![Andrew Cushen[1].jpg](https://www.bythedart.co.uk/downloads/7996/download/Andrew%20Cushen%5B1%5D.jpg?cb=b3c027e4c0fe358fd6dcd2e580cd9d17&w={width}&h={height})
Cdr Andrew Cushen - Dart Sailability Principal
Andrew has already spent 10 years in the charity sector supporting the local community and was pleased to be asked to use this experience and was pleased to be asked to use this experience and that gained in the Royal Navy to manage Dart Sailability.
Based at Noss Marina, opposite the Royal Naval College, Dart Sailability is run by its members, disabled sailors and able bodied volunteers, so that people with disabilities can enjoy the freedom that sailing and other water borne activities offer. It enjoys recognition by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) as being the South West‘s training “centre of excellence” and supports disabled sailors from beginners enjoying the local wildlife to experienced sailors competing in national regattas.
Experienced skippers are available to take anyone above the age of eleven, of all disabilities, afloat and provide instruction on Tuesdays and Saturdays from May until October. Members are also able to participate in other events including a programme of shore based training and social activities.
Although an experienced yacht skipper, Andrew has enjoyed further developing his sailing skills while joining the disabled crews racing their competitive Sonar keelboat, similar to those sailed in the Paralympics, during the Royal Dart Yacht Club’s weekly and Dartmouth Regatta racing series. He also described how he was one of five volunteers who braved a challenging week of stormy weather during March this year to qualify as a RYA keelboat instructor to help train new sailors and volunteers.
Andrew took over from long time Principal, Mark Farries, at the end of last summer in time for one of the busiest winters for the volunteer run charity. He explained how Dart Sailability has been adapting to manage steady growth, preparing to increase capacity and planning to offer more support and activities for the disabled sailors of all ages wanting to access the River Dart.
As an affiliated training centre, Dart Sailability are able to provide a wide range of tuition in their sailing and power boats leading to the award of RYA qualifications. As well as a busy winter refitting 16 boats, the enthusiastic members and supporters held a workshop to decide their future priorities as Dart Sailability approaches a third decade afloat.
Andrew has also used his management experience to help the charity’s trustees with their responsibilities, which have also grown as the charity has expanded. Assisted by newly appointed Chief Sailing and Powerboating Instructors, part of this work involved ordering three new boats - an Access sailing dinghy to join their existing fleet of eight brightly coloured specially adapted dinghies; another safety boat, which is also used to provide support for other charitable events on the river and a tailor made power driven vessel.
The latter has the capacity to carry 12 crew and is based on a well proven aluminium landing craft design capable of carrying sailors in their wheelchairs. Disabled members will also be able to gain qualifications to drive the boat and Dart Sailability has devised their own Certificate of Achievement training syllabus for power boats which is being considered for use by other disabled sailing centres. The new power boat will also be used for educational activities for severely disabled sailors, to promote the charity and as a committee boat to host sailing events competing against young able bodied dinghy sailors from other local sailing clubs.
The new Principal has clearly set out his priorities on the charity’s website, www.dartsailability.org. His primary aim is to ensure that Dart Sailability operates in a safe manner that ensures that disabled members and volunteers can enjoy the freedom that sailing provides, but not risk their or other river users’ safety. This message and his promotion of safe practices is a common theme, but he is also keen that members have fun, meet others and learn new skills.
He wants to recruit new volunteers and acknowledges the generous financial support from many local businesses and kind individuals. He says, “Dart Sailability could not exist without financial support and, equally important, a large body of tireless and enthusiastic volunteers.”
Volunteers become involved in many different ways, on and off the water. Andrew explains, “they don’t have to be a sailor or get their feet wet. Help is required ashore receiving and preparing sailors; for fundraising; for maintenance in the workshops over the winter months and afloat manning Dart Sailability’s boats. Training is provided in all areas and volunteers are encouraged to develop their own skills throughout their time with the charity.
There are no paid positions, but the training some volunteers have gained has helped their future employment. An example of this is a young volunteer who helped whilst still at school and is now working as a merchant naval officer based in Australia.”
If you are interested in assisting Dart Sailability they can be contacted at info@dartsailability.org.
First published By The Dart May 2015 Issue
