VI-SA-GB logo A red image of a Bermuda rig yacht on a white background bordered in blue with Vi and SA in the vertical borders and GB across the bottom horizontal strip in white Welcome to the Visually Impaired Sailing Association

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Who are we?

VI-SA-GB is a membership organisation led and operated by an executive committee for all members. VI-SA-GB is the Visually Impaired Sailing Association of Great Britain and Our underlying philosophy is that the world of offshore sailing and blue water exploration is for everyone.

The cold and wet, the windy and stormy, precipitous and frightening seas, and the dark and bewildering oceans are the sailing adventure playgrounds available to all! Barriers will be dismantled, inaccessibility overcome, and negativity challenged with expert leadership, facilitation, quality equipment and by being a membership association that represents the views, opinions and aspirations of its members.

Adventure sailing is the vehicle to empowerment and liberation.
Harness that power, scale those waves, smash through the unknown and be truly independent!

The Cruel sea

VI-SA-GB understands this because we promote through our mission statement empowerment and independence. We understand the limitations and barriers that have to be overcome and dismantled, if we are to enjoy equal access to offshore adventure sailing. We know that adventure sailing is our cruel sea. The final frontier that until now has been introduced to us on the terms of people that have sometimes overly concerned themselves with other factors and through that prevented the empowerment and independence that is available to us through offshore adventure sailing. Offshore adventure sailing is an empowering, liberating and exciting experience by which to enjoy the diverse seas and oceans we are fortunate to have available to us - we just need to reach out and grasp them!

About us

VI-SA-GB is a membership association with an executive management committee and a governing document. Full membership is open to all visually impaired people regardless of an interest in offshore sailing adventure, or through an affiliation with the aims of the association.

Countering misconceptions

We have established VI-SA-GB now on a mission to correct the largely held misconceptions about blind and visually impaired people and offshore sailing adventure and the manner by which empowerment and independence has sometimes; unintentionally, been compromised through a overly cautious approach, and the lack of understanding and awareness around empowerment and inclusion.

Membership of the VI-SA-GB association is designed for adults. All Blind and Visually impaired people that are disappointed by the sometimes disempowering approach to offshore sailing being offered to them, - sailing opportunities that concentrate on a safer and more sterile cared for environment, specialising in the passenger type involvement is not the formula that VI-SA-GB promote!

VI-SA-GB's members; rather than being "passenger types", are more likely to have tasted the liberation of empowerment and independence through experiences that set them free and actively encourage participation in sailing adventure activities. They generally make a point however, of saying how much they would like to be given the opportunity to be included more!

Fly that kite, feel that power, and don't take no for an answer!

VI-SA-GB Governance

VI-SA-GB is registered as a CASC with HM Revenue and Customs with an executive management committee and a governing document.

Read the VI-SA-GB governing document today

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Become a member today!

Support VI-SA-GB through your membership of the association and join the increasing numbers of other blind and partially sighted sailing enthusiasts over the control of our sailing. Empowered to sail under our terms, and with the independence, freedom, and equality that we deserve.

For an annual subscription individual members become part of the UK's most pro-active governing association for visually impaired offshore sailing, receiving such benefits as:

  • Full Member voting rights at AGM.
  • Members only access to the VI-SA-GB Club House webpage area.
  • Access to a wealth of accessible format sailing publications.
  • Being the first to find out about sailing opportunities.
  • The quarterly VI-SA-GB newsletter (when available).
  • Discounted chandlers supplies and yachting kit.


To find out more and to register to become a VI-SA-GB member today All about VI-SA-GB membership

VI-SA-GB logoAll information provided and presented by the association is protected by copyright (c) and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, copy or transmit, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the association.

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