To make dreams come true - a totally wheelchair-accessible yacht
by Nancy Knudsen on 23 Aug 2011
Uri from above SW
It is not very often - almost never - that Sail-World Cruising offers a boat for sale, but this amazing wheelchair- accessible yacht is such a unique item that we want to see it find a good home.
The Uri was built in Damstra shipyard in Holland in 1992 for a sixty-year-old sailor who had become paraplegic and didn't want to give up his life-long passion for sailing. The loving care he invested in designing, sailing and maintaining the Uri is apparent in every aspect of the boat. He calls her his 'treasure', 'unique' and 'irreplaceable'.
It's true, of course, and it took two long years of planning by the owner and his marine engineer friend, and then it was one full year in the construction process. In all my years as a journalist working in the sailing world, I have never seen such a uniquely built boat, optimized for all the needs of a handicapped person.
As you will see by examining the photos in this article, every part of the yacht is accessible for a wheelchair. For instance, the engine room can be accessed from all sides by wheelchair, all the sails operate with motorized winches located inside the upper deck, and all the electronic equipment (upgraded constantly so it is of the highest standard) is similarly accessible. You can even go swimming with the help of a hydraulic crane from the aft sundeck, and there is a hydraulic lift that allows you to move between the upper and lower decks.
Guests that the owner has had visit during his summer holidays are always amazed to see how simple the operations are, and how the brilliant planning from the start has now made the dream of sailing for a wheelchair-bound sailor not only possible, but simple.
After sailing the Uri for eighteen years, the owner is now ready to sell. The yacht is presently in the Mediterranean.
Flag USA
LOA 16.43m
LWL 13.93m
Beam 5.60m
Draft 2.40m
Displacement 38 metric tonnes
Hull Material Aluminum
Engine Perkins M165T, 150hp
Generator Kohler 16 KW
Fuel Capacity 3200 liters
Freshwater Capacity 1600 liters
Sail Area 128.5 m2
To find out more about the Uri, or make an offer, http://wheelchairsailing.com/!click_here.
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/87590
