Former care home resident with spinal injury sails solo around UK

A wheelchair user with a spinal injury that led to him to live in a care home for seven years, is sailing solo around the UK and Ireland but admits planning it is a “whole new level of stupid”.

British man Ian Wylie lived in a Hampshire nursing home but is now looking to raise at least £15,000 for Andrew Cassell Foundation, which coaches disabled people to become independent sailors and racers and has “restored my love of the ocean”.

Mr Wylie intends to complete his epic solo journey across the sea in 27-foot sailboat Trilleen.

“I never thought that I’d manage to climb a mast again, but with the help of some trainers in Yorkshire, and the encouragement and mentoring of the Andrew Cassell Foundation I succeeded in doing that independently a few days ago”, says Ian Wylie.

“This is the sort of transformation that the Foundation can bring about in disabled people’s lives, and why I want to raise funds to support them.”

Mr Wylie sailed from Cowes at the end of August. He is making his way to Glasgow via the west of Ireland.

He will then stay in Scotland over winter and in 2023 will visit areas in the Irish Sea before heading north round Muckle Flugga, Shetlands and down the east coast of England.

’New level of stupid’

“I knew expedition planning was complex but expedition planning with a disability is a whole new level of stupid. My ideal is to carry as much of the kit I will need for the trip round Ireland on board before I start. That means storing Trilleen with medical kit for 90 days, and food for 60 days.”

“Trilleen has two headsails. This means that it is easier to handle for me because the sails are smaller and the pull on the sheets is lower.

“One of the things that lots of spinal injured people have difficulties with is continence. I need to specifically manage my own SPC [suprapubic] catheter. Lots of people get this done with their district nurses but because I’m always sailing I need to be able to do this myself.”

On his journey, Mr Wylie will visit marinas and yacht clubs to talk about disability inclusion in sailing and the work of the Andrew Cassell Foundation.

‘Improved my cardiovascular fitness, social confidence, mental health’

Mr Wylie added: “Through sailing disabled people can acquire social skills, develop independence, and become empowered to act as agents of change in their life and the management of their disability.

“Sailing can be an inclusive sport where disabled people get to take part on equal terms with their able bodied counterparts and, if they wish compete on a level playing field.

"My experience is that sailing with the Andrew Cassell Foundation has been incredibly motivating and has helped me improve my cardiovascular fitness, social confidence, mental health, range of motion and empowered me to manage my disability in different ways.”

Mr Wylie has so far raised £2,000 (to date 12 September). To donate to Mr Wylie’s crowdfunder fundraising page for Andrew Cassell Foundation, visit: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/3762f928ab623e549dec238a61e67a7f