Sail Team Adventure new boat fund

Aim

Sail Team Adventure are a group of para-inclusive sailors looking for help with fundraising for a RS Venture Connect for world events

Help Sail Team Adventure Stay On The World Stage

More Than a Boat – A Chance to Change Lives

We are Sail Team Adventure, a para-inclusive sailing team made up of sailors with different abilities, experiences and backgrounds. What unites us is a shared passion for sailing and a belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the freedom, confidence and friendship that being on the water can bring.

Our goal is to purchase and campaign an RS Venture Connect, allowing us to continue competing at National, European and World Championship events while inspiring others to believe that disability should never be a barrier to adventure.  

To date we have relied on chartering boats for each event, but it has become clear that this will not always be possible, as there are not enough charter boats available to satisfy the growing demand.

The boat will be based at Whitefriars Sailing Club, where it will support training and competition, while creating opportunities for future disabled sailors.

Meet some of our sailors

Antony Williams, Kate Healey, Daniel Sadler, Toby Owens

Every member of Sail Team Adventure has their own journey.

Antony Williams:

For one of our skippers, Antony, sailing has been life-changing.

After a serious motorcycle accident 20 years ago, he was left with extensive injuries, multiple surgeries and lasting physical challenges. The emotional toll was just as significant, and for years he struggled with his mental health, losing confidence and becoming isolated.

Everything changed when he discovered Sailability. What began as trying something new quickly became a sense of purpose. Sailing showed Antony what he could achieve.

Today, he is a qualified Dinghy Instructor, competes internationally, and inspires others by introducing them to sailing. He has seen how one opportunity can transform a life.

His story shows that with the right support, people can rebuild confidence, find purpose and inspire others — a belief at the heart of Sail Team Adventure.

Kate Healey:

Born 11 weeks prematurely, Kate lost her sight shortly after birth. While sport never came naturally to her, discovering sailing changed her life.

Her sailing journey began aboard all-abilities tall ships, where she completed two transatlantic crossings. Since then, she has sailed everything from yachts to dinghies, competing nationally and internationally with Blind Sailing UK before joining Whitefriars Sailability and Sail Team Adventure.

Competing at the World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Oman reinforced Kate's belief that disability should never define what someone can achieve. Sailing has given her confidence, independence, lasting friendships, and the opportunity to continue challenging perceptions of what disabled people can achieve.

Wanting to become fitter for sailing, Kate took up parkrun with the help of volunteer guide runners, discovering another welcoming community along the way.

Kate hopes that owning an RS Venture Connect will allow Sail Team Adventure to continue competing internationally while helping more disabled people discover the same freedom, confidence, and sense of belonging that sailing has given her.

Kate's 5K for 5M Challenge:

Kate started taking part in parkrun in September 2025 to improve her fitness for sailing and has discovered a supportive community through volunteer guide runners.

Starting on Monday 3 August, Kate is taking on the 5K for 5M Challenge. The challenge is inspired by the RS Venture Connect SCS, which measures just under five metres in length. Over four weeks, she will complete twelve 5K sessions, three each week, by walking, jogging, and finishing every run with a sprint.

Throughout the challenge, Kate will wear her blind runner's vest and run tethered to volunteer guide runners, highlighting the teamwork that makes her participation possible.

Every kilometer completed will help support Team Adventure's goal of raising £25,000 towards a new RS Venture Connect SCS, creating more opportunities for disabled sailors to get out on the water.

Follow Kate's progress throughout the challenge and, if you're able, donate to help keep her motivated and bring Team Adventure one step closer to its goal. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a real difference.

Daniel Sadler:

Daniel has been a keen sailor for many years, and started racing when he needed to get more regular hours in for his DofE award.  In the summer after his GCSE's he spent many hours at Whitefriars Sailing Club, and as well as gaining his Dinghy Instructor and Race Coach Level 2 qualifications, he particularly enjoyed volunteering and helping out in any way that he could with Sailability.  

This introduced him to sailing with people with a wide range of additional needs.  This combination of experience, and his own neurodivergence, put him in the ideal position to join Sail Team Adventure to sail with Kate, when she needed a sighted helm to race with at the World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Oman.  Their result in Oman has given them a World Sailing ranking of 19th, in the 2-person Inclusive category.  Daniel and Kate would love to do more racing together, to see what they can achieve, and this boat is what they need to do that, so Daniel is very grateful for every donation towards this goal.

Toby Owens:

Sailing has been transformative for Toby. As someone with autism (ASD), he faced a difficult and traumatic time at school that affected his confidence and sense of belonging. Discovering sailing gave him purpose, challenged him positively, and helped rebuild his confidence. It quickly became more than a sport—it became his passion.

Wanting to give back, Toby began volunteering with Sailability, supporting sailors of all ages and abilities. This experience led him to qualify as an RYA Race Coach Level 2 and an RYA Dinghy Instructor, where he now enjoys helping others grow in confidence and skill.  Sailing has opened doors Toby never thought possible, allowing him to travel, build lasting friendships, and turn challenges into strengths. He aims to continue competing internationally while inspiring others—especially those facing barriers—to get involved in the sport.

Toby has been racing in the RS Venture Connect class with his teammate Antony as part of Team Adventure, representing Great Britain at international level, for a couple of years.  Competing at this level brings significant costs, and support helps him continue representing Team Adventure and Great Britain. Every contribution supports a journey built on resilience, determination, and a passion for sailing.

Why an RS Venture Connect?

The RS Venture Connect is one of the world’s leading inclusive racing dinghies.

Designed so sailors with a wide range of physical and visual abilities can compete together, it removes barriers and creates opportunities to race on equal terms.

Owning our own boat will allow us to train together consistently, develop as a team and compete at prestigious events across the UK and internationally.

Where Your Donation Will Go

Your support will help fund:

• Purchase of a RS Venture Connect
• Essential adaptive equipment
• Coaching and training
• Boat maintenance and insurance
• Safety equipment
• Transporting the boat to championships

Every donation, whatever the amount, moves us one step closer to the start line.

Why This Matters:

This isn’t simply about buying a boat.

It’s about giving people confidence.

It’s about changing perceptions of disability.

It’s about showing young people and adults that there are opportunities waiting for them.

It’s about creating role models.

And it’s about proving that inclusive sport makes everyone stronger.

Join Our Crew

Whether you donate, sponsor us or simply share our campaign, you become part of our journey.

Together we can represent inclusive sailing on the world stage.

Together we can inspire the next generation.

Together we can show that adventure belongs to everyone.

Thank you for believing in Sail Team Adventure. We hope you’ll join us as we take our place on the world stage.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 1st October 2026 at 8:27pm