Follow the Build of the New DSA Dazcat 15OO Here

The Dream of Accessible Sailing

Designing yachts for disabled sailors has always been a challenge, but also a calling. Our first boat built for a paraplegic sailor was the trimaran Paradox in 1997, commissioned to race around Britain & Ireland. The next ground-breaking project was The Impossible Dream, launched in 2002. At the time, its size and complex control systems had never been attempted in an accessible yacht.

The Impossible Dream project was the vision of Mike Brown, a mountaineer and adventurer whose life changed after a ski accident left him using a wheelchair. For Mike, sailing was not about limitation but about rediscovering freedom, risk, and purpose. With determination and the support of others, he proved the impossible possible – crossing the Atlantic twice, cruising the Caribbean and Mediterranean, and inspiring countless people along the way.

Mike’s legacy continues. Quadriplegic sailor Geoff Holt famously sailed The Impossible Dream unassisted across the Atlantic, returning to the very place where his own accident had happened. He went on to inspire many more through his Round Britain Challenge and the Wetwheels accessible powerboat project.

In America, The Impossible Dream was bought by Deborah Mellen who works closely with Shake-A-Leg Miami, one of the world’s largest disabled sailing organisations. There, it has given thousands of disabled sailors the life-changing experience of being at sea.

Meanwhile in Cornwall, our team felt inspired by all the amazing people met along the way and has carried forward the spirit by creating more accessible designs alongside our high-performance catamarans. For nearly 40 years, we’ve combined innovation, personal service, and a drive to challenge convention. As a result there have been some truly impressive achievements and many personal triumphs from our accessible boats and their crews, but one goal has remained: to build a production catamaran where accessibility isn’t an afterthought, but the standard.

Now, working with the Disabled Sailors Association (DSA) and Mike Wood (MBE), another tireless advocate for accessible sailing, that goal is becoming reality. For over 25 years, the DSA has operated Spirit of Scott Bader, an accessible catamaran that has taken thousands of disabled children and adults out onto the water. But Spirit of Scott Bader is always booked, demand outstrips availability and new types of adventures and more distant horizons are now also calling and so the DSA Dazcat 1500 will join the DSA’s growing fleet.

Together, we have designed the world’s first production catamaran with accessibility at its core. A year of design has gone into the project, drawing on decades of knowledge in yacht design, advanced composites, and accessible systems. The new vessel will:

• Accommodate multiple wheelchair users, with wide hulls and accessible layouts for both day trips and long expeditions.
• Offer safe, independent movement on board, with automated or centralised controls for single-handed or crewed sailing.
• Balance accessibility with genuine sailing performance, using innovative hull forms, optional lifting foils and true Dazcat DNA.

This is not just one boat. The vision is a fleet of accessible catamarans worldwide, operated by charities, sailing groups and private individuals to open the seas to all. The second boat is already planned for the USA. The build is already well underway, meaning this is no longer just a dream, it’s happening.

At Dazcat, we’ve always believed sailing should be about adventure, freedom, and connection with the sea. With the DSA, we now have the chance to share that with thousands more people who otherwise would never have the opportunity.

This project is the celebration of past dreamers and the fulfilment of Mike Wood and the DSA’s vision. It represents a legacy we can be truly proud of: creating a new generation of truly accessible sailing opportunities.