No holding back

Sailing may have been well outside their comfort zone, but that was not going to get in the way of several people giving it a go.

People with disabilities were buddied up with able-bodied volunteers on specially designed two-person boats at Broad Bay in Dunedin on Saturday.

The two boats have been loaned to the Sailability Otago Trust, a group dedicated to creating inclusive sailing in Otago Harbour.

There was no holding back Harrison Carter (5).

"I’m going on a boat and you’re not," he announced to his cousins.

Trust chairwoman Anette Seifert said leaving behind terra firma could be both challenging and eye-opening for sailing participants.

The boats had many elements that made sailing accessible, she said.

Steering and ropes were controlled from the centre and the boats featured flexible seating.

Such changes opened up sailing to many who could have never sailed previously, such as people who used wheelchairs, she said.

The trust is affiliated to the Broad Bay Boating Club and linked to the Halberg Foundation.