SAILABILITY HONG KONG LIMITED
Registered Charity No: 91/15775
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As we welcome in 2025 we would like to say thank you to all our
supporters, sailors and volunteers without whom Sailability Hong Kong would not be what it is today. An amazing 5,192 sailors during 2024!!
We Make Sailing Accessible to EVERYONE whilst changing lives.
Come and see what we do 'seeing is believing'
December 2024
Sailability HK Receives Generous Donation from Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation
Sailability HK is honored to once again be a beneficiary of the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation's annual donation. Founded 15 years ago in celebration of Ng Teng Fong, the Founder of Sino Group, the foundation provides support to many charities, organizations, and religious groups in Hong Kong. This year, 100 beneficiaries each received $50,000.
Representing Sailability at the event held in the Atrium of the Tsim Sha Centre were CEO and Co-Founder Kay Rawbone BEM and Sylvia Leung, our leading female Para Sailor.
A huge thank you to Nikki Ng and the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation for their incredible outreach and support within our community.
Meet the Olympian - Lily Xu 🥇
On Tuesday, 17th December, a group from Sailability had the honour of attending the Hebe Haven Yacht Club event titled “Meet the Olympian - Lily Xu” (Lijia Xu). During the evening, attendees heard Lily's truly inspiring success story, from her early days as a junior swimmer and sailor, to becoming China’s Gold Medal 🥇 winner at the 2012 London Olympics in Weymouth, UK. HHYC recently awarded Honorary Membership to Lily, and everyone who attended the seminar was captivated by her stories and top tips for becoming a better sailor and athlete. She emphasised the importance of doing a sport that you love, spoke about using downtime due to injury to improve her mindset, and highlighted the necessity of being mentally and psychologically prepared for each competition.
Joseph's Outward Bound Expedition
Joseph was selected to join this year's Outward Bound expedition, which initially planned to head to Okinawa. However, due to a series of late-season typhoons in South China, the Spirit of Hong Kong boat turned back after three days at sea to ensure the safety of the crew. When conditions improved, the crew chose an alternative route to Kaohsiung and then circumnavigated Taiwan island anti-clockwise. Joseph and the crew arrived back safely with the monsoon conditions ensuring a speedy return journey. Despite being the youngest crew member at age 18, Joseph performed admirably during the voyage. His excellent boat driving skills were highlighted by skipper Amelia Ralphs.
Upon their return to Hong Kong, Joseph's mother, Sailability Instructor Jesse, and Sailability Volunteer Andrew were welcomed onboard and shown around the boat, including all its inner working spaces. It was evident that Joseph had learned a lot.This experience has been a significant milestone in Joseph's sailing development.
Sailability HK at Hong Kong Paralympic Day
Sailability HK recently took part in the annual Hong Kong Paralympic Day, an event dedicated to the disability sports community. Through sports demonstrations and athlete sharing sessions, the event aims to raise public awareness, support, and recognition for disability sports; encourage people with disabilities to participate in sports activities and experience the joy of sports; and promote the spirit of disability inclusion.Kay Rawbone BEM, Sailability Co-Founder and CEO, noted, “The area around Sailability was very busy, as always,” a positive sign of growing interest in sailing.
Kay Rawbone named one of Prestige HK’s Women of Power 2024 💙
Her achievements and unwavering dedication to breaking barriers and making sailing accessible to everyone are truly inspiring. Through her tireless efforts, she has not only championed inclusivity in the sport but has also motivated countless individuals to pursue their passion for sailing, regardless of their background. Kay’s commitment to fostering a diverse and welcoming environment in sailing serves as a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on an entire community.
Generali joins sponsors Lockly and Solaris Yachts Asia as our MoHan sponsors for 2024/25 on 3rd December, 2024, International Day of Persons with
Disability.
Sponsors mean so much to us all, our sailors, our team and the community, enabling us to offer experiences beyond many people’s dreams or aspirations. With MoHan in our fleet and as our flagship we continue of offer accessible and inclusive sailing progression and experiences.
Thank you to all our sponsors old and new as we reach new heights within Asia and World Sailing. Additionally, we would like to say to a huge thank you to Lockly and Solaris Yachts Asia for their support over the past 2 years and their continued and renewed sponsorship of MoHan going forward. Means a lot to so many as together we continue to change lives. Thank you.
Click here for the Generali Press Release
Generali Press Release
3 Dec 2024
November 2024
Sailability HK's 15th Birthday Celebration
On 23 November, around 100 friends and supporters gathered at Hebe Haven Yacht Club (HHYC Official) to celebrate Sailability HK's 15th Birthday! This milestone marks not just another year of achievements, but a decade and a half of dedication to making sailing accessible for everyone, regardless of their abilities. The celebration featured a wonderful BBQ lunch and drinks, followed by an auction to raise funds for the team's upcoming trip to Australia in March 2025 for the Hansa Class World Championships. This event not only highlighted the community's support but also served as a reminder of the transformative impact Sailability HK has had over the years.
Hebe Haven Yacht Club: An Evening of Celebration and Charity
The Hebe Haven Yacht Club recently hosted a memorable evening event, attended by club members and representatives from schools and charities that participated in the 24-Hour Charity Race. During this event, HHYC presented cheques to five deserving charities, including Sailability HK. In addition to the cheque presentations, the Club celebrated the outstanding success of FOO Yuen Wai, who won the Hansa Asia Pacific Championship in Australia.
Newly elected HHYC Vice Commodore Aaron Goach presented FOO Yuen Wai with a glass vase to commemorate his win. Wai graciously acknowledged the significant role of HHYC in his success, highlighting the club's support in providing Sailability with a home base and accessible facilities. The Para Warriors team received an award for completing the most laps during the race, while Mark Poon won the award for the best video of the 24-Hour Race.
TREATS Inclusive Sailing Races: A Remarkable Fifth Edition!
The TREATS Inclusive Sailing Races have been a highlight of the collaboration between TREATS and Sailability, which has been sailing together for 12 incredible years. This annual event brings together young people from various schools, forming teams comprising students with special educational needs and mainstream volunteers.
Despite the varying weather conditions, the sailors display remarkable determination and enthusiasm. However, the arrival of gusts of wind in later races often adds excitement and energy to the proceedings. One notable collaboration featured Au Kin Lok and Fung, Perry Francis, who impressively secured third place in their first race together. Meanwhile, the duo of Li Chi Hang and Chiu Sau Yee, veterans of the Portimão Hansa World Championships in Portugal, claimed second place. Ultimately, last year's participant Lau Ka Ho, teamed up with the seasoned Ng Ka Wa, triumphed to take first place. At the end of each exhilarating day, Sailability instructors Jesse, Karen, Paul, and Vincent have the honor of presenting the awards to the deserving participants.
First Sailability Junior Sailing Session
Saturday 16 November saw the very first Sailability Junior Sailing Session. Hosted from RHKYC at their Shelter Cove clubhouse, this marks another important step forward for Sailability. Course leader and Trainer, Kevin Lewis, led the session that introduced our first 6 young sailors to basic boat control, capsize recovery drill and the challenge of sailing in a straight line.
Kay Rawbone, Co-Founder and CEO of Sailabilty Hong Kong, explained that having a Junior Sailing Programme to offer to children and youth who wouldn’t normally have the means to join, marks another milestone and adds another level of support to access sailing in Hong Kong. It also adds to our mission as we continue to Make Sailing Accessible to Everyone. We would like to say a huge thank you to our donors Raghav Maliah and Jane Lah (through Goldman Sachs Gives) for making this amazing programme happen, and to RHKYC for providing the base at Shelter Cove. There will be a Sailability Flag flying at RHKYC Shelter Cove soon - watch this space.
photographs by George Papadopoulos
Joseph to join Outward Bound voyage
Joseph Cheung has been selected by Outward Bound HK for their 2024 Impact20 expedition! He will be sailing the return leg from Okinawa back to Hong Kong, in December. This weekend, he bid bon voyage as the the Outward Bound yacht Spirit of Hong Kong departed Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club, and headed north for Okinawa. The Outward Bound project aims to develop 20 resilient young people and give them an experience which they can take back to their communities to promote inclusion and maximum impact. The voyage is a major milestone in Joseph’s sailing development. He grew up with autism and dyslexia and has just left school. The journey from Okinawa to HK is expected to take about 3 weeks and at age 18, he is the youngest member of the crew. He hopes to develop resilience and personal growth in an environment of unknowns, develop deep friendships with the other participants, and give back to society. In the long term, he would love to make a career in sailing. Joseph and all the crew members have undergone a rigorous selection process and 4 days of training including safety training, and 3 days and nights on land which was “a test of physical fitness.”
October 2024
Foo Yuen Wai wins gold at the International Hansa Asia Pacific Championships in Australia
We are proud to announce that the wonderful success of our leading sailor FOO Yuen Wai. He has won the Hansa Liberty class at the 2024 Hansa Asia Pacific Championships. Reacting to his victory, Wai told the HKSF, “I am supremely happy to be able to break out into the world's top sailors and win the gold medal 🥇, which once again proves that our training and preparations are effective. Believe in your dreams and feelings, believe in your own potential and persistence. Sailing can heal our physical and mental trauma, enhance us, and racing can rebuild our lives and contribute to society. I’m grateful to the team at Sailability Hong Kong, to Kay, to Hebe Haven Yacht Club, my coaches, and grateful to the good people from the Sailing Federation of HK China, the Sailing Sports Association, also donors and all those who have offered encouragement.”
Kay Rawbone was thrilled and emotional to see Wai take the gold medal. “Going back to Australia and winning such a prestigious title is beyond my wildest dreams” she said. “This was an Open Championship with sailors of all abilities sailing together. For Wai in the Liberty series there were some extremely strong and competent sailors. All I can say is that it was amazing to witness. It’s been a very memorable moment for Sailability HK as we approach our 15th anniversary next month. In the space of just 15 years, we have gone from 4 sailors with SEN to an Asia Pacific Champion! In fact, the team and every sailor at the event are ALL champions.
24H Charity Race
The 24 Hour Charity Race has been a whirlwind of activity and excitement, drawing large crowds and offering entertainment for all ages.
Day 1 kicked off with 38 boats setting sail at 2pm, propelled by a good breeze and promising stronger winds for the night. The Carnival opened to the public with over 40 vendors at the race village market, offering a variety of food, drinks, and entertainment. The Kids Zone was a hit with activities like a bouncy castle, face painting, a balance bike course, and more. Live music, DJ performances, and dinghy racing added to the festive atmosphere.
Day 2 saw the conclusion of the race's second leg with a prize-giving ceremony. Cooler and fresher weather provided a welcome change from the unseasonably hot conditions of Day 1. Attendees enjoyed a range of activities, including exercise sessions, performances by school bands and choirs, and even Morris Dancing—a traditional English folk dance.
In the Hansa 303 class race, the top three teams were: 1. Volunteers One 🥇 2. Para Warriors 🥈 3. Saturday Sailors 🥉 Notably, the Para Sailors clinched the Charities Cup despite a joystick malfunction in the early hours of Sunday morning. Congratulations to all participants for their resilience and sportsmanship! This remarkable event was made possible by the generous support of sponsors like St. James's Place, Knight Frank, Piercey Marine Limited, Corney & Barrow, Boncafé Hong Kong, and Carlsberg. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has sailed, supported, or attended the event.
Sailability's Newsletter 'Limitless' Edition 5 is now available.
We hope you enjoy your read. If you would like to be added to
our mailing list please write to kay@sailability.org.hk
Final practice for the 24h race
For Saturday Sailing ⛵️ it was final practice this weekend ahead of the 24 hour charity race next weekend 19 - 20 October! There were 8 Hansa 303 boats out on the water in the morning session and 9 in the afternoon proving that our longest running programme is as popular as ever! Let’s hope the weather ☀️ is as good next weekend as it was on Saturday this weekend.
This event is open to the general public! Activities: dinghy racing ⛵️, entertainment, live school bands🎶, tug of war competition, fitness / dance 💃 🕺 class demonstration, market stalls, charity booths, and more...
Charities supported: Sailability HK, Children's Cancer Foundation, IDEAL, TREATS 親切 , Sai Kung Community Centre Sponsors: St James Place, Knight Frank, Piercey marine, Carney & Barrow, Carlsberg, Boncafe HK
September 2024
Physiotherapy goes sailing!
On Sunday 29th September the Physiotherapy Department of Hong Kong Metropolitan University and Sailability HK co organised “Sail and Serve”, a celebration of the flourishing collaboration between the University department and Sailability.
Dr. Tim Yam, who teaches on the Bachelor of Science with Honours in Physiotherapy, said “We are proud to have partnered with Sailability HK to provide sailing experience, and a physiotherapy service to the Sailability Para Sailing team. Spending time alongside Sailability’s parasailing team has brought novel opportunities for budding physiotherapists to learn about perseverance and the ability to adapt and solve problems on the spot.
The HKMU 🎓was well supported at the Sail and Serve event with many Physiotherapy students taking part and providing on-the-spot services to diagnose individual issues for further treatment, including bone density testing.
On the water, during the course of the day, some 60 people tried sailing in a dinghy ⛵️(Hansa 303), 34 people had a trip on MoHan, and 42 people went out on Hebe One. For those who wanted to try sailing from the safety of the land, Sailability had set up a Hansa 2.3 on the simulator.
In the closing speeches, Kay Rawbone recalled that the partnership between Sailability and HKMU had started a few years ago with a conversation in a car park! She thanked the university for their support and friendship and said the Sail and Serve event was a real milestone.
Professor Ricky Kwok, Vice President Research and Development, presented Sailability’s Kay Rawbone with a souvenir to mark the Sail and Serve day. Everyone listened carefully as Professor Kwok told the audience he had learned a lot about sailing by visiting the event, and urged all those present to work together to sustain the collaboration between the University and Sailability, to involve more people and more students
Sail & Serve Day with Sailability Hong Kong
Monday 23rd of September saw the cleaning and preparation of a Hansa 2.3 sailing dinghy and a simulator to make them ready for the upcoming Metropolitan University Physiotherapy Department Sail & Serve Day!
It looks to be a fun and interesting sailing fundraising day. What will be there? A physio corner for consultation, videos and photos showing students who worked with Sailability over 4 years to gain their Accreditation, warm-up and cool-down exercises for para and Sailability sailors as well as visitors, and a mini Sailing Open Day where guests are invited to sail on our Hansa 303s, MoHan and the HHYC Hebe One. Funds raised at the event will support the inclusion of a physiotherapist to accompany Sailability's racing teams at events outside of Hong Kong.
Bart's Bash
The 2024 edition of Barts Bash took place on the 14th September!
- 80+ sailors, including Sailability sailors, CCF sailors, members, Hebe Dragons, participated
- Boats in 6 classes: 2.4mR, Hansa 303, Optimist, Fusion, RS Feva, RS Quest
- MoHan was a viewing/ Media platform
- Over 100 volunteers overall
- All 80+ boats had to start together with a black flag to intensify the fun and luckily no one got DSQ!
- Everyone sailed a triangular course with a beam reach start in 4-6 knots of wind in the morning before returning to Hebe for a burger lunch
- In the afternoon, everyone went for a downwind start to a passage race back to the Hebe Haven Club. However, the wind dropped drastically forcing the organiser to abandon the race.
Bart's Bash is the flagship annual event of the Andrew Simpson Foundation, inspired by the Olympic Gold and Silver medalist Andrea 'BArt' Simpson MBE who passionately believed that everyone should have the chance to try sailing and enjoy the many benefits that it brings. To date, 63 countries and territories have participated in Bart's Bash worldwide.
August 2024
We had 565 sailors sailing in 37 programs, and 23 days of sailing. This included Scallywag programs with Green Grass Music, Hong Kong Association of ADHD, Sai Kung District Community Centre, Goldman Sachs programs, Typhoon series, Jockey Club Sarah Roe teachers, and Saturday Sailing and Parasailing training.
SKDCC
HK Association of ADHD
Typhoon
The day after Typhoon Yagi, Jesse and Karen lead our team of Volunteers and Saturday Sailors Joshu, Henri, Ue, Cole, Leo and Edward as they helped to empty the boats of rainwater, clean and put the covers back on securely and tidily.
The team assisted in the relocation of our 3 Libertys to the other pontoon. That wasn't all! They helped with taking down our Hansa 2.3s from the "unreachable" top racks at the club and washed them. The 2.3s are now accessible in their new location next to the mast tubes.
All this in between heavy showers. A great job by everyone involved. What a team!
Also, a new desk donated by Elia's parents was installed in the training room. Well done everyone!
Announcement
Barry Hill, Chairman Sailability Hong Kong
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing away of Sailability Hong Kong Chairman Barry Hill in the UK following a period of illness. Barry was undergoing treatment for his illness and facing difficulties in recovering.
He was a well-known and much-loved figure in the Hong Kong sailing community. A former Commodore at Aberdeen Boat Club, he took over as Chairman of Sailability HK in 2021.
Barry also had a successful career as a project management specialist for large construction projects in the power generation and rail transport industries, including the MTR.
He was a good man with so much more to give. Our thoughts are with his wife Diane and family.
Backstory of one of our Sailability HK fleets
Matilda is a Hansa 303 dinghy, used by schools, Saturday Sailing, NGO's, and for international competitions. The 303 design has a heavy centre board making the boat stable and therefore ideal for Sailability. Many people have had their first sailing experience in Matilda!
Matilda was donated to Sailability in 2018 by the Matilda Hospital, which is located on HK island. The hospital itself Lincolne, who lived in Hong Kong in the 1800's and worked with compassion to help people in HK, including widows and orphans. When Matilda died, her husband set out in his will that a hospital should be constructed and named Matilda, in memory of his loving wife.
Some of you may have visited the Matilda Hospital. Many more of you will have sailed our boat Matilda with her eye-catching two-tone blue sails.
Henry and Ethan
Sailors with Sailability have a wide range of disabilities and need individual assistance to help them on the water and land.
One of our volunteers, Ethan Kong, presented a model of Hansa 303 to Henry, aged 12. Henry, who lost his sight at the age of 4 due to cancer, is a regular sailor but has never been able to see the boat. The model enabled him to feel the overall shape and structure of the boat for the first time.
Ethan, aged 17, who regularly sails 29ers with Aberdeen Boat Club, produced the model using digital technology and a 3-D printer. It was a very moving moment when the two of them met. After being able to touch the model, Henry sent a message to Ethan in braille saying, "Thank you for making the Hansa 303 model. Although I have sailed a Hansa many times before, I have learned about the shape of the boat today, and its sails. I hope to go sailing with you soon!"
Henry's mother told Kay " We are so grateful for all the support from Sailability".
The Sailability community has many talents, more than sailing!
Government Open Day at Hebe Haven Yacht Club
There was a real buzz at Sailability HK as volunteers welcomed visitors, friends and family to the Hebe Haven Yacht Club Open Day!
On offer from Sailability were rides in the Hansa 303 dinghies with an experienced volunteer sailor. The sun was bright and strong, and the breeze was slight. Thankfully the club Garden Bar were serving iced water in an attempt to keep everyone cool.
Well done and thank you to the 74 participants who helped make the day a success! Huge thanks to our Instructors, Coaches, Volunteers and Para Team for making this day such a success!!!
July 2024
During the month of July, 408 sailors came and participated in sailing! This included people with disability, senior sailors, Selection Series for Hansa APAC event in October, and much more.
Hansa APAC Selection Results: trials took place on 4th, 11th and 14th July 2024
Results: Liberty Hansa 303 Male singles Hansa Female singles Hansa 303 doubles
Sailability's Newsletter 'Limitless' Edition 4 is now available.
We hope you enjoy your read. If you would
like to be added to our mailing list please
write to info@sailability.org.hk
23rd July 2024 MoHan's 2nd Birthday
to see what she has achieved
in the past 2 years click here:
7th July - UK Sailmakers Typhoon Series at HHYC
Race 4 of the UK SAILMAKERS Typhoon Series took place at the weekend.
55 boats including MoHan participated on a very hot day, with a sea breeze and
blue sky making for some stunning conditions and photographs.
Well done to the race management team and everyone else who made it happen.
Thank you Takumi Photography for the excellent photos. Please contact him
directly for any photo orders. takumiimages.com
29th June to 1st July - Macau Race
Over the holiday weekend Sailability took part in an offshore race!
The event, organised by the Cruiser Owners Association, is the Macau Rally which involves sailing
Hong Kong to Macau on Saturday 29 June, with the return leg on Monday 1 July.
Sailability Co-Founder and CEO Kay Rawbone said, “this is something new, another milestone for
us. We are always eager to showcase the inclusivity of what we do.”
MoHan was crewed as usual with a mixed team of para sailors and able-bodied sailors and on Leg 1,
found herself in a sudden squall. Skipper Fred and the team handled it all well, with everyone
onboard being fine, using the remainder of the trip to dry out. As you will see from the photographs,
MoHan arrived in Macau just as the sun was going down, creating some beautiful skyscapes.
One of the most anxious moments on the voyage was going underneath the 4 bridges when entering
Macau as the tall main mast appeared to get quite close to the underside of the bridge structure!
MoHan and her crew have arrived back in Hong Kong safely on 1st July after competing in the COA Macau
Rally for the first time! The return leg started with a 9am immigration slot at the Macau Yacht Club and by
9.30am the team were onboard MoHan and moving off to the race start. The race start was a free start
time which is be sent to the organisers followed by times sent at each gate and then the finish time.
Kay Rawbone who is part of the MoHan crew said, “the wind was amazing and most of the return trip
was downwind sailing. Everyone was so happy about this after a very long trip on Leg1 with only 4 boats
finishing.”
On the way to the start line pink dolphins were sighted which caused much excitement!
MoHan reached the race start at 10.30am and recorded a finish time of 14.34. That’s only 4 hours!!!!!
Halfway through the Leg 2 race MoHan had a change of crew positions. The main positions, usually
taken by Para Sailors, were taken over by to our very loyal volunteers for them to enjoy and to learn
more about the handling of MoHan in this race. Well done Daphne, Ransom and Leo. It was also good
to see our para sailors assisting these 3 amazing volunteers in their new crew roles.
This whole event was brilliant and very well organised. A huge thank you to Will and COA. More thank
you's to Fred our Skipper, our Para Sailors and our volunteers who give so much support enabling us
to do what we do as we continue to make sailing accessible to EVERYONE.
12th July 'Focus on Ability' Film Festival
A big thank you to Zama Lopez Linhardt, who along with another Sailability Volunteer Marco Leung, have produced a new film "Ripples of Resilience" about two Sailability HK sailors.
The film has been specifically created for the NOVA Employment's 2024 "Focus on Ability Short Film Festival," an international festival based in Australia that aims to empower individuals with disabilities.
Zama said, "It's been such a pleasure to work closely with Sailability Hong Kong over the years, and for Kay Rawbone BEM to trust and give me the opportunity to highlight this story."
This film focuses on two sailors: Elia, an 11-year-old girl with Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT), and Mark Poon, an older man battling Muscular Dystrophy. Despite their daily challenges, they refuse to be defined by their conditions. Instead, they find solace and joy in the freedom of sailing.
If you enjoy the film, we would greatly appreciate a like on the video, and more importantly to share the film to your friends and family.
You can read more about the film festival here https://www.focusonability.com.au/ and cast your vote during the online voting period from July 30 to August 5.
Thank you for your support!
Click here to watch the film:
https:/youtu.be/uyl9k-gDGTM
Clelia's Internship at Sailability Hong Kong, from the 17th to 21st June
Clelia Tevy Van, a student from the French International School, participated in a week-long internship with Sailability Hong Kong. Her week began with a volunteer refresher course. Clelia spent two days on the water, surrounded by a group of volunteers. Together, they experienced the challenges of sailing, and practised some disability awareness exercises. Despite having no sailing experience, she was interested to learn more about the organisation. Over the week, she saw how Sailability Hong Kong provides a supportive environment for people with disabilities to enjoy sailing. She discovered that sailing is one of the most inclusive sports. Once on the water, everyone becomes equal—abled and disabled, young and old. Clelia also contributed to the organisation's website, seeing all the different types of work needed to run this charity. Also, she saw the dedication of the parasailers during one of their training sessions. Their hard work showed the impact of Sailability Hong Kong's mission.
16th June
Rainy days are what you make of them….
When the rain came on Saturday the Sailability instructors had to improvise. And it was back to the classroom for a session on knots and ropes!
9th June
After another showery week it was business as usual for Sailability on Saturday.
A group of ethnic minority sailors took our Hansa 303’s out in the morning and in the afternoon had their first taste of a big yacht on MoHan. The group included some who were sailing for the first time ever, and also one person has been coming back regularly since 2020 when the Scallywag ethnic minorities Programme first ran.
The Saturday Sailing group were also out on the water trying to dodge the dark clouds.
Sun Hung Kai Scallywag Foundation Programme, Morning Hope School, 4th June
This was their graduation day: a group of six new sailors from this school, social worker Ming, together with instructor Jack Shum the youth, enjoyed a six day sailing experience, which included learning how to come alongside a safety boat. On a bad weather day they learnt sailing theory and how to tie different types of sailing knots. As always, there was a real improvement in confidence, independance, communication, seen with all the six who graduated. Thank you Sun Hung Kai for making a sailing experience available to under-represented youth in Hong Kong, it really makes a difference.
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May
Project Salem, 25th May
As Sailability seeks new partners we were represented at the recent launch of Project Salem! This project is aimed at the disabled and ethnically diverse communities in HK and aims to introduce a range of exciting activities to participants in the coming months- including sailing!
Sailability HK was represented by volunteer Naven Nand, who gave a speech and shared what Sailability has to offer - and will continue to offer!
Nav joined Sailability only 6 months ago and he has already sailed Hansa’s, MoHan, and regularly contributes photographs for our Facebook posts!
If you are from the ethnically diverse community or the disabled community and would like to join Project Salem, click the link below and register for the activities today! Our Sailability workshop is one of them!
2024 World Sailing's annual Steering the Course, Women's Sailing Festival - 4th year of this event for HHYC and Sailability Hong Kong. We continue to encourage more diversity and greater participation.
25th May
Those of you who live in HK already know that it’s been a soggy week for the Leo Wealth Women’s Sailing Festival.
So it was almost a surprise that the Steering the Course Ladies and Girls Champ Regatta took place on a mostly dry day, with grey skies and a reasonable wind.
With MoHan acting as Committee boat for the race management team, Sailability sailors and boats featured in the Hansa 303 class which completed 3 races on Saturday.
The sailors included 2 sisters from our Ethnic Minorities Programme including 13-year-old Hanadi Basmer who sailed with Jessica, a volunteer more usually found on MoHan, they came in 3rd place.
Second place went to Elia from Saturday Sailing and volunteer Alice who was sailing in her first competitive race.
First place honours went to Alexandra also from Saturday Sailing, with Rita from the senior sailing programme.
During the presentation ceremony HHYC Commodore Don Johnson thanked Sailability for always taking part in sailing events at HHYC.
22nd May
The Leo Wealth Steering the Course Women’s Sailing Festival for 2024 took place last week and today we look back and share more photos.
On Thursday 22 May we hosted a group of 14 women from the Asian Women’s League. All were aged 50 years plus and sailing for the first time – wonderful!
And then on the final day of the festival we had a groups from Po Yan School, the Cancer Information Centre, a group of Domestic Helpers, and a group of elderly women. Sailors that day were aged 10 to 78 years old and in total on 24 sailed in the morning and 14 in the afternoon.
Our Hansa boats are particularly suitable for people who are trying out sailing for the first time. Over the 6-days of the event, 145 female sailors and 40 female volunteers participated in Sailability’s activities and we hope many of them will keep coming back!
Sailability CEO and Con Founder Kay Rawbone BEM said, she was “very happy, delighted, especially considering the weather” during the festival.
Senior Sailing Day, 17th May
The 2023-24 Senior Sailing Programme funded by HK Club Foundation ended with a senior sailing race day. The sailing and camaraderie was lots of fun and included a great lunch at the Hebe Haven clubhouse.
Over the last few years this programme has been a resounding success and has super charged volunteering at Sailability HK bringing in many talented, retired, fit and healthy people with time to contribute to Sailability’s other programmes.
Hebe Haven Yacht Club Open Regatta - 11th & 12th May 2024
This annual open dinghy regatta once again brings Hong Kong sailors together. Sailability will have sailors sailing in three classes.
The Hebe Haven Yacht Club Open Dinghy Regatta took place and was a huge success with 231 boats taking part! A total of 11 Clubs and Associations from Hong Kong and overseas were involved, including Sailability HK. The weather on Saturday was good for sailing on all 4 race courses with each class completing 2 to 4 races. Conditions on Sunday were significantly more challenging, especially for those sailing out further away from the club. Well done to all the Sailability sailors who participated and honed their sailing skills in this regatta. In the 2.4mR class Sylvia Leung took first place winning 4 out of the 6 races whilst in the Hansa 303 class, Fung Wai On was first also winning 4 out of 6 races.
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April
MoHan team competing in the Spring Monsoon series, 13th April
MoHan Skipper Fred Vaudaine reflected on MoHan’s involvement, “The series included some fascinating races with different weather conditions and we had to try various strategies and different manoeuvres. It resulted in a team that could handle the boat more easily in any conditions. We also saw a great improvement in crew autonomy to decide the strategy and the trimming.”
During the series, the MoHan crew was joined by Tommy Wong, who started his sailing journey with Sailability and is now representing Hong Kong. It was great to “get such fantastic support and benefit from the skills of experienced sailors” said Fred.
The Monsoon series was organised by HHYC and took place from late February through to April.
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HHYC & Sailability Annual Awards
Kay Rawbone, BEM, Co Founder and CEO of Sailability HK has presented awards to
the best sailors, volunteers, and school of 2023.
There were 8 awards covering the full range of Sailability’s programme including para sailing, MoHan, SEN sailors, the schools programme, and volunteers.
Very well done to everyone who received an award, a wonderful effort all round!
The full list is:
• Para Sailor of the Year, Foo Yuen Wai
Most Improved Para Sailor of the Year, Fung Wai On
• Most Improved Para Sailor of the Year on Mohan, Mark Poon
• Most Valued Volunteer of the Year, Choi Kwok Wei (Mr Fix-It!)
• Most Valued Volunteers, Sandy and Chiu
• Most Improved SEN Sailor of the Year, Leo Purdie
• School Programme Cup, Tsui Tsin Tong
• Best Sailor Award, Joseph Cheung
2024 SE Asian Para Championships - Sailing Instructions
2024 SE Asian Para Championships - NOR,
Notice of Race
2024 SE Asian Para Championships -Results
March
The 2nd South East Asian Para Sailing Championships, 27th - 31st March
This was the an Open Regional Event which closed with a rousing, fun filled awards ceremony!
Special mention must be made of the team from Thailand who came both 1st and 3rd in the Hansa 303 double handed division despite having never sailed in that boat or in HK previously!
Foo Wai Yuen dominated the 2.4mR class winning all 9 races in the Championship.
Fung Wai On dominated the Hansa 303 single handed division.
In the Hansa Liberty class it was a tight finish for first place with Chan Tsun Ming coming out top.
There were medals for the first 3 placed competitors in each class. Special certificates were awarded to coaches, and volunteers in the race management team, the media team and support team who in their many different ways all helped make the event such a success.
Results
2.4mR
1st Foo Wai Yuen HK, 2nd Sylvia Leung China, 3rd Liong Wun Wah Macau Sailing Association
Hansa 303 double handed
1st Supakit & Thirtapa Thailand, 2nd Cole Purdie, Joel Filipe Philippines and New Zealand,
3rd Boonkord & Alan Hart Thailand
Hansa 303 single handed
1st Fung Wai On HK, 2nd Carolyn Chan Canada, 3rd Mark Poon HK
Hansa Liberty
1st Chan Tsun Ming China, 2nd Cheng Tse Lung HK, 3rd Lawrence Li HK
The ceremony closed with a presentation to Kay Rawbone BEM of a photograph to commemorate the award of her BEM medal recently. She received the picture from Foo Wai Yuen who thanked Kay for everything she does, the love and care shown, and he hoped she will go on to make Sailing yet more accessible in future both in HK and around the world!
Hansa 303 double handed
Huge welcome back to Rob Allen in his role as RO of the event. Amazing and thank you!
Kay Rawbone BEM medal presentation - 19th of March
Kay was presented with the British Empire Medal (BEM) by Brian Davidson, Consul General Hong Kong. Presenting the award at the consulate, Brian Davidson, Consul General congratulated Kay for receiving the BEM for Co-founding Sailability Hong Kong with her late husband Mike, in 2009. He said the BEM award is “for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown”. Addressing those present Kay paid tribute to the many people who have contributed to the success of Sailability over the years. She said when Mike and her started Sailability they were advised to start with people who had a physical disability. Still, Kay decided they would start with a special needs group from The Nesbitt Centre, and two of that original group of 4 sailors were present at the BEM celebration. She also paid tribute to the support of the yacht clubs in Hong Kong, volunteers, instructors, and sponsors. After the presentation of the medal, there were speeches by some of those present including humorous anecdotes and even a poem written specially for the occasion. Many, many, and more photographs were taken, and we had great pleasure in picking out some of the best ones to share with you. Photo credits: British Consulate General, and Lizzie Sharp.
9th March Building relationships with the Sai Kung community
Kay Rawbone BEM, CEO and Co-Founder of Sailability HK, has recently attended a traditional Poon Choi meal hosted by Sai Kung District Community Centre.
The invitation was a way of thanking Sailability for our elderly and youth programmes which the Community Centre have taken part in, and HHYC for their funding support from the 24hr Dinghy Race.
Sai Kung District Councillors and officials from Social and Welfare Department (SWD) also attended.
Monsoon Spring Series organised by Hebe Haven Yacht Club- 3rd of March
Sailability entered MoHan for this series which is scheduled over five Saturdays in February, March and April.
On 2 March, MoHan had a crew of 8 people including 3 para sailors, with Mark Poon at the helm. It was a cold day and Skipper Tai reported that with “everyone was equipped with a strong warm heart” as they faced the chilly northerly winds. The team finished in 8th place in their class before returning to the clubhouse for a very welcome drink of hot chocolate! (Thank you Kay!)
The opening races of the Series took place the previous weekend on Saturday 24 February, with Skipper Fred leading the mixed disabled and non-disabled crew on that occasion. MoHan finished 4th and 9th in the two races that day, out of 14 racing in her class.
February
Sailing on the MoHan - 18th of February
At the weekend a group of women and girls sailed on MoHan. The activity was supported by the Scallywag Ethnic Minorities programme and the AWA.
The women and girls were drawn from different parts of the Hong Kong ethnic community including those of the Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, Kenya, and India.
Three of the group had previously joined dinghy sailing with Sailability but this was their first time on MoHan.
