Sailing without sight

David Thompson shares the joy and instructional challenges of being a sighted volunteer for blind and partially-sighted sailors

- David Thompson

I am sometimes asked whether sailing with a blind or visually impaired crew is dangerous or difficult. The answer is a loud ‘no’ (unless you count eating one of Lofty’s heart-attack generating breakfasts). The Visually Impaired Sailing Association of Great Britain (ViSA-GB) is a registered charity that offers the chance for visually impaired people to participate in offshore and coastal sailing.

For the past four years I have had the privilege of being a sighted volunteer and enjoyed many happy days sailing with ViSA- GB. I learn a lot on each trip, and it certainly challenges my instructing capabilities.

Last October ViSA-GB undertook its first foreign trip in Mallorca. We arrived in Palma on different flights from across the UK. I flew out with our skipper Tim and we met up with another crewmember in Mallorca airport before getting a taxi to Port de Pollença.

Others had arrived before us and were enjoying a glass of wine in the late afternoon sunshine. First job was to allocate a berth to everyone on the Sun Odyssey 43DS we were chartering, and to give a guided tour of the deck and cabin. A party went to the local supermarket for provisions. Later we enjoyed a meal in the marina restaurant.