Charlie Mercer

 

Tenacious is not just a ship to those of us who have been lucky enough to sail on her, she is freedom, a community, a school, a family and so much more. As a wheelchair user Tenacious has changed my life in a huge way and has left a beautiful imprint on my life.

Tenacious and her crew for me has become a whole new family and community. I am struggling to imagine never seeing or sailing with that family again.

I used to teach watersports and was lucky enough to do that in several different countries, it was a job I loved but unfortunately when my health started declining I had to give it all up. It was then that I found out about Tenacious, a beautiful, specially designed tall ship that enabled people of all abilities to sail together as equals. The only ship in the world that is able to do this. Tenacious didn’t just allow people with disabilities to go on a ‘sailing holiday’, she made it possible to sail as a valuable member of crew, no matter your abilities and disabilities. My life changed for the better when sailing on board and I was so proud when I was asked to be a watchleader. As a watchleader and wheelchair user myself I got to see first hand the amazing effect it had on people’s lives. Seeing a wheelchair user go up the mast using a specially designed system, or someone with a visual impairment helming the ship using the speaking compass, made my day.

As a watchleader I did countless voyages and on every single one of them I would get to see people – that had been told their entire lives they can’t do this or that, people who struggled with everyday things and were left out of society because of their disability – transformed on board and have a life changing experience because finally they are equal, they are important and they can.

Without Tenacious all this will disappear, she is the only tall ship in the world that is designed to enable people of all walks of life to sail and crew as equals. Without her myself and so many others will never be able to sail again. That is devastating for not just those of us lucky enough to have had that experience but for all those who have not, and never will, without Tenacious.

That is why we need her saved, to carry on sailing and changing lives. That is the importance of Tenacious.

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