A NEW accessible boat that provides unique opportunities for disabled people received a Royal seal of approval yesterday afternoon.

HRH Princess Anne visited Barton-on-Sea to christen Susan Mary, Lymington SailAbility’s Wheelyboat during a special event at Pebble Beach Hotel and Restaurant.

Susan Mary can take four wheelchairs at a time and the power boat can also be driven by a wheelchair user.

During her visit, the Princess Royal, who is president of the Royal Yachting Association, spoke to Lymington SailAbility members and those who had helped fund the boat.

Before carrying out the naming ceremony, she congratulated everyone involved in SailAbility for the number of opportunities available for people to experience sailing and boating.

She said it was a great pleasure to name Susan Mary and added that it will be an “enormous addition” to the charity’s fleet.

Sue Collingridge, former vice-chairman of Lymington SailAbility, donated a significant sum towards the funding of the boat, which is named after her.

“I had so much fun with Sailability and it made such a difference to my life,” she said.

“When I had the opportunity to do give something back, I just had to do it. I’m dying to go out in the oat. Being out on the water is a marvelous feeling and it gives you great freedom to do something you didn’t think you were ever going to do.

“To see it going down Lymington River makes me so proud.”

Lymington SailAbility was founded in 1996 and in that time the group has introduced a large number of disabled people to boating.

It has taken the charity around 18 months to gather the £36,000 required to buy the new accessible boat.

Tom Morton, current vice-chairman of Lymington SailAbility, said: “We are very pleased to have finally managed to get donations to buy the boat. It is another string to the bow of Lymington SailAbility and it is a different kind of boat.

“Hopefully it will have a massive impact and raise the profile of our particular charity.”