Breaking barriers of participation
In 2024–25, the Andrew Cassell Foundation reached an exciting milestone, as a result of rapid growth both in the number of participants and the range of disabilities our sailors compete with we entered four boats for the first time. Cowes Week results remain encouraging with a second place across the class and a number of excellent finishes for other boats. Despite these excellence results, it remains an event where for the Foundation, the taking part is what counts.
The increase in participation is most welcome but brings higher demands on our volunteers and especially on our Coach and Director who remains responsible for much of the mentoring which is key to the rapid progress in skill and independence many of our sailors are able to make.
Increased participation also increases the sailing hours on the Sonar keelboats and support boat we operate, with attendant increases in operating and routine maintenance costs.
Training continues to follow a fortnightly pattern from October to Cowes Week. The Foundation is exploring several developments to its training pipeline including a specific neurodiversity strand, possibly combined with a brain injury strand. Foundation Alumni have had a bumper year, the highlights being a Solo Transpacific, and multiple Round Britain and Ireland sails. The Sonar fleet is in good health in Cowes with an increasing number of competitive boats, in no small part due to the Foundation’s advocacy for the boat, and the parallel role of our Director in the Sonar Class Association with the aim of keeping focus for our team.
The death of Andy Cassell
This year also saw the sad death of the charity’s founder and Patron Andy Cassell aged 83. We, with many in the sailing community, miss his wisdom and mischievous sense of humour. With characteristic wisdom he had transitioned from being an active manager of the Foundation to its much loved Patron some years ago. The increased participation, growing engagement and growth in the number of boats entered at Cowes Week this is is the best tribute we can offer. Andy lives on with us in every passionate sailor we support.
Cowes Week Report 2025
Cowes Week 2025 marks the first time the Foundation has entered four boats in Cowes Week. This rapid growth from just two boats in the immediate aftermath of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, is a testament to the commitment of our participants and our Director. We are grateful to the Island Sailing Club for their willingness to charter their Sonar Hibiscus (613) to the Foundation at short notice making this fourth entry possible
Cowes Week remains the high point of the Foundation’s training year. The careful build up throughout the winter equips our crews to sail to the limits of their disability in a genuinely competitive way. This year saw more sailors joining mid training cycle, often transferring from other disability sailing groups that were less suited to their needs, coming to the Foundation for the next challenge. Mid Cycle joining participants were of course less experienced on the race course, but we expect them to perform even better in the next regatta. The initiation of a Cowes Week regatta with long varied race courses criss crossed by other classes racing is a baptism of fire. For us the Sonar fleet enables those starting out on the journey to get experience and those racing at the highest level.
The Race Committee set a series of challenging courses, including a curiosity which saw the fleet carrying a spinnaker for three legs of a four leg race.
Fierce Competition
Racing in the Sonar Class was more competitive than ever, with the Cowes Match Racing Academy joining the fleet. That meant five boats were regularly locked in close fights for the front, increasing the challenge and excitement. The fleet being in good health with 16 entries is encouraging, as Sonar’s are an ideal boat for the inshore race course of the Solent. Our sailors, and their support team ashore were able to handle the pressure brilliantly. They raced hard, stayed safe, and avoided any protests or damage, in all conditions from very strong wind strengths to the super light breeze on the final finish at the Royal Yacht Squadron
A Podium Finish for ACF Dolphin
ACF Dolphin, skippered by Foundation director Matt Grier, set out to sail fast with a mixed crew including sailors with sensory impairments, and to fight for a podium place. Limbitless original skipper got injured three days before the regatta started. To keep the programme together, Dolphin donated their bowman, Steve Palmer an ACF alumn and now experienced yacht sailor to skipper Limitless. This meant Dolphin sailed three up, which increased the challenge as strong winds emerged on day two of the regatta. A further challenge was one of our core volunteers, a Dolphin crew having a reoccurrence of sciatica. The boat and crew kept improving race after race learning how to sail faster despite a more and more impaired team, consistently placing between fourth and second. That consistency paid off with second place overall.
ACF Spare Part — Closing the Gap
ACF Spare Part, skippered by Mark Matthews, had a determined crew made up of sailors with brain injury, cerebral palsy, and learning disabilities. They were joined at very late notice one of our alumni who sails with a spinal injury. The crew improved steadily all week, chasing the back of the leading pack. In the final race, they caught them, and held on for a thrilling spinnaker run close inshore down the Green to the hallowed finish at the Royal Yacht Squadron achieving a sixth place. Overall, they finished 10th — exactly in line with expectations for this crew, and a result they can be proud of.
ACF Limbitless — Rising to the Challenge
ACF Limbitless almost didn’t make it to the start line. Just days before Cowes Week, our much-valued amputee skipper, Laurence, took a fall and suffered a serious fracture. Disabled participants are vulnerable to accident, injury and illnesses relating to their disability, and this is another factor the Foundation has to bear in mind when planning operations. We were incredibly grateful to Steve, a double above knee amputee, Foundation alum and former owner of 2 of our boats visiting from abroad, who stepped up to take the helm. Limbitless sailing with two amputees and a changing crew, which on day one had Christina onboard, an upcoming sailor with CP and visual impairments had to gel quickly under their new skipper. They pulled it off, finishing just behind ACF Spare Part in 12th place.
Island Sailing Club Hibiscus — Experience Gained
Our unexpected bonus boat, Island Sailing Club Hibiscus, came to us through a generous charter. This crew, whose disabilities included Autism and Apert syndrome joined the fleet mainly to gain racing experience. They achieved a creditable 13th place and made strong, safe decisions on the water, including a couple of entirely appropriate retirements. That’s good seamanship in action. With the experience they’ve now banked, we expect big things from them next year.
Support team
As the Foundation’s participation in Cowes Week has increased, so has our need for shore crew. We were particularly grateful to parents of one of our sailors who devoted their week to supporting the shore side of the operation and also to one of our Alumni who gave up several days to provide media support and to capture some of the photographs which will help promote the Foundation through the coming year.
The Training Cycle
Our season runs from October to August or roughly from Cowes Week to Cowes Week. This year, we’ve sailed with some of the most determined and brilliant disabled people we’ve ever met. We’re also seeing more variety in the disabilities we work with.
Many of our participants have faced challenges well beyond the water. Some of the people we are working with have been failed by the education system or written off by society. Seeing participants come alive through sailing, gaining strength and confidence that transforms their futures on land as well as at sea, is why we do what we do.
This cycle we have welcomed more people mid cycle, and while this is not ideal from a skills development pathway point of view, we have been happy to integrate these participants, several of whom have transferred from other disability sailing programmes where they no longer felt they were being stretched or learning.
We train every other weekend, including throughout the winter months, a schedule which exposes sailors to the worst weather we ever operate in, and helps to prepare them for anything a summer regatta can throw at them.
This fortnightly rhythm is key as it allows participants, many of whom travel long distances or have complex journeys, to stay involved without overwhelming their schedules. It also makes room for the medical and personal commitments that are a reality for many of our sailors.
Affordability matters too. The fortnightly schedule helps keep costs manageable at a time when disabled people’s finances are under extreme pressure, an issue which gives us much concern.
Opening the Door — Friday Taster Sessions
Last year, we launched Friday afternoon sessions with the aim to increase the socialisation opportunities and introduce new participants. They offer a relaxed, low-pressure introduction to the Foundation’s programme both on and off the water. This training cycle we’ve now run 12 of these sessions, of which all members have gone on to join our main training stream.
Development & Alumni
Fundraising
Fundraising and donor relations continues to be a challenging part of the Foundation’s work. Without the generosity of the Trusts and other bodies that support our work it would be impossible to deliver the life transforming racing which the Foundation delivers. We are grateful to increased contribution to our fundraising operations from volunteers.
Site & scope development
Due to the increase of demand we are looking at both expanding our offer to those else were in the UK and also to those with disabilities outside of those sailors having physical disabilities.
Progressing a neurodiversity stream
Bearing in mind the special issues around neurodiversity, the Foundation is exploring creating a special training stream for neurodivergent people with and without other disabilities to enable them to participate and progress in the sailing community. This has come about due to us finding more individuals being diagnosed later in life but also helping them be independent and included and having the opportunities that encourage growth.
Celebrating helping other organisations
This we were very happy to see Stride Forward – an amputee focused support and rehabilitation charity make their independent debut at Cowes Week. A largely amputee crew raced a SunFast 3600 with more than a little competitiveness. Disabled people racing in open competition is core to our mission. We were particularly glad to welcome Stride Forward having been involved in supporting its precursor organisation through providing an amputee training weekend and supporting an amputee crew to race as part of the Foundation during Cowes Week 2023
A bumper year for our alumni
Our Alumni and friends have had a bumper year from a solo Transpacific, multiple Round Britain and Ireland, to volunteering and refitting post transatlantic sails in Canada.
Craig Wood, First Pacific solo by a triple amputee
Craig Wood, a triple amputee, became the first person to sail solo, non-stop, across the Pacific, 7,506 nautical miles from Mexico to Japan making history, 13 years after he was grievously injured during military operations in Afghanistan. He had sailed extensively with the Andrew Cassell Foundation and in the Sonar Paralympic squad before transitioning to much bigger boats.
Steve Palmer
Steve, a double above knee amputee also skippered Limitless at Cowes Week this year, flying in from North America where he’s been helping a disability sailing charity and refitting his own boat after a solo transatlantic crossing.
Ian Wyllie
Ian Wyllie, who lives with Cauda Equina Syndrome (a low spinal cord injury), joined ACF Spare Part at Cowes Week fresh from a three-season odyssey with Trilleen his Vancouver 27 around the edges of the United Kingdom and Ireland. On his voyage, he visited harbours and marinas, helping them think in new ways about disability sailing. Ian first joined our programme in 2020 and sailed with us until 2023.
Jazz Turner — Beating the Odds
This year, Jazz completed a largely non-stop sail around Britain and Ireland. Jazz Turner, who is living with severe Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, is an unexpected survivor after the withdrawal of parenteral nutrition. Her project raised substantial funds for her local sailability project. She has announced an intent to complete a larger non stop sailing project.
Lauren Wilis (SB20)
Lauren a deaf sailor who we have worked with, brought a sports boat back to to Cowes Week 2025 and achieved a podium position of second in the SB20 Mini Slam Lauren has been coming to the Foundation with Sussex Yacht Club over many years supported by Andy himself.
Tom Abrey – Etchell
Tom Abrey with Jolly Roger Etchell secured 3rd place at Cowqes Week 2025 in a growing competitive fleet. Tom joined the Foundation back in 2012 after meeting Matt at a talent ID day and after hitting it off with Andy went on to take part in the Cowes Week as his crew in 2013 & 2014 – then alongside Paralympic training Tom also built his own sailing campaign in an Etchell together with being a very busy farmer in Norfolk.
Governance, fundraising and marketing
The Foundation has welcomed two new trustees who will have a particular focus on governance and systems development with the aim of ensuring the charity continues on a sustainable growth path and is able to help more disabled participants to compete with and against abled crews on the water.
The Foundation is looking for further Trustees or skilled supporters to develop an active and committed board who are excited for the future of this unique charity and help develop its future.
