A RECORD breaking disabled yachtsman will be bringing his specially designed catamaran to Dartmouth Regatta this year, with the sole purpose of taking elderly and disabled people out on the water.

Wetwheels, the purpose-built, fully accessible catamaran owned and designed by disabled yachtsman Geoff Holt, will be taking elderly and disabled people onto the river during Dartmouth's Royal Regatta.

It will give them an opportunity to see the sights and sounds of the celebrations from the water.

Licensed to take up to 10 passengers, of whom three can be wheelchair users, Wetwheels will be running five trips a day for each of the three days of the regatta.

Karen Read, organiser of the Wetwheels programme, said: 'We have been completely overwhelmed with the interest our visit has generated.

'Of the 150 places available, we have less than 20 left and we expect those to be gone within the week.'

Wetwheels has a wide door and ramp for easy embarking and disembarking. She also has tie-down points for wheelchairs, extra wide and stable decks and even has ramped access to the steering position so she can be driven by wheelchair users. She is powered by two Suzuki 300 HP outboard engines which can push her along at 40 knots.

'I am so pleased to be attending Dartmouth Royal Regatta with Wetwheels', said Geoff Holt, owner of Wetwheels.

'My earliest memories are of sailing on my father's yacht to Dartmouth more than 30 years ago so it is wonderful to be back and to offer local people the opportunity to share the pleasure I get from being on the water.'

Geoff was paralysed in a swimming accident in 1984 and since then has been using a wheelchair. In 2007 he became the first disabled person to sail single-handed around Great Britain.

He was awarded an MBE for Services to Disabled Sailing in 2010 and was named as the YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year shortly after.

He is a board director of the Royal Yachting Association and a council member of the RNLI.

'The Dartmouth Royal Regatta committee and the harbour authorities have been so incredibly positive and have done everything they can to make our visit a successful one', he added.

'Hopefully, our visit will demonstrate the benefits to be gained from being on the water for the elderly and disabled.'

Trips on Wetwheels are free of charge but donations are welcome and will be in aid of Wetwheels.

To book one of the remaining places or to find out more about Wetwheels, email [email protected]">[email protected] or visit the website http://www.wetwheels.co.uk">www.wetwheels.co.uk.