found that being on or near to water improved their wellbeing. I certainly felt a sense of wonder at the beauty that we experienced during our Wetwheels Solent sail and a general peace when being out in Nature.

Throughout the booking process, I really enjoyed how inclusive Wetwheels Solent were. I initially contacted them through their web booking form but I was also blessed to speak with Jo on the phone. Jo is the Operations Manager who organises each trip and she was actually present during our trip so it was great to know her better. I loved speaking on the phone as this gave me the opportunity to explain my access requirements in more detail and to ask logistical questions such as whether my dog could join us on the trip. He actually loved his sailing experience which surprised me as he hadn’t been on a boat bigger than a pedalo boat before (excluding the ferry across from Portsmouth on this holiday). The ability to book these experiences through written forms/ emails online or on the phone allows disabled customers who may use AAC to still be  involved fully in the process independently.

We sailed from the Royal Yacht Club in Cowes. There was plenty of parking right by the area we were meeting the Wetwheels team. At the time of writing, you can park in any on-street parking bay for an unlimited time when correctly displaying your Blue Badge on the Isle of Wight. The parking in this area was all on-street parking bays but your Blue Badge also entitles you to stay for free for up to 8 hours in long stay council-run carparks and 3 hours in council-run short stay car parks. The marina pavements  had plenty of dropped curbs and the terrain was level and smooth whilst wheeling around.

If you have a RADAR key, there was an accessible toilet within a three minute wheel from the car parking area. This toilet didn’t have a changing place but did have plenty of grab rails for transfers on and off of the toilet. According to the Changing Places website, there is a facility called The Cut (PO31 7TD) nearby which is suitable for those who need a higher level of adaptation.

I would personally recommend arriving at the marina in the clothes that you want to wear during your sailing trip. We didn’t personally end up with any of our clothes getting wet with sea spray but this is always a possibility when out on the water. I also wore warm layers to combat the brisk sea breeze as we powered forward. We were lucky to have wonderful weather and calm seas but it is always worth being prepared with a raincoat when you live in the UK.

Where the accessible catamaran docked may vary depending on how busy the harbour is. I loved that Wetwheels Solent docked right by the beautiful replica Spanish Galleon, the Galeon Andalucia, as I felt a true sense of awe imagining the lives that were lived when these   ships were commissioned as warships and cargo vessels.

To get to this docking area, you cross some of the water through using an accessible bridge. This had no steps and the terrain was very smooth. I could easily self-propel in my manual wheelchair around this area and a powered wheelchair user would also have no problems. The bridge had a gradual slope but it was fully suited to a wheelchair user’s needs.

The set-up of the dock will vary depending on where your berth is and which harbour you are sailing from. At the Royal Yacht Club in Cowes, the only slight mobility concerns were a slight lip as you exited the bridge ramp and also a rubber safety ramped covering to the electrical cables that lead to the Spanish galleon. This is not conventionally docked here though and I also had no problem getting across either of these areas with my manual wheelchair.  

Richard and I put on our life jackets whilst on the harbour so we’d be safe and visible throughout the sailing whilst our Skipper, Dan, laid out the red carpet for us. Of course, as a wheelchair user, the red carpet was a ramped accessible entrance to the boat haha! The metal ramp had a nice level of grip so my wheels wouldn’t slip during damp or rainy weather. The incline was mildly steep but would be perfectly safe to do in a manual or powered wheelchair. I personally took the   ramp backwards and allowed my husband to help me reverse onto the boat. 

The catamaran itself had plenty of space on the deck, with room for up to ten people on each sailing trip including space for three wheelchair users (including those who utilise powered wheelchairs). You can also bring dogs aboard which was a huge selling point for us as we could still enjoy the experience without leaving Milo on his own in a hotel. 

There are also options to hire the boat for the whole day or a set amount of hours. If you chose a full-day experience, you could always split the time into “batches” and take one group of ten out for a sail, return to the harbour, and then take a different group of people out. I think a situation like this would really be ideal for special occasions such as adding a boat trip to the evening of your wedding as entertainment or perhaps adding sailing experiences to the finale of a special birthday celebration. How fun would it be to dine at one of the harbour-side restaurants and then  take it in turns for your family to go sailing and even drive the boat!

I think becoming a “Captain” and actually steering the boat yourself is a massive part of the Wetwheels Solent sailing experiences. You can take it in turns to go up to the accessible, ramped controls area and take over the wheel. This was amazing as you could be as tame as you’d like, just heading straight forward and enjoying the experience, or as wild as you’d like within reason. Our Skipper, Dan, even said that some groups choose to do “donuts” and spin the boat but we kept our sailing smooth.

The Captain experience was really unique but I also loved how accessible it was for most people. The ramp up to the steering wheel area was wide enough for most wheelchairs (both manual and powered) and it was a very gentle slope. Safety hooks were wrapped around your chair frame to stop any tilting or sliding whilst you were being the Captain. I also thought that the width of the steering wheel was ideal for those who may have dexterity or grip concerns. Plus, Skipper Dan was right beside you if you lost grip or decided that the maritime life was not for you. 

There was a medium sized screen to the left of the boat steering wheel which showcased information such as the location of other ships and the depth of the water. This was fascinating to look at but Dan could also change the display screen here to show a live video from a camera attached to the front of the boat. I thought that this would be really helpful for those who are sight-impaired or blind as they could still feel confident in steering the catamaran through a closer  view on this device, rather than looking ahead through the wide windows if that didn’t suit their needs.

Jo sailed with us and was regaling us with stories of wonderful trips they had chartered through the years at Wetwheels Solent. She mentioned also that previous customers had even brought a picnic onboard. That would have been lovely as you could dine with your “sailing crew” whilst overlooking the beautiful scenery and picturesque ocean. Plus, bringing food onboard would allow you to cater yourselves for allergies or intolerances safely.

I felt really secure in my wheelchair whilst onboard. The sea was really calm so we didn’t experience many rocky or bumpy moments. My wheelchair was safely strapped down though so I could feel safe whilst nattering away with Richard, Jo and Dan. All people aboard the ship wore a life jacket throughout the sail but it was such a stable catamaran that I had no concerns about my safety throughout the experience, even given my very poor driving skills! 

Milo had a surprisingly strong set of sea legs and settled on his rug or even on the bench beside Richard throughout the sail. He was curious about the passing scenery but didn’t panic at all. We did expect calmness though as he’s such a placid dog in general. He was absolutely worn out in the  car ride back to the hotel too; the sea air must have even relaxing for him too! 

You could tell that the wonderful accessibility of this boat had been planned and tested by someone who had lived experience of disability. Everything felt safe, easy and seamless. The founder of Wetwheels Solent and Wetwheels in general is Geoff Holt. He was actually the first disabled person to independently sail around Great Britain, amongst other very accomplished accolades. I have great admiration of the fact that Geoff brought his love of the water and of sailing to many other groups whilst including disabled people. 

Richard and I had a genuinely wonderful time sailing with the Wetwheels Solent team; it was very much a first for us both to be steering and captaining a vessel. Being on the water was really therapeutic and the views surrounding the Isle of Wight were idyllic, especially given the clear weather in the final days of British summer. 

The booking process was really easy and I felt there were many adaptations to the boat and to the experience that made it suitable for a real range of people including different group sizes, ages and disabilities. The ramped access was easy and I think that even with three wheelchair users aboard, there would be plenty of space for everyone to have a great time.

I love exploring the world and being given the opportunity to experience things that may usually be difficult or inaccessible. This experience definitely fit into that category as I really think that Wetwheels Solent and the whole Wetwheels Foundation are doing important work to make the world more inclusive and joyous for all. 

Please do check out the different trips available on their website as they were fantastic with my access needs throughout this process and we had a phenomenal time aboard.