Disability Sports Ambassador - Geoff Holt

Bio

Geoff Holt MBE was a professional yachtsman with many ocean crossings under his belt until he was paralysed in a swimming accident in 1984. Today he commits much of his life to championing disability awareness and engaging others in the training and development of the disabled and able-bodied to help them attain their full potential whether in sporting or other endeavours.

Geoff was appointed a Raymarine Ambassador, after choosing to equip his specially modified Challenger Trimaran with vital autopilot and navigational equipment which helped him to achieve his ‘Personal Everest’ when he became the first disabled sailor to sail solo around the coast of Great Britain. It was a monumental undertaking for someone who is paralysed from the chest down.

Since then, Geoff has sailed unassisted across the Atlantic, a 2,700-mile trip from the Canary Islands to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

Geoff was also recently made an Member of the British Empire (MBE) for his contribution to disabled sailing.

As the first disabled person to sail single-handed around Great Britain and then during his Atlantic voyage, Geoff relied heavily on his Raymarine equipment. He comments, “Raymarine kit provided all of my navigational aids and I could not have done it without them.”

Raymarine ensured the navigation and communications electronic equipment aboard Geoff’s 60ft (18m) catamaran, Impossible Dream, could be easily operated either by remote control or rotary controls, as Geoff has no fine finger movement.

Geoff now owns Wetwheels, a custom-built, fully-accessible, 9m Cheetah catamaran. With a full Raymarine navigation system onboard, Wetwheels caters for commercial charter, fishing expeditions and provides power boating opportunities for disabled people. Wetwheels played a part in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Olympics and Paralympics.