I
Ian Cloke
Guest
Boating and angling opportunities for disabled people take a giant leap forward with the launch of two brand new accessible boats by The Wheelyboat Trust.
Chris Tarrant launches new accessible angling boat for the River Tweed The Tweed Wheelyboat is a dedicated fishing boat designed to provide disabled anglers with hassle-free access to large rivers like the Tweed. It was formally launched by TV personality and passionate angler, Chris Tarrant, on his 60th birthday. The Tweed Wheelyboat has come about due to the dearth of disabled-accessible angling on this world famous game fishery. As well as its bank fishing being impossible (wading is the norm), the fishing boats used over much of the river are very difficult for disabled anglers to get into, especially wheelchair users, and are not at all suited to their needs.
The Tweed Wheelyboat solves these problems and means that the disabled angler and ghillie/boatman on their own can board and disembark a purpose built craft which is safe, comfortable, easy to use and, for the ghillie, almost as easy to row and manoeuvre as a standard Tweed boat. Commissioned in 2005 by the Tweed Foundation to develop this solution, The Wheelyboat Trust has been working with naval architect Emrhys Barrell and professional boatbuilder Jim Coulam and the Tweed Wheelyboat is the result of more than a year?s development from initial idea to fully-working prototype. The new boat is based on Jim Coulam?s standard 15? reservoir rowing boat which has been ingeniously modified and includes a manually-operated hydraulic platform to lower the wheelchair user from gunwale to deck.
It is already in service on the Tweed and will be joined by others as demand requires. It is not only disabled anglers on the Tweed that will benefit; the Trust is already receiving enquiries from other river and lake fisheries across the UK and Ireland which are keen to provide the craft for their disabled anglers.
Background
Angling is an activity enjoyed by millions but disabled people?s access is severely restricted due to the nature of the environment in which it takes place. Generally, though, once the problems of access to fishing lake, pond, reservoir, river, etc have been overcome, disabled people are able to participate alongside and on equal terms with their able-bodied counterparts. The greatest difficulties arise on rivers where the steep and overgrown banks and fluctuating water levels are often insurmountable barriers. But to many anglers, rivers provide the most exciting and challenging fishing with the enigmatic salmon and sea trout the most prized quarry. Disabled people therefore are severely limited in their choices and either have to miss out on an activity that many others simply take for granted or go to extreme and undignified lengths to get on the water. The huge benefits the Tweed Wheelyboat will bring about should not be underestimated ? it will revolutionise the opportunities for disabled anglers.
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Chris Tarrant launches new accessible angling boat for the River Tweed The Tweed Wheelyboat is a dedicated fishing boat designed to provide disabled anglers with hassle-free access to large rivers like the Tweed. It was formally launched by TV personality and passionate angler, Chris Tarrant, on his 60th birthday. The Tweed Wheelyboat has come about due to the dearth of disabled-accessible angling on this world famous game fishery. As well as its bank fishing being impossible (wading is the norm), the fishing boats used over much of the river are very difficult for disabled anglers to get into, especially wheelchair users, and are not at all suited to their needs.
The Tweed Wheelyboat solves these problems and means that the disabled angler and ghillie/boatman on their own can board and disembark a purpose built craft which is safe, comfortable, easy to use and, for the ghillie, almost as easy to row and manoeuvre as a standard Tweed boat. Commissioned in 2005 by the Tweed Foundation to develop this solution, The Wheelyboat Trust has been working with naval architect Emrhys Barrell and professional boatbuilder Jim Coulam and the Tweed Wheelyboat is the result of more than a year?s development from initial idea to fully-working prototype. The new boat is based on Jim Coulam?s standard 15? reservoir rowing boat which has been ingeniously modified and includes a manually-operated hydraulic platform to lower the wheelchair user from gunwale to deck.
It is already in service on the Tweed and will be joined by others as demand requires. It is not only disabled anglers on the Tweed that will benefit; the Trust is already receiving enquiries from other river and lake fisheries across the UK and Ireland which are keen to provide the craft for their disabled anglers.
Background
Angling is an activity enjoyed by millions but disabled people?s access is severely restricted due to the nature of the environment in which it takes place. Generally, though, once the problems of access to fishing lake, pond, reservoir, river, etc have been overcome, disabled people are able to participate alongside and on equal terms with their able-bodied counterparts. The greatest difficulties arise on rivers where the steep and overgrown banks and fluctuating water levels are often insurmountable barriers. But to many anglers, rivers provide the most exciting and challenging fishing with the enigmatic salmon and sea trout the most prized quarry. Disabled people therefore are severely limited in their choices and either have to miss out on an activity that many others simply take for granted or go to extreme and undignified lengths to get on the water. The huge benefits the Tweed Wheelyboat will bring about should not be underestimated ? it will revolutionise the opportunities for disabled anglers.
continues.......