Quadriplegic transat bid

Geoff Holt sets sail from Lanzarote bound for Tortola

Geoff Holt has set out to become the first quadriplegic yachtsman to cross the Atlantic. The 42 year old father became the first disabled yachtsman to sail around Great Britain in 2007 and has now departed Lanzarote on his latest challenge, bound for Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

Just before he departed Geoff commented: "It feels good to finally be under way and off on my journey across the Atlantic. The weeks and months of planning are over and now I am facing 2700 miles at sea. I am excited about what lies ahead but naturally there are nerves too. I am looking forward to returning to the beach in Tortola that I left in an ambulance 25 years ago. Back then I thought I would never sail again and now I will be returning in command of my own vessel."

Geoff will spend Christmas away from his wife Elaine and 7 year old son Tim. Geoff's family will be flying out to meet him in Tortola where they will be reunited and celebrate a belated Christmas in the Caribbean.

Geoff hopes that his voyage will inspire others and show that anything is possible.

Geoff explains why this is such a personal challenge: "I’ve been living off the memories. I now want to relive the experience. It seems right to sail back to Cane Garden Bay in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands as this is where I had my accident. I will be returning as a quadriplegic yachtsman and it is a personal challenge where I feel I will be closing the circle from having my accident and returning again as a yachtsman."

In 2007, Geoff sailed his way into the record books when he completed his Personal Everest when he became the first disabled yachtsman to sail single-handed around Great Britain.

Geoff Holt is a husband, father, and sailor. His professional sailing career was cut short when he had a swimming accident that left him a quadriplegic in 1984. He was one of those, 'rare-breed of people actually paid money to sail other people’s beautifully yachts.'

Geoff changed careers and worked his way up to the head of a marketing department for an international firm of accountants. In 1995 he helped establish the RYA Sailability, a disabled sailing charity offering sailing opportunities to over 20,000 disabled people a year throughout the UK.

As a disabled sailor, Geoff has challenged himself to inspire others and create awareness for disabled sailing.