The North Sails Sportsmanship Award at the 2025 Yachting New Zealand Excellence Awards was presented to Sailability Wellington in recognition of their outstanding contribution to inclusivity and fair play within New Zealand’s sailing community. The award specifically acknowledged their pioneering work on the ParAble yacht, an innovative new class designed to make sailing more accessible for people with disabilities.
Sailability Wellington is the country’s largest inclusive sailing programme, a charitable trust dedicated to ensuring people with physical, intellectual, or sensory disabilities have lifelong opportunities on the water. Operating six days a week across three accessible hubs — Evans Bay, Seaview Marina, and Titahi Bay — the organisation provides safe, structured and empowering sailing experiences. Its fleet of 27 highly stable Hansa yachts and three support boats allows sailors of all abilities to participate confidently, from beginners seeking therapeutic recreation to experienced athletes competing nationally and internationally. Much of this work is made possible by more than 70 volunteers who handle on-shore support, rigging, hoisting, and on-water safety.
The ParAble Project, the centrepiece of their award-winning achievement, represents more than a decade of innovation. Designed as a larger, self-righting, self-bailing yacht, the ParAble was engineered specifically for sailors with disabilities who require more space, stability, or adaptability than existing designs. The project was led by Sailability Wellington’s long-time chief executive Don Manning, a driving force behind inclusive sailing in Aotearoa. His vision, shaped by personal experiences of illness as a child and an early desire to help disabled friends get on the water, guided the ParAble from concept to completion. The yacht is now recognised as a national class and is generating interest internationally.
Manning, who accepted the award on behalf of the organisation, has spent more than 21 years building Sailability Wellington into the most comprehensive disability sailing programme in the country. His philosophy — to focus on what people can do, not their limitations — underpins the culture of the organisation and inspires the hundreds of sailors and volunteers who participate each year. He has been described as a “living legend” within the inclusive sailing community and holds a Queen’s Service Medal for his work.
The North Sails Sportsmanship Award celebrates individuals or organisations who embody the values of fairness, inclusion, respect, and positive spirit in the sport. By developing the ParAble yacht and expanding opportunities for disabled sailors, Sailability Wellington has reshaped what participation can look like in New Zealand sailing. Their efforts have opened doors for hundreds of sailors, strengthened community engagement, and provided a model of innovation and compassion for yacht clubs across the country.
The 2025 award recognises not only a remarkable technical achievement, but also decades of sustained leadership, volunteer effort, and unwavering belief in the power of sailing to change lives.
