Natsha Lambert

Disabled sailor and adventurer

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You are here: Home / Archives for Blown Away

Preparations in Las Palmas.

23rd November 2020 By Site Admin

Arriving here in Las Palmas just over two weeks ago, it’s been amazingly busy getting prepared! Fitting extra solar panels, cleaning, servicing, safety checks, rigging checks, provisioning and sourcing a new computer for Natasha that got damaged as we went though security at the airport on our way out here.

Fitting new solar pannels on Blown Away.

One of our last jobs, Dad dived to clean the hulls underwater and whilst there did an inspection and found our starboard prop had play in it which meant having part of the prop renewed!


One of the nicest part of taking part in The ARC is all the lovely people we have met. Everyone has interesting stories to tell, people that have been planning this adventure for 20/30 years to people who just decided a few months ago!

Our only disappointment is that we couldn’t see more of the Island, we hired an adapted vehicle but unfortunately it was supplied with no wheelchair restraints and a lift that didn’t work and despite attempts to get resolved unfortunately we were unable to. Which was a shame.

Our crew arrived a few days ago, Mike, Sue, Neil and Angela and they have been busy helping with all the prep…

The crew!

And now the night before our departure, after A great firework display we are all excited to start our adventure together!


Wishing all our new friends and crews a fantastic sail and look forward to hearing everyone’s stories in St. Lucia!!

Rachel Lambert.

(Blog taken from our ‘Teleport-Blog.’)

Filed Under: Atlantic Challenge, Blown Away, Challenges, News, Rachel's Blog Tagged With: ARC 2020, Atlantic 2020, Atlantic ARC, Atlantic Challenege, Blown Away, disabled sailor, Journey, Natasha Lambert, Our crew, Our family, Rachel Lambert, sailing, Sailing family, UK Sailing

The Atlantic – Phase one by Rachel Lambert.

23rd November 2020 By Site Admin

Our journey to Las Palmas and the start of the 2020 ARC began on the 1st of August 2020 when we left Cowes and headed over to Cherbourg. After 2 years of work converting and learning to sail the boat (Blown Away) it was great to finally be off!

The first week day sailing along the French coast with some lovely weather stopping at Granville, St Quay, Roscoff, L’Aberwach and Breast.
Our next passage was our longest to date, a seven day 1008 miles down to Gibraltar, as one of our crew had to return to U.K. and if we stopped in portugal or Spain this would involve quarantine due to current covid situation.

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The Needles.


All sorts of weather during the passage from dodging thunderstorms in the Bay of Biscay, 30 knot winds off Acoruna fog and no wind off Lisbon, hundreds of dolphin and beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Transiting the straights of Gibraltar in the dark with strong winds and currents off Tarifa huge amounts of shipping and fantastic sight of the Atlas Mountains and the rock of Gibraltar as the sun rose!

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Dolphins!



The next week spent resting sightseeing re-provisioning and waiting for another crew member to fly out and join us before starting our next passage down to Las Palmas.

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Another 700 miles and 5 days experiencing the acceleration zones around the canaries, and with the boat safely in Las Palmas marina we flew home for a couple of months before returning at the beginning of November for the start of this years ARC!!

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Rachel Lambert.

(Blog taken from our ‘Teleport-Blog.’)

Filed Under: Atlantic Challenge, News, Rachel's Blog Tagged With: adventure, Atlantic 2020, Atlantic ARC, Atlantic Challenege, Blog, Blown Away, Crossing the Atlantic, Journey, Lambert Family, Las Palmas, Natasha Lambert, Our family, Rachel Lambert, sailing, Sailing family, Travelling

The SIP-PUFF sailing method.

23rd November 2020 By Site Admin

Natasha Lambert sails by breath control as she cannot use her hands, so uses a small tube the size of a drinking straw fixed in a helmet which helps keep the straw in place.

Photo by WCC/James Mitchell.

This straw in-turn connects to the ram and the steering system of the boat. Using various micro processors and large electronic rewind winches, Natasha can also adjust the sails when she changes the mode of the straw by flicking a tounge switch (an LED switch within the straw.)

Natasha sailing while I keep watch (Rachel.)


A sip takes the boat to starboard (turns right) and a puff to port (Left) or sail trim, a sip to bring the sails in and a puff takes them out. It only takes very tiny movements and the system is very responsive. The system uses open source software and programmes written by Our Dad, Gary Lambert.

Rachel Lambert

(Blog taken from our ‘Teleport-blog.’)

Filed Under: Blown Away, News, Rachel's Blog Tagged With: Blog, Blown Away, disabled sailor, How it works, Natasha Lambert, Rachel Lambert, sailing, Sailing family, sip and puff, technology, Update

The Lambert Family

23rd November 2020 By Site Admin

Hello! We are Gary, Amanda, Natasha and myself Rachel. We are sailing a 46ft catamaran called ‘Blown Away’ and have had the boat for 2 years.

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During that time, lots of work has been carried out to convert it so that my Sister, Natasha can also sail it. Natasha has cerebral Palsy and is unable to use her hands reliably, so she uses a pretty neat system my Dad has developed and installed called Sip-puff technology.

Rachel Lambert.

(Blog transfered our ‘Teleport-blog‘.)

Filed Under: Atlantic Challenge, Blown Away, Challenges, News, Rachel's Blog Tagged With: adventure, Atlantic 2020, Blog, Blown Away, Lambert, Lambert Family, Natasha Lambert, News, Our family, Rachel Lambert, sailing, Sailing family, Update

The Atlantic Challenge – Part One. (Cowes – Gran Canaria.)

30th October 2020 By Site Admin

Whilst sailing from Cowes to Gran Canaria and then taking part in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers would not appear to be a huge challenge for a lot of people, for Natasha Lambert, it is a different story that started when she was 9 years old with getting afloat, through many challenges of increasing difficulty and has continued to grow since culminating in this epic challenge.

Natasha has – Quadriplegic Athetoid Cerebral Palsy – which means, in order to sail her boat, it has to be adapted for the “Sip and Puff” technology that allows her to control the vessel. With the boat for this challenge, a Nautitech Open 46 called Blown Away being considerably bigger than her Mini Transat, the work took longer than envisaged. This work also included adaptations to accommodate Natasha being able to live aboard for 4 weeks continuously by the fitting of a ceiling-mounted hoist track throughout the owner’s cabin, saloon and cockpit area as well as fitting a treadmill below the cockpit table for her daily physiotherapy routine, although its use was not always possible because of the boat movement.

Tash using her treadmill while in harbour.

The challenge to cross the Atlantic for Natasha Lambert was sadly postponed last year as her boat was not quite ready for the trip. It did look like this was going to be postponed again due to Covid19, however, we got the news from the marinas that we were allowed back to the boats and work commenced in earnest… We also had confirmation from the World Cruising Club that the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) would be able to go ahead. Good news for the team!

Work progressed well with sea trials as well and the team were able to plan their delivery trip to Gran Canaria to commence on the 1st of August 2020.

The crew assembled on Friday the 31st of July and final provisioning was taken care of. After a briefing and a good night’s sleep, the crew were all up early on the 1st of August and ready for the off!

Blown Away crew prepare for the off!

The first part of this voyage would be short day sails which allowed the team the opportunity to visit different French Ports on their way whilst watching the weather for the best time to start the longest leg of this trip direct to Gibraltar.

Blown Away and crew, sailing along the French Coastline.

The next few days saw Blown Away leave Cherbourg on the 3rd of August and do day sails, stopping overnight at Granville, L`Aber Wrac`h, Saint-Quay, Roscoff, and arriving in Brest on the 7th of August. These day sails allowed the crew time to practise manoeuvring the boat and getting used to the electronics needed on board.

All this went very well, and after looking at the weather, it was decided that they would leave Brest on the 9th of August and head directly for Gibraltar, heading about 80 miles offshore to avoid the shelf at Biscay. The crew settled well into a watch system for the journey and taking in their stride the night sailing. Storms were noticed around Biscay, all of which were sailed around. For a few on board this would be their first time offshore and experiencing the North Atlantic. A long 4m swell appeared at first to be quite awesome, but Blown Away took this in her stride and was not bothered at all. With the boat taking this well within her capabilities, the novices on the crew grew to accept this as nothing out of the ordinary.

Whilst offshore it was discovered that the satellite comms was not working properly and that the hydro generator did not appear to produce the power expected. These were addressed and resolved.

16th of August saw the crew arrive in Gibraltar after 1008 miles continuous sailing (the longest single leg the crew had done so far) where they put in at La Linea marina. The marina was very welcoming and it was a pleasure to see that they were easily able to accommodate sailors with disabilities. The pontoons and ramps were all wide enough. Just a short walk and the crew were able to enjoy a tour around Gibraltar and meet with the Barberry Apes.

Gibraltar.

In Gibraltar there was a crew change for the last leg of this journey to Gran Canaria. Then the crew departed Gibraltar on the 23rd of August arriving in Gran Canaria on the 29th of August. Once there and the boat was cleaned down, the crew flew back to UK whilst the family enjoyed a couple of days relaxing before returning home.

Having spoken with the family since their return they say that there were no low points throughout the whole journey, in fact, the whole team settled well into a routine. There were a lot of new experiences and a lot of learning, all of which they took in their stride.

The next leg is the Challenge itself… The team will be flying back to Gran Canaria early in November to re-join Blown Away and do the final preparing for the ARC which departs on the 22nd of November.

Natasha, is undertaking this challenge to raise much needed funds for 3 charities; the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, Cowes RNLI and the MissIsle School of Sip Puff Sailing. The aim is to raise £30,000 to share equally between the 3 charities. You can help with our efforts by clicking here to donate… All your donations, no matter what size, are hugely appreciated.

Filed Under: Atlantic Challenge, Blown Away, Challenges, News Tagged With: ARC, Atlantic 2020, Atlantic Challenege, Blown Away, Chairty, Challenege, Fundraising, Natasha Lambert, RNLI, sailing, sip and puff, Virgin Fundraising

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