Blind Sailor from Catalonia takes on the solo Round the Island Challenge
by Yes We Sail 16 Jul 21:05 NZST
Blind sailor Dani Pich is set to take on a solo Round the Isle of Wight challenge next week © Yes We Sail
A truly remarkable challenge is under way on the Solent in the coming weeks, with blind sailor Dani A. Pich aiming to sail solo around the Isle of Wight in a catamaran dinghy that has no rudder, no centreboard, no boom and is steered by the use of balance and body weight, in order to raise awareness for both blind sailing and sailing's re-inclusion for the 2032 Paralympic Games.
Dani's life was turned upside down when a fire extinguisher exploded in his face onboard a merchant naval vessel when he was just 31 years old, rendering him B3 blind, totally dark. Two years of recovery and subsequent mental health challenges, saw Dani return to the sport that he loves the most and what he says, "makes him feel so alive and free." Sailing off the beaches of Barcelona, Dani began in the Patí Català class, a popular dinghy off the shores of Catalonia, that is challenging to sail for even the most able-bodied of sailors.
A visit to the Isle of Wight at the beginning of March saw Dani explain his goals for the summer and a group of local volunteers, led by America's Cup historian Magnus Wheatley, set about organising the structure around the challenge. East Cowes Sailing Club immediately stepped forward offering both their slipway and personnel, whilst the Royal Yacht Squadron agreed to fire a cannon from the Castle battery to mark the start of what is set to be an epic journey. The Royal Ocean Racing Club also lent their support whilst the Andrew Cassell Foundation and the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club stepped forward with
organisational and practical help.
Arriving to the UK in early July saw Dani and his support team decamp to East Cowes and begin training, being made honorary members of the East Cowes Sailing Club and drawing on wide local community and membership support. Training has begun in earnest out on the Solent, weather permitting, and is going extremely well with Dani getting used to the strong tides of the Solent, something he doesn't encounter in Barcelona.
Speaking about the challenge, Dani commented: "I have been made to feel so welcome by the sailing community, and particularly the East Cowes Sailing Club who have been so accommodating. Peter Ball, the Commodore, John Barnes the Commodore of Sailing, and Barry Quinn the Boatyard Manager, have all been immense and the members I have met on the dock have been incredible. The challenge is considerable, and we have support from Peter Morton at the Wight Shipyard Co. as well as additional RIB support from Simon & Tom Rogers, the renowned multiple winners of the Round the Island Race. It is a 'whole Cowes' effort, and I am immensely grateful to everyone, plus all of my private sponsors, for their support."
In addition to creating a top class Patí Català, named 'Lady' after his deceased and much-loved bulldog, Dani has worked with the CEO of America's Cup, Grant Dalton, to implement a technology solution that will aide his progress around the Isle of Wight. Wearing a vest that is connected via mobile and Bluetooth technology with the Starlink satellite system as a back-up, Dani's torso receives pulses of information including both waypoints and wind direction in a way that he can visualise what is happening before him. It is one of the great advances in blind sailing and combined with safety support via VHF to the following vessels, plus highly detailed 3D braille maps that he has memorised, Dani can mentally picture the Island's unique topography as well as the Solent's marker buoys.
Accompanying Dani is Magnus Wheatley, one of the world's top sailing journalists, who commented: "I saw Dani sailing for the first time on the Solent last week and I was speechless. His sailing ability is first-class, and the way he manoeuvres the catamaran is quite extraordinary. I have every faith that he will complete the challenge, and I am bowled over by the sailing community's response. East Cowes Sailing Club have been incredible, alongside a host of others who have offered help and support. It is so easy to say "no" to these kinds of challenges, far harder to say "yes" and find solutions, but that is what we have done, and it will be the greatest advance in blind sailing when he completes the challenge. We will be with Dani every step of the way."
Peter Ball, Commodore of the East Cowes Sailing Club further added his encouragement saying: "We've been absolutely delighted as a club to support Dani on this epic challenge. He has inspired a lot of interest from members, and there's a real buzz around the club at the moment when he launches from the slipway. We are all so impressed with his determination to sail around the Isle of Wight which is a hard enough challenge for the best of sailors. It's lovely to be a part of the journey."
Dani's registered foundation is "Yes We Sail" and his support team include Christian Palau and Carla Ribas both natives of Catalonia and long-standing supporters of Dani. The challenge is ultimately weather and tide dependent but is slated for the w/c 21st July.
Find out more at yeswesail.org