Brochure 2021

2021 Brochure
Charity No. SC048999

Murray MacDonald
AOTW Director and Founding Trustee
INTRODUCTION
I am absolutely delighted to welcome you to our first ever brochure for Autism on the Water.
This brochure is packed with all information relating the charity’s schedule with our new
boat, where the events will take place and when. When you see something of interest,
please ensure that you email aotwofficial0@gmail.com to enquire or reserve a place.
Numbers on certain trips will be limited and will be shown in the brochure.
2020 was a very difficult year for so many due to COVID-19 which is still severely affecting
our lives today. We spent much of the pandemic working on much needed to grow the
charity and these efforts have been of massive success.
Our planned trips on our new boat for 2021 will be trialled taster sessions to see how
popular they are before we start our full regular programme in 2022.
Our aim as always is to increase awareness of the Autistic Spectrum through sailing and to
help encourage those on the spectrum to access the sport. Whilst we still continue to live
under severe restrictions and I must emphasise that much of our plans and activities
are subject to COVID restrictions and Government Guidelines, I feel confident that by
spring we will see a massive difference and begin to get our substantially big programme
underway!
Wishing you all a safe and fair sailing for 2021 and remember our email is always turned on
should you need us!

We are very excited to launch our new Colvic Victor 34 for the 2021 season. This yacht is very well built and has a range of opportunities and benefits to give
people with autism more comfortable, safe and stable sailing and boating experiences with the addition of indoor steering as well as outdoor steering with
three choices of sails, plus a saloon to socialise in, cooking and toilet facilities etc.
Our crew and volunteers are experienced and well trained on board the yacht and will ensure your experience is as enjoyable as possible. All our activities
are thoroughly risk assessed. With all our trips, the main factor is the weather! So as with everything, we depend on the weather! So ensure that you check
your emails for any updates! If bad weather prevents us from going sailing or motoring, we will instead provide fun activities on board from learning different
knots, to learning about nautical charts etc.
Safety is of most utmost priority with Autism on the Water. Lifejackets are worn at all times by everyone on board when on the outside deck. If you have
younger children and need specially fitted lifejackets or buoyancy aids then please indicate this when you register your place. A full safety briefing will be
held before each trip begins. Waterproof clothing and suitable footwear is a MUST!
We will provide lunch in the form of sandwiches, cuppa soups and Pot Noodles plus juice, teas and coffees and plenty chocolate biscuits! However if you
have dietary requirements or prefer your own foods then a packed lunch is permitted. Again please disclose this when you register.
As this is our first year with the boat, our trips will be free of charge but suggested donations to the charity of £10 per person would be much appreciated.

GAIRLOCHY TO CORPACH – SUNDAY 9 TH MAY
As we make our way from Edinburgh to the Clyde, we will be transiting the beautiful Caledonian Canal from
Inverness to Fort William. This is 63 miles of pure beauty with lochs, lockgates and mountains all around us.
Why not join us for the last stint from Gairlochy to Corpach! This is a 7 mile trip along the last section of the
canal and a great opportunity to try out a boat for the first time. The start point will be from the pontoons at
Gairlochy and finishing in Corpach after the Neptune Staircase. Availability is 6 people.

SPECTATOR DAY OUT AT THE
KIP REGATTA – SATURDAY 15 TH MAY
Want to watch our AOTW Racing Team in the first of Scotland’s Major Regattas? Then why not sign up to come and
watch the team racing at the Kip Regatta on the Firth of Clyde. 3 races are held and there’s lots of action happening
throughout the day as the boats toss and tussle with each other to win! Please note that this day out includes a lot
of “hanging around” in the one area so please consider this for your child before you sign up. Availability for is 6
people.

THE AOTW CRINAN CANAL FESTIVAL
SATURDAY 22 ND MAY TO SUNDAY 23 RD MAY
At long last! Our biggest event for people with Autism for AOTW. The AOTW Crinan Canal Festival! Both we and
one other yacht will transit the beautiful 9 mile canal from Ardrishaig to Crinan. Everyone will have a chance to join
in from steering the yacht, to opening and closing lockgates and if you don’t want to be on the water, there will be
fun activities ashore from face painting to hook a duck! A barbecue will be held in Crinan Basin on the Saturday
evening.
Accommodation is available at the Argyll Backpackers Hostel on a first come-first served basis at £22 per person for
the Saturday night – when its gone its gone so BOOK! Availability is 30 people. Please register for this event at your
earliest convenience

SPECTATOR DAY OUT AT THE
SCOTTISH SERIES – FRIDAY 28 TH MAY
AOTW will be racing in Scotland’s biggest regatta and want you to come out for the day and cheer us on for the
first day’s racing. Leaving from Tarbert Harbour, you’ll head out onto Loch Fyne and get to experience some of the
most exciting yacht racing you will see – with a total of around 150 racing on the loch, there’ll be plenty to see. Your
skipper will watch AOTW race for a while before taking you further down the loch to see the big boats race and if
there's time on the way back to the harbour, we might put the sails up! Availability is 8 people.

SPECTATOR DAY OUT AT THE
MUDHOOK REGATTA – SATURDAY 12 TH JUNE
We love our racing and we want to show off to you! You are the future yacht racers after all so it’s a great chance
to note down some tips by seeing us either win or lose! Even if we aren’t racing, come on down to the Clyde to
watch the racing at the Mudhook Regatta on the waters of the East Patch between Helensburgh and Greenock!
See the action from the comfort of the wheelhouse, take photographs and see the famous Sugar Ship! Availability
is 6 people.

SPECTATOR DAY OUT AT THE
BANGOR TOWN REGATTA, NI –
SATURDAY 26 TH JUNE
Top o’ the morning to yer! Yes that’s Irish language because for the first time ever AOTW are heading to Ireland! To
the lovely seaside town of Bangor for the Bangor Town Regatta! We would love to meet and give local Irish autistic
people the chance to come and watch the racing team battle it out on the waters of Belfast Lough followed by a
social meet up afterward at the Royal Ulster Yacht Club! Availability is 8 people.

CRUISE AND PICNIC DAY AROUND THE ISLE
OF KERRERA FROM OBAN –
THURSDAY 8 TH JULY
Don’t you sometimes just want to go for a nice day out, no action, no pressure? Just a nice fun family day out. Then
why not come and have a day out with us with a sail and a picnic around the Isle of Kerrera near Oban! We will leave
from the North Pier in Oban and sail clockwise round the Island, we will pass many rocks, beautiful greenland and
beaches and we will find a beach to drop anchor next to the castle in the picture below and have our picnic! As we
head back to Oban we will pass the seal colony where you will see LOTS of seals! Just be very quiet in case they're
sleeping! Availability for this is 8 people.

CRAOBH TO OBAN PASSAGE RACE AS PART
OF WEST HIGHLAND YACHTING WEEK! -
MONDAY 2 ND AUGUST
You have seen us racing – but would YOU like to go racing! Come and join us on a special introductory race as part
of West Highland Yachting Week from Craobh Haven to Oban. You’ll be well looked after by our excellent
experienced crew but they’ll get you involved too! Be part of a magic experience racing with another 100+ yachts up
the Sound of Luing passing Fladda Lighthouse, Inch Island and leaving Kerrera to starboard up to the finish line
outside Oban Bay all sometimes with dolphins alongside you! Best of all, you’ll be racing against the AOTW racing
team so you must beat them!!! We must advise however that due to the physical and occasionally stressful
expectations racing can entail, we are recommending this experience for Autistic Adults age 16+. Availability is
strictly 4 people. Please register at your earliest convenience.

THE CCYC ROUND SHUNA PURSUIT RACE –
DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
Fancy trying more racing? This time lets go and race around the small island of Shuna off Craobh Haven, south of
Oban. This is a 10 mile fun race which starts in order of the boat’s handicap so its like playing following the leader!
We are opening this experience up to all ages! Boats will choose which way to go round the island and we will ask
the participants to decide together which way to go! There will be big boats and little boats! Availability is 8 people.
The date for this race is still to be confirmed but its typically usually a Sunday in late August or early September.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY WELCOMING YOU ON BOARD WITH US SOON!
REMEMBER AND EMAIL AOTWOFFICIAL0@GMAIL.COM TO SECURE YOUR PLACE OR
IN GENERAL IF YOU NEED US!
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