Sailing Vision Week

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Sailing Vision Week

Sailing Vision Week is an inspiring event that takes place each year, giving up to 60 blind, partially sighted and visually impaired people the chance to develop sailing skills by crewing aboard cruising yachts.

Bringing the joy of sailing to all for more than 45 years

Sailing Vision Week (SVW) has been operating for more than 45 years and is believed to be the largest event of its kind for visually impaired sailors in the UK (and possibly Europe). The event alternates between Falmouth and the Solent with local yacht clubs acting as the host venue. Each year we attract between 20 and 25 privately owned and chartered yachts to take part, and are able to offer 50-60 crew places to visually impaired sailors. We are always very pleased to welcome V.I. sailors of all ages (minimum age of 18) - previous sailing experience is not required!

A close up of a V.I. crew member helming an underway yacht.

Sailing Vision Week is an enjoyable, sociable week of cruising around the coastline in sailing yachts. Many of the yachts are privately owned whilst others are chartered by other charities or sailing clubs specifically to participate in the event. The yachts are therefore all different in design, size and yacht handling. However, all those taking part in Sailing Vision Week have one thing in common – they are all volunteers and offer their yachts, themselves and their time to welcome V.I. crew aboard to be active participants for the week.

Calling all skippers!

Every year 20-25 skippers donate their time (and vessels, if they have them), enabling us to make Sailing Vision Week one of the foremost sailing events for the visually impaired anywhere in the world. Being a Sailing Vision Week skipper is fun and rewarding, and is a great chance to meet some truly amazing people.

Are you interested in being a skipper for Sailing Vision Week?

Find out how you can help

A picture of a sighted male skipper standing next to a male VI sailor who has the wheel. The sea is calm.

A picture of a smiling female VI sailor at the wheel, and a smiling female sighted crew member next to her. Calm conditions.

"Sailing and learning to sail was amazing"

What is Sailing Vision Week all about? Find out from those who've taken part exactly what being part of this event and community entails.

Find out more

A selfie picture of a smiling crew on an underway yacht. The crew is a mixture of sighted and VI sailors. The horizon in the background is at an angle, showing the yacht is under sail.

Skipper Experiences

Sailing Vision Week is a very special event for our fabulous skippers and crew. Find out from those who've been there just what makes it such a great experience.

Find out more

Everyone welcome

Sailing Vision Week is open to V.I. applicants (over 18 years of age). You don't have to have any experience of sailing, though experienced V.I. sailors are of course very welcome. People from all walks of life, from all areas of the UK – and from all over the world – join us each year to bring a real community and social feel to the week. If you are visually impaired and interested in participating as a crew member for Sailing Vision Week, please contact us at mail@sailingvision.org

Sailing Vision Week picture gallery

A close up of a VI crew member helming an underway yacht.
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A picture of an underway yacht, taken from a yacht sailing adjacent to it. It is crewed by a mixture of sighted and VI crew.
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A selfie shot of a mixture of sighted and VI crew, taken on board a yacht underway. Everyone is smiling.
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A picture of a number of sighted and VI sailors relaxing on a shingle beach in the evening. The sea and some moored yachts are in the background.
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A picture taken from the deck of an underway yacht looking back to the helm. The sighted and VI crew are smiling at the camera, dressed in wet weather gear.
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A picture of a VI sailor at the helm of an underway yacht. The rest of the mixed crew are sitting nearby.
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A picture below decks of a crew having dinner. The table is laid with various dishes andd drinks, and everyone is smiling towards the camera.
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A close up of a VI sailor at the helm of an underway yacht. In the background, a yacht of the Land Rover BAR team, skippered by Ben Ainslie, is passing at high speed raised on hydrofoils.
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A selfie image of a mixed crew, taken at night from a low angle looking up. Everyone is smiling and the brightly lit Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth is in the background
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An image of a VI sailor at the helm of an underway yacht, being guided by a sighted skipper. They are in wet weather gear, and the wind is strong.
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An end-of-day picture of several crews getting together at the marina. Around twenty VI and sighted sailors are standing on a pontoon or the deck of the moored yacht, smiling and raising glasses towards the camera.
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A close up image of a VI sailor at the helm of an underway yacht. He is wearing wet weather gear, and the wind has blown the brim of his sou'wester style hat over his face.
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A close up picture of a VI sailor and sighted assistant at the helm of an underway yacht on a sunny day.
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A group shot of six sighted and VI crew at the end of the day enjoying a drink together on the pontoon.
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A close up taken from the deck of an underway yacht, looking back to the wheel. The weather is clear. The yacht is being helmed by a VI sailor, with a sighted crew member sitting next to them.
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A picture taken from the pontoon in a marina. On the deck of a moored yacht a group of crew and musicians are sitting. One has an accordion, another has a fiddle and others have song sheets. They are dressed in colourful rain ponchos and some are weraing pink cowboy hats.
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A picture of a VI sailor helming an underway yacht on a relatively clear day. A couple of other crew members are sitting nearby.
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A close up picture of a smiling group sitting around a dining table in a marquee. Other tables and groups are in the background. Glasses of wine and used napkins on the table indicate that this is the end of dinner.
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A pciture taken from the deck of an underway yacht, looking over the side at the sea. A small school of dolphins is swimming and breaching alongside.
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A selfie picture of a group of sighted and VI crew taken on the quayside after a day's sailing. They are all smiling at the camera, and a couple are raising glasses.
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A group picture of nineteen VI and sighted crew, sitting and standing on the deck of a yacht moored at a marina pontoon. It is evening and the sun is shining.
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A landscape and seascape picture taken in the evening. The foreground is a small bay in which several boats and yachts are moored. In the background is a coastal town - possibly Falmouth? It is dusk and the sea is very calm.
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A close up of a VI sailor at the wheel of an underway yacht on a calm sea. A sighted crew member is sitting alongside providing guidance.
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Four sighted and VI crew are sitting around the wheel of a yacht having a cup of tea. The helm is currently unmanned and the yacht is stationary.
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A close up of a VI sailor making his way along the deck of a yacht. One arm is over the boom, the other raised in the air in a cheering motion. He is smiling broadly at the camera.
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A picture of a sighted and a VI crew member at the helm of an underway yacht, looking sternward. The sea is calm but conditions are overcast.
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A picture of four V.I. and sighted crew on an underway yacht, which is tilted over under full sail. A VI sailor is at the helm, and the other crew are standing and sitting nearby.
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A picture taken looking back at the wheel of a yacht under sail. It is a clear, bright and calm day. A VI sialor is at the helm, with a sighted crew member assisting.
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A close up picture of a very focused VI sailor at the helm of an underway yacht, with a sighted skipper standing nearby. both are looking towards the bow. The sky is clear and blue, though both are wearing wet weather appropriate gear.
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A picture taken from the deck of a yacht, looking back to the wheel. The horizon is at an angle indicating that the yacht is under sail. A VI sailor is at the helm, and a smiling sighted crew is sitting next to him.
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A picture taken at the end of a day's sailing of around twenty sighted and VI crew on the deck and adjacent pontoon. The group are smiling and raising glasses to the camera.
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A close up picture taken on board a yacht, of a sighted crew member assisting a VI sailor with some wet weather gear and gloves.
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A picture taken from the deck of a yacht under sail, looking back at the wheel. A VI sailor is at the helm, with sighted and VI crew sitting and standing nearby. Conditions are overcast but calm.
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A picture taken from a pontoon of a large group of VI and sighted sailors sitting on the deck of the yacht 'Zazu', which is moored. The crew are raising glasses. It's a sunny evening, with the shadow of the photographer visible in the foreground.
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A picture of two sailors kneeling down on a marina pontoon with. yacht alongside. They are working on a small outboard engine, surrounded by tools and equipment. They are looking towards the camera and laughing.
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