Acclaimed disabled sailor takes on the Atlantic
by Tony Reeve 17 Aug 2018 13:22 BST
Natasha Lambert © Miss Isle
Natasha Lambert BEM is pleased to announce the start of her next expedition, to cross the Atlantic as part of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) 2019 and wishes to invite you to the expedition launch event and official naming of her boat.
In order to complete this incredibly tough challenge Natasha has taken command of her new boat, a Nautitech Open 46 from Key Yachting. On Friday 14 September 2018 at 1315 hrs the boat will be named by Natasha and blessed by Rev Amanda Collinson on the Pontoons at the Southampton International Boat Show. We cordially invite you to attend this event where there will be an opportunity to meet Natasha and learn how she will be controlling the sheets and steering by simply sipping and puffing through a single straw.
Natasha has Athetoid Cerebral Palsy which means that she has no voluntary control over her limbs and difficulty in articulating speech, but this has not stopped her in her endeavours. Her father, Gary, has developed the Sip Puff technology that allows Natasha to control the boat using her breath to either turn the rudders or trim the sails. This has enabled Natasha to achieve some incredible adventures and challenges:
2012 Sailed round the Isle of Wight
2013 Crossed the English Channel
2014 Sailed from Cowes to Swansea the climbed Pen Y Fan
2015 Sailed Cowes to London then walked from St Katherine Docks to Bank of England
2016 Sailed the Caledonian canal, climbed Cairngorm and sailed on to Glasgow
2017 Sailed Stranraer to Belfast then Dublin then climbed Kippure.
2018 Competed in Round the Island Race
This next challenge will be the biggest undertaken and will create a few very noteworthy firsts:
- She will be the first quadriplegic female skipper to cross the Atlantic using breath control
- This will be the longest crossing made using breath control
- This will be the largest vessel adapted to use breath control
From delivery of the boat and the modifications being made, Natasha will be taking on a steadily increasing training regime to ensure that she is fit for the challenge and that the boat modifications are fully working.