Sailing With a Difference - A History of Disabled Sailing Thailand / Disabled Sailing Phuket

Light of Siam No: 9791 E.C. Phuket, Thailand - 16 June 2025

‘It’s just freedom’: How wheelchair users are setting sail - Picture taken from the Globe and Mail

Introduction

At the heart of every great act of service lies a simple human principle, the desire to elevate others. Disabled Sailing Thailand is an embodiment of that principle. Over the past several years, it has grown from a hopeful vision into an internationally recognised, community-driven, volunteer-led program that offers a transformational experience to children and adults living with physical disabilities in Thailand. This is not just a sailing initiative. This is a story of faith, fraternity, commitment, resilience, and profound impact. This is the story of a dream that set sail, literally and figuratively, changing lives one wave at a time.

The SV/14 Vessels

The SV/14 is not just any sailboat. It is a purpose-built, two-person dinghy, engineered with accessibility, stability, and safety as its basis. Designed through decades of research and drawing on over 35 years of yacht design expertise, the SV/14 combines a modern aesthetic with practical, inclusive functionality. Originally intended for a student with a disability in the front seat and an experienced instructor behind, the design has evolved to support two disabled sailors sailing independently, demonstrating genuine mastery and confidence.

The hull’s wide beam provides vital form stability, while the deep keel with a low centre-of-gravity bulb and high ballast ratio ensures the boat remains upright even in gusty or choppy conditions. With a limit of positive stability close to 130 degrees, the SV/14 can recover from a capsize and right itself without external assistance. This is critical for the safety of sailors with limited mobility. The vessel is also equipped with six watertight compartments, each pair offering enough buoyancy to keep the boat afloat even if two are breached, bringing offshore-level safety to inshore waters.

The SV/14 vessel design

But the SV/14 offers more than just technical excellence. It delivers empowerment and liberation to individuals who often face physical limitations. For them, sailing is not merely a sport, it is therapy, movement, and emotional uplift. Each outing builds coordination, resilience, confidence, and joy, qualities that extend well beyond the water and into daily life.

How It All Began: The Birth of Disabled Sailing Thailand

The origins of Disabled Sailing Thailand are deeply rooted in community initiative, Masonic fellowship, and a shared belief in the power of inclusion. The vision was spearheaded by Bro. Peter Jacobs, who recognised the transformative potential of sailing for individuals with disabilities, especially children and youth. His dream was simple yet powerful: to offer those with physical limitations the opportunity to experience the freedom, thrill, and confidence that sailing provides.

The initiative took a meaningful leap forward with a charity dinner held on 19th September 2020 at Max’s Garden in Nai Yang, hosted with the generous support of Miss Tittirak, the venue’s owner. The event was a warm, well-attended evening that included raffles, auctions, and heartfelt speeches, raising a very respectable 93,000 baht.

Light of Siam Lodge brethren, including Bros. Peter Jacobs, Raghu Raghunath, WBro David Dobson, and others, played vital roles in organising and supporting the event. The funds raised went directly toward the essential costs of maintenance, storage, materials, and insurance for what would become the first step of the sailing program.

Inspired by this grassroots effort and recognising the broader potential of the project, the District Board of Benevolence (DBB) of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago (DGLEA) was approached for support. In response, the DBB approved a non-Masonic donation of 100,000 THB, supplemented by 20,000 THB from Victoria Lodge No. 1026 (Hong Kong). The remaining 80,000 THB was raised by the brethren of Light of Siam Lodge through additional local fundraising efforts.

From small beginnings, great things grow – principal organiser Bro. Peter Jacops (2nd from left)

The Spirit of Freemasonry Sets Sail

With the combined contributions, the first SV/14 disabled sailing dinghy was ordered from Far East Boats. This boat, generously supported by the District Board of Benevolence, was aptly named “The Spirit of Freemasonry” and had its ceremonial launch on 29 July 2019. Its name is not merely symbolic, it reflects a deep philosophical and practical tie between the Masonic ideals of charity, self-improvement, and fraternity, and the project’s mission of inclusion, mobility, and dignity.

That inaugural launch day was a landmark event attended by a contingent of District Grand Officers, Light of Siam Lodge brethren, supporters, and their families. It was the culmination of intense fundraising and coordination, and the beginning of something much greater than a boat. The Spirit of Freemasonry has since remained in regular daily use, a vessel of possibility, growth, and healing for many people.

The historic launch of Spirit of Freemasonry at Boat Lagoon Phuket

Growth, Aspirations and International Achievements

Sailing, in this context, is more than recreation. It is therapy, empowerment, movement, and control, in a world that for the users, often imposes restriction that able-bodied sailors could not imagine. Each session helps to build not only coordination and resilience but also joy and self-worth; qualities that stay with them long after they return to shore. As the program matured, so did its ambitions.

Sailing was a Paralympic sport until 2016, when it was unfortunately dropped from the Tokyo 2020 program and has not been reinstated since. However, with the 2032 Olympic Games to held in Brisbane Australia, Australian Sailing is committed to reinstating sailing in the sports program at the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games. World Sailing recently unveiled its Para Inclusive Strategy, aimed at making the sport more accessible and inclusive for sailors with disabilities.

The Spirit of Freemasonry in full sail

Growth, Support, and Sustainability

Disabled Sailing Thailand is sustained not by paid professionals but by volunteers, committed individuals, enthusiastic about the ocean, about service, and about each other. The Light of Siam Lodge No. 9791 has been a central pillar in this effort. Its brethren, many of whom are seasoned yacht enthusiasts (from keen participants to keen observers), have poured time, money, and effort into advancing the mission. From organising charity dinners to preparing grant petitions and physically assisting with rigging sails, their firsthand contributions are extensive and deeply felt.

Ongoing Commitment and Expansion of the Fleet

The Light of Siam Lodge’s commitment to Disabled Sailing Thailand has not waned, in fact, it has only grown stronger with time. At the January 2025 Light of Siam lodge meeting, members voted unanimously to support the purchase of another SV/14 vessel and to submit a formal application to the District Grand Lodge for funding assistance toward one additional boat. A detailed submission was sent to the District Board of Benevolence, outlining both the cost structure and the impact rationale for expanding the fleet.

The DBB, true to its enduring spirit of Masonic charity, graciously and unanimously approved a non-Masonic donation for one further boat, a further act of generosity that has helped us place an order for two new SV/14s to be delivered as swiftly as possible. The financial support included a direct payment of RM 69,114 (approximately ฿314,289 Thai Baht), a substantial commitment that demonstrates the District’s confidence in this life-changing initiative.

Special thanks are due to WBro. Yushea Degani and WBro. Arthur Littler, whose advocacy for the program has been instrumental, as well as to WM Grenville Fordham and WBro. Ralph Waldman for their diligent preparation and submission of the petition.

The Lodge also acknowledges the ongoing passion and initiative of Bro. Peter Jacops, whose early vision continues to inspire all involved.

This expansion ensures that more disabled sailors will have access to the therapeutic and empowering experience of sailing. Like all of Light of Siam’s charitable projects, these vessels are built to provide ongoing benefit for their users for years to come, offering freedom, mobility, and joy on the water, testament to the enduring values of Masonic benevolence in action.

The Broader Ecosystem of Support

The success of Disabled Sailing Thailand must also be viewed within the ecosystem of charitable giving and action in which it is established. The Light of Siam Lodge supports a number of other projects, including: The Phuket Special Education Centre, Child Watch Phuket, Phuket Sunshine Village, The Elderly People’s Aid Centre in Pak Lok, and Seeds for Change.

Charitable works in Thailand can be especially beneficial, not just due to its transformational impact but because of its alignment with Masonic ideals: independence, mastery, fraternity, and courage. The opportunity to make a difference sits at the heart of the Light of Siam Lodge’s endeavours.

Funding and Financial Transparency

Over the years, the program has received: 100,000 THB from DGLEA for the first SV/14, 20,000 THB from Victoria Lodge No. 1026 (HK), 80,000 THB raised directly by Light of Siam brethren, 144,000 THB for one year of coaching support in 2024, and multiple smaller fundraising events such as pasta nights, and charity raffles. The MASH charity golf event is the mainstay of Light of Siam’s fundraising and has contributed enormously.

As of May 2025, an additional US$6,429 was transferred to Shanghai Fareast Technology Trading Co. Ltd. for the purchase of a new SV/14.

All thanks must go to the Board of Benevolence of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago for its unwavering and generous responses to the Light of Siam’s requests for non-Masonic requests in the past eight years totaling over 400,000 Thai baht (or approximately 100,000 Malaysian ringgit.

The Lodge’s appreciation was shown at the 2025 Half-Yearly Communication, where a scale model of the SV/14 vessel was presented to the Deputy District Grand Master, the VW Bro. Jacob Olaybal Pang Su Yin by Light of Siam IPM WBro. Brede Bregseth Aaker.

The Path Ahead

The next milestone on the horizon is the “Splash Weekend” Regatta, scheduled for 10th July 2025, which will include international competitors from Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, as well as local schools serving disabled children. This inclusive event marks a bold new chapter: not only is Disabled Sailing Thailand growing in local impact, but it is now an internationally recognised, Thai-led model for inclusion through sport. More than just expanding the fleet, the mission now turns to establishing long-term sustainability, formal training programs, and perhaps even a permanent sailing school for the disabled, turning passion into permanence.

Conclusion: One Sail at a Time

Disabled Sailing Thailand continues to evolve, guided by a sense of shared purpose and unshakable optimism. Through the tireless work of people like Bro. Peter Jacobs, the stewardship of Light of Siam Lodge, and the generosity of countless donors and volunteers, lives are being changed.

The sea does not discriminate, and nor should opportunity. Every gust of wind in the sails of these boats is a breath of freedom for someone who has long lived with limitation. Through this project, we are reminded that true charity is not an act of giving, it is an act of enabling. As we continue our journey, may the Spirit of Freemasonry, and all it stands for, continue to guide our course.

Sincerely & fraternally,

Light of Siam Lodge 9791 EC