Publication date: 06/25/2025
Handicat: a foundation and a catamaran for inclusive sea outings
The Foundation‘s mission: to make sailing accessible
Founded in 2006 with the support of the Swedish government agency Allmänna Arvsfonden, the Handicat Foundation has set itself an ambitious mission: to offer anyone with a disability the opportunity to experience the thrill of sailing.
The project was initiated by Olle Hansen, a seafaring enthusiast with cerebral palsy. Through the Handicat project, he wanted to welcome people of all physical abilities in optimal conditions of safety and comfort, aboard an adapted catamaran.
Based in Sweden, the Foundation has been operating on a not-for-profit basis for almost 10 years. Each year, it mobilizes a small team of professionals and volunteers who work together to make sailing accessible to all. Thanks to the meetings and solidarity actions supported by the Foundation, the members are committed to spreading the message that anything is possible, including for people with disabilities.
A catamaran to suit all profiles
To carry out its mission, the Handicat Foundation acquired a TRT1200 catamaran from England. “The boat arrived at Svinninge Marina on Christmas Eve 2006, after an 8-day crossing from the Isle of Wight“, recalls a member of the Foundation.
As the catamaran had originally been designed for racing, it had few interior fittings – a positive point for the Handicat Foundation, which needed space to ensure that people with disabilities could be accommodated. However, the catamaran’s configuration had to be redesigned to reflect the Foundation’s specific mission.
With the support of the Plastskador company, also located in Svinninge, conversion work was carried out:
“On the outside, we reinforced the cockpit floor and removed some benches to facilitate circulation on board. We installed 2 passenger lifts and replaced the outboard motors with two diesel engines, complete with control systems and electricity. Inside, a galley area and toilets were fitted to ensure perfect accessibility. Everything has been done in a spirit of inclusion, to make our catamaran a high-performance vessel on which to sail in complete safety“.
Svinninge Marina: a loyal and committed supporter of Handicat
A long-standing relationship
Since the Handicat catamaran arrived in Sweden in 2006, its home port has been Svinninge Marina.
As the members point out, “the Foundation’s choice of Svinninge Marina is not insignificant: its central location and the configuration of the marina – with a 7.60-metre-wide ramp for mooring the boat – make Svinninge Marina an ideal location“.
For almost 20 years, the Handicat catamaran has spent the entire summer season in the water, moored on one of the port’s pontoons – when it’s not sailing! For the rest of the year, it’s parked in the dry, on the marina’s quayside, with crews still benefiting from Svinninge Marina’s infrastructure and technical support.
The port team was keen to support the Foundation‘s project. So, in 2006, it was decided to cover the costs of mooring the boat. Johan Svensson, Marina Manager at Svinninge Marina, naturally continued this initiative since his arrival: « It’s a great cause, and we’re very sensitive to it. »
Hundreds of people affected
From Svinninge Marina, the Handicat Foundation embarks around 500 disabled every year. They come from all walks of life, with a wide variety of functional disabilities.
Since 2023, the Foundation has also been collaborating with the Spinalis Foundation, which cares for people with spinal cord injuries. This summer, patients of Professor Claes Hultling – who heads the Foundation – will have the opportunity to spend 2 weeks on board the catamaran, sailing around the Swedish archipelago.
Each sailing trip with Handicat is an opportunity to demonstrate that the sea is a space of freedom, open and accessible to all. And the feedback we get from participants is unanimous!
Over and above the technical aspects of the boat, the kindness of the crew and the beauty of the Swedish archipelago‘s landscapes, what they remember most is the feeling of having been able to do it: « For some passengers, it’s the first time they’ve been to sea. They’d never dared think it was an option. »
Following their first embarkation, many repeat the experience, making sailing aboard the Handicat catamaran a regular occurrence.
A port focused on inclusion and sharing
The Svinninge Marina team does more than simply provide a berth afloat, it is also involved in providing logistical and technical support for the Foundation. Catamaran handling operations, too, are managed by the port team.
“Until recently, the port used a trailer supplied by the Foundation, pulled with a loader. But in 2024, new equipment was acquired: a Roodberg RBT30 hydraulic trailer, capable of safely lifting boats with dimensions as specific as the Handicat catamaran out of the water“.
This strategic investment directly benefits the Foundation. It testifies to the port’s determination to adapt its resources to support its development.
Svinninge Marina’s approach is sincere and based on an inclusive vision of navigation:
“It’s heartening to enable people who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to go boating to discover sailing and the wonderful Swedish archipelago. This initiative is a natural fit with Svinninge Marina’s values: accessibility, welcome and respect for all sailors, whatever their profile or level of autonomy,” emphasizes Johan.
« Hosting the Handicat catamaran has become a symbol of our ability to welcome difference. We believe that boating should be accessible to all, and spending a day on the water in the heart of our archipelago is truly a unique experience. If we can help make this possible for more people, we’d be delighted to do so. »
Svinninge Marina, an example for other European ports
The Port Adhoc group is proud to participate in the Handicat Foundation’s mission: through this project, the accessibility of boating in Sweden shows the way towards more inclusive, more accessible and, above all, more human activities. This approach fully reflects the values of our European group.
To find out more about Svinninge Marina and the facilities and services available to boaters, visit the dedicated page!
