kalessin
Well-Known Member
Some of you may remember my husband Samwise (http://www.ybw.com/forums/member.php?620-samwise), who has made over 1500 posts on various YBW forums. Sam suffered a massive stroke almost exactly a year ago, which affected both his mobility and his language very badly. After a lot of physio and determination on his part he is now able to walk, very slowly. He has great difficulty in bending and lifting his right leg, and has no use of his right arm or hand at all. I'm not sure if he can steer in a straight line, his language problems mean that he won't be able to undertake navigation (not that he ever did much) or blathering to harbourmasters (this is a much bigger blow), and I can't see that he can undertake much engine maintenance either. Foredeck work is definitely out.
However we are not giving up just yet. Our Westerly Storm, Kalessin of Orwell, is in Augustenborg, Denmark, where we left her at the end of the 2011 season. In late June we hope to go out there with our sons, one a reasonably experienced crew member and the other a yachtmaster & flotilla skipper, to see if we can actually do some sailing. If not, we will retire gracefully and I will try to persuade Sam to accept that a motorboat on the Broads, or a canal narrowboat, is better than no boating at all. If things go well we may leave the yacht in the Baltic as there is a lot to be said for non-tidal, sheltered sailing among civilised Danes.
I'm hoping that somewhere among you there are sailors with experience of something similar. I have struggled with the forum search engine but not found much - the best thread I came across was http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?220788-Disabled-access-to-an-unmodified-AWB - hopefully there is more advice out there somewhere!
We plan to use a bosun's chair and tackle to lift Sam on board when there is a reasonable finger pontoon or alongside jetty. Once he's in the cockpit the biggest challenge will be getting up and down the companionway - the Storm has a bridgedeck which can be removed but then leaves a big step up on the cockpit side. I'm sure we can find a way but I'd like Sam to be as independent as possible. Fortunately there is a lot to hold on to, but the companionway steps are pretty steep.
Our other big challenge is going to be with Baltic box moorings. In the past we have always done these bows-to, but I can't see any way that Sam can climb over the pulpit and drop to the jetty, never mind getting back again. Is there a reason why we shouldn't come in stern-to, other than the general pig-headedness of the Storm going backwards?
We then have a further challenge. The Storm has a split backstay which will totally prevent us from using a passerelle as a wheelchair ramp, say.
It might be possible for Sam to stand on the stern and swing himself past it, but I'm not sure this is safe. Does anyone have suggestions for a safe way to lower him over the stern (and of course raise him up again)?
Finally, I'm reluctant to invest a large amount in any modifications to the boat (e.g. davits) when we may decide within a week or two that sailing is really not an option any more, for any one of numerous possible reasons. I'm also handicapped by the fact that Sam was the DIY man and I don't have skills to do very much work myself.
I would really appreciate any thoughts, suggestions or encouragement. You may of course feel that we are mad even to try, but I feel I owe it to Sam to at least give it a go.
Many thanks
However we are not giving up just yet. Our Westerly Storm, Kalessin of Orwell, is in Augustenborg, Denmark, where we left her at the end of the 2011 season. In late June we hope to go out there with our sons, one a reasonably experienced crew member and the other a yachtmaster & flotilla skipper, to see if we can actually do some sailing. If not, we will retire gracefully and I will try to persuade Sam to accept that a motorboat on the Broads, or a canal narrowboat, is better than no boating at all. If things go well we may leave the yacht in the Baltic as there is a lot to be said for non-tidal, sheltered sailing among civilised Danes.
I'm hoping that somewhere among you there are sailors with experience of something similar. I have struggled with the forum search engine but not found much - the best thread I came across was http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?220788-Disabled-access-to-an-unmodified-AWB - hopefully there is more advice out there somewhere!
We plan to use a bosun's chair and tackle to lift Sam on board when there is a reasonable finger pontoon or alongside jetty. Once he's in the cockpit the biggest challenge will be getting up and down the companionway - the Storm has a bridgedeck which can be removed but then leaves a big step up on the cockpit side. I'm sure we can find a way but I'd like Sam to be as independent as possible. Fortunately there is a lot to hold on to, but the companionway steps are pretty steep.
Our other big challenge is going to be with Baltic box moorings. In the past we have always done these bows-to, but I can't see any way that Sam can climb over the pulpit and drop to the jetty, never mind getting back again. Is there a reason why we shouldn't come in stern-to, other than the general pig-headedness of the Storm going backwards?
We then have a further challenge. The Storm has a split backstay which will totally prevent us from using a passerelle as a wheelchair ramp, say.
It might be possible for Sam to stand on the stern and swing himself past it, but I'm not sure this is safe. Does anyone have suggestions for a safe way to lower him over the stern (and of course raise him up again)?
Finally, I'm reluctant to invest a large amount in any modifications to the boat (e.g. davits) when we may decide within a week or two that sailing is really not an option any more, for any one of numerous possible reasons. I'm also handicapped by the fact that Sam was the DIY man and I don't have skills to do very much work myself.
I would really appreciate any thoughts, suggestions or encouragement. You may of course feel that we are mad even to try, but I feel I owe it to Sam to at least give it a go.
Many thanks
