Hilary Lister, the inspirational quadriplegic yachtswoman, today completed her round Britain and Ireland dream, returning to Dover 12 months after she launched her ambitious project to sail solo around the British Isles.
Hilary has completed the incredible feat using her trusty Artemis 20 yacht, sailed using a 'sip and puff' system. The same yacht that saw her successfully cross the English Channel in 2005. She has sailed around the British and Irish coast in legs of between 30 to 50 nautical miles, venturing both into the North Sea and Irish Sea. The voyage commenced in 2008 when Hilary and the team sailed from Dover to Newlyn, but she was unable to complete the project in 2008 after bad weather and technical issues hampered her progress. It was a tough decision to take, but she decided to postpone the dream and complete the journey in 2009.
On 21st May 2009, Hilary and her team set sail from Plymouth and, after 2 legs, returned to Newlyn to pick up from where she had left off in 2008. Three months later she has returned to her starting point in Dover to celebrate a momentous achievement that has inspired thousands of people across the UK and around the world.
Talking about the highly adaptable Artemis 20 yacht, Hilary concluded, “Sailing to me is the escape route from my disability. As a quadriplegic, it wasn't apparent at first that I would even be able to passenger a boat, let alone sail one single-handedly. The Artemis 20 boats have enabled me to realise my dreams in a way I never thought possible. When I'm sailing I go into a different world, it's like I'm flying! The beauty of The Even Keel Project is in its simplicity: identical boats, able-bodied or disabled, a level playing field. It is fitting that these remarkable boats will be used to enable so many more people to achieve something they never thought possible.”
The Artemis 20 now forms part of the Even Keel Project in the UK, designed to offer sailing to disabled and disadvantaged audiences who would not usually have access to the sport. Dave Rutter, Managing Director of the Even Keel Project concluded, “The Artemis 20 has been a fantastic vessel for Hilary and everyone at the Artemis Even Keel Site UK congratulates her on this wonderful accomplishment in successfully finishing her round Britain and Ireland dream. Hilary embodies the core values of the Even Keel Project; sailing is one of very few sports in which having a physical disability does not have to be a disadvantage. Our site at UKSA in Cowes now offers free sailing opportunities onboard the Artemis 20 to a huge number of disabled and disadvantaged individuals across the UK. The projects philosophy stems from the importance of accessibility, the idea of breaking down barriers and creating a fun and functional environment that will increase participation.”
The Artemis 20 was designed by Simon Rogers and built to be accessible to all. By making a few small adjustments to the control mechanism, the boat can be sailed by people with a wide range of disabilities making it an ideal platform for both the able bodied and disabled sailor to compete on a level playing field. As well as being functional these boats are also stunning to look and great fun to operate making them highly desirable to sail by all.
If you would like to try sailing with the project or know of anyone who you feel might benefit then please contact the team via the website.
