The German Postcode Lottery supports our regatta escort trips for wheelchair users—in Kiel and Sassnitz

Sailing for Wheelchair Users · Kiel Week and SailGP Sassnitz 2026

From the Spectator Stands to the Water

Until now, wheelchair users have almost always experienced the world’s major sailing events from land: from the edge of the pier, from the second row, with binoculars. The regatta itself—the wind, the water, the boats just a few meters away—has been reserved for others. That’s exactly what we’re changing. And we now have strong support: The German Postcode Lottery is funding our “Sailing for Wheelchair Users” project, which Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. is implementing together with Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. This is made possible by the participants in the Postcode Lottery, a fixed portion of whose ticket sales goes to nonprofit projects.

The funding supports our regatta-accompanying trips for wheelchair users at two of Germany’s largest sailing events: Kiel Week in June and SailGP off Sassnitz in August.

Directly onto the boat in a wheelchair

At the heart of it all is a boat unlike any other in Germany: the “Henk de Mol.” People in wheelchairs roll directly onto the boat—no transferring, no switching to a special seat, no being lifted. Anyone who wants to can steer the boat themselves, handle the sheets, and be part of the crew. Those who just want to sail and take in the view can do exactly that.

The “Henk de Mol” was developed and built by our partner Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. under the leadership of Stephan Krings. Experienced sailors and boat builders from Lake Möhnesee and Lake Baldeney spent two years converting a standard hull so that wheelchairs can be safely accommodated on board. For the past four years, we’ve been taking it out onto the regatta courses together at Kiel Week—and in 2026, Sassnitz will join us.

Moments That Last

During Kiel Week 2026, nearly 40 people in wheelchairs set sail on the “Henk de Mol” on the fjord. Among the guests was Kiel’s mayor, Gerwin Stöcken. Multiple-time Paralympic champion Kirsten Bruhn tried out the inclusive sailing experience: “Water sports have always fascinated me, and inclusive sailing is a great opportunity. It was a little intimidating to hand over control, but it was a lot of fun!”

But it’s hard to quantify the impact these trips can have. In 2025, we received a request through the “Wünschewagen” in Saxony-Anhalt/Magdeburg: Hans-Jörg, a guest at a hospice, had one last big wish—to experience Kiel Week from a sailboat. On the third day of Kiel Week, he set out on the “Henk de Mol” amid strong winds and rain and watched the 49er and 29er regattas up close.

And one thing has remained consistent over the years: the demand is greater than we can meet. Facilities for people with disabilities, advocacy groups, families with members in wheelchairs, and individuals—we’ve had to turn down far more requests than we could accept.

Supported by a large team of volunteers

Behind every single one of these trips is a large team of volunteer helpers. They are the heart of the program: They steer the boat, look after the guests on board, help with boarding and disembarking, maintain contact with organizations and families, and coordinate registrations. None of this is paid work. What they contribute is their time—about ten consecutive days on site each time, first in Kiel, then in Sassnitz, plus preparation, travel to and from the locations, and setup and takedown.

However, “volunteer” does not mean “free.” The “Henk de Mol” is moored in Essen year-round and must be transported to the Baltic Sea and back on a special trailer. On site, there are additional crane fees and port charges, and the crew and volunteers need lodging and meals for the entire duration. This is exactly where funding from the Deutsche Postcode Lottery comes in: It covers these material costs—transportation, lodging, meals, crane and port fees. Our volunteers contribute their labor. Without this support, the event would not be possible in this form.

In August: SailGP off Sassnitz

From August 18 to 23, 2026, we’ll be in Sassnitz on Rügen with the “Henk de Mol.” Together with SailGP and the Germany SailGP Team, we’ll take wheelchair-bound guests right to the regatta course—to the F50 catamarans that fly across the water at speeds of up to 100 km/h. At the same time, we’ll host our own inclusive regatta in Sassnitz’s city harbor, where people with and without disabilities will compete against each other in the same boats and under the same rules.

Looking Ahead: One Boat Alone Isn’t Enough

Kiel and Sassnitz are beacons for us—visible proof that this program is needed and works. But they’re also just two weeks a year, on a single boat.

That’s why we’re working together with Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. to turn this one-of-a-kind boat into a series. The BENTE25 open.i is a mass-production-ready successor—the “i” stands for inclusion. It isn’t available yet, but it’s set to go into production soon. And that’s precisely where the key difference lies: mass production significantly reduces the cost per boat.

This brings within reach what we’ve been talking about for years—deploying such boats at multiple locations in the future, year-round and on a permanent basis. Berlin, Hamburg, Kiel, the Schlei, Lake Schwerin, the Lusatian Lake District, Lake Constance, Bremerhaven—anywhere people with disabilities can regularly take advantage of such an offering.

Not as an exception, not as a special event, but as a natural, everyday service right on their doorstep—for recreational cruises as well as for active, self-directed sailing, for sailing courses, and for regattas.

Funding from the German Postcode Lottery—and thus the support of its participants—helps us continue on this path: and to demonstrate in Kiel and Sassnitz what is possible when people in wheelchairs aren’t just spectators, but are sailing along with everyone else.

So that the “Henk de Mol” doesn’t remain a one-of-a-kind vessel

For this next step, we’re looking for partners—companies, foundations, and sponsors—who will join us in the coming years to acquire such boats and bring them to where they’re needed: to Hamburg, to Kiel, to Lake Constance—to all suitable bodies of water where there are people who would make use of such an opportunity.

So far, there is exactly one boat of this kind in Germany. We’d love to be able to say there are many. If you’d like to support this initiative—as a partner, sponsor, or supporter of a single boat in your sailing area—please feel free to contact us.

Watch

Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2026 – the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMwTxLi-QVA

Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2025 – the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUvBSA0mkls

About the Funding

The “Sailing for Wheelchair Users” project is funded by the German Postcode Lottery—and thus by its participants. It is implemented by Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. in collaboration with Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. At the German Postcode Lottery, at least 30 percent of all ticket proceeds go to nonprofit organizations and projects throughout Germany. We are very pleased to be part of this community.

Supported by participants in the Postcode Lottery — [insert logo here, minimum width 25 mm]

#PowerOfPostcodes

About the Organizations

Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. was founded in November 2022 to establish sailing as a tool for social inclusion—without distinguishing between para-sailing and regular sailing. Our projects include the Helga Cup, the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup—the world’s first inclusive regatta series—the BAT Sailing Team—inclusion in action on the regatta course—as well as inclusive programs at Kiel Week and the SailGP in Sassnitz.

Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. developed and built the “Henk de Mol” and operates it year-round on Lake Baldeney in Essen. The club, led by Stephan Krings, has been taking people in wheelchairs out on the water for years and is our partner for regatta support trips for wheelchair users in Kiel and Sassnitz—in Sassnitz, it is also one of the organizing clubs for the inclusive regatta.

Contact Sven Jürgensen, President We Are We Inclusion in Sailing e.V. sven.juergensen@wir-sind-wir.org · +49 171 683 5555 www.wir-sind-wir.org

Stephan Krings Inclusive Sailing for All e.V. [Please add email, phone number, and website]

Sailing for Wheelchair Users · Kiel Week and SailGP Sassnitz 2026

From the spectator stands to the water

The German Postcode Lottery is supporting our regatta-accompanying trips for wheelchair users—in Kiel and in Sassnitz

The funding supports our regatta-accompanying trips for wheelchair users at two of Germany’s largest sailing events: Kiel Week in June and SailGP off Sassnitz in August.

Directly on board in a wheelchair

At the heart of it all is a boat unlike any other in Germany: the “Henk de Mol.” People in wheelchairs roll directly on board—no transferring, no switching to a special seat, no being lifted. Anyone who wants to can steer the boat themselves, operate the sheets, and be part of the crew. Anyone who just wants to sail and watch can do exactly that.

The “Henk de Mol” was developed and built by our partner Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. under the leadership of Stephan Krings. Experienced sailors and boatbuilders from Lake Möhnesee and Lake Baldeney spent two years converting a standard hull so that wheelchairs could be safely accommodated on board. For the past four years, we’ve been taking it out onto the regatta courses together during Kiel Week—and Sassnitz will be added to the itinerary in 2026.

Moments That Last

It’s hard to quantify the impact these trips have. In 2025, we received a request through the “Wünschewagen” in Saxony-Anhalt/Magdeburg: Hans-Jörg, a guest at a hospice, had one last big wish—to experience Kiel Week from a sailboat. On the third day of Kiel Week, he set sail on the “Henk de Mol” amid strong winds and rain and experienced the 49er and 29er regattas up close.

But it’s not just about the big goodbyes. Multiple-time Paralympic champion Kirsten Bruhn tried out inclusive sailing: “Water sports always fascinate me, and inclusive sailing is a great opportunity. It was a little intimidating to hand over control, but it was a lot of fun!” Kiel’s Mayor Bettina Aust boarded the boat in heavy rain along with three guests in wheelchairs—under the motto “Inclusion knows no bad weather.” Among those steering the boat in Kiel was Nadine Löschke, the reigning world champion in inclusive sailing and a wheelchair user herself. The participants ranged in age from twelve to over seventy.

And one thing remains constant year after year: the demand is greater than we can meet. Organizations for people with disabilities, advocacy groups, families with members in wheelchairs, individuals—we had to turn down far more requests than we could accept.

Supported by a large team of volunteers

Behind every single one of these trips is a large team of volunteers. They are the heart of the program: They operate the boat, look after the guests on board, help with boarding and disembarking, maintain contact with facilities and families, and coordinate registrations. None of this is paid work. What they contribute is their time—about ten consecutive days on site, first in Kiel, then in Sassnitz, plus preparation, travel to and from the locations, and setup and takedown.

However, “volunteer” does not mean “free of charge.” The “Henk de Mol” is moored in Essen year-round and must be transported to the Baltic Sea and back on a special trailer. On site, crane fees and port charges are added, and the crew and volunteers need lodging and meals for the entire duration. This is exactly where funding from the German Postcode Lottery comes in: It covers these material costs—transportation, lodging, meals, and crane and port fees. Our volunteers contribute their labor. Without this support, the project would not be possible in this form.

In August: SailGP off Sassnitz

From August 18 to 23, 2026, we’ll be in Sassnitz on Rügen with the “Henk de Mol.” Together with SailGP and the Germany SailGP Team, we’ll bring wheelchair-using guests right to the regatta course—to the F50 catamarans that fly across the water at speeds of up to 100 km/h. At the same time, we’ll host our own inclusive regatta in Sassnitz’s city harbor, where people with and without disabilities will compete against each other in the same boats and under the same rules.

Looking Ahead: One Boat Alone Isn’t Enough

Kiel and Sassnitz are beacons for us—visible proof that this program is needed and works. But they’re also just two weeks a year, on a single boat.

That’s why we’re working together with Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. to turn this one-of-a-kind boat into a production series. The BENTE25 open.i is a mass-producible successor—the “i” stands for inclusion. It isn’t available yet, but it’s set to go into production soon. And that’s precisely where the crucial difference lies: mass production significantly lowers the cost per boat. This brings within reach what we’ve been talking about for years—deploying such boats at multiple locations in the future, year-round and on a permanent basis. Berlin, Hamburg, Kiel, the Schlei, Lake Schwerin, the Lusatian Lake District, Lake Constance, Bremerhaven—anywhere people with disabilities can regularly take advantage of such an offering.

Not as an exception, not as a special event, but as a natural, everyday service right on their doorstep. For recreational cruises as well as for active, self-determined sailing, for sailing courses, and for competitive sailing.

So that the “Henk de Mol” doesn’t remain a one-of-a-kind vessel

Watch

Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2026 – the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMwTxLi-QVA

Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2025 – the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUvBSA0mkls

About the Funding

The “Sailing for Wheelchair Users” project is funded by the German Postcode Lottery—and thus by its participants. It is carried out by Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. in collaboration with Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. At the German Postcode Lottery, at least 30 percent of all ticket proceeds benefit nonprofit organizations and projects throughout Germany. We are very pleased to be part of this community.

Supported by participants in the Postcode Lottery —

#PowerOfPostcodes

About the Organizations

Inclusive Sailing for All e.V. developed and built the “Henk de Mol” and operates it year-round on Lake Baldeney in Essen. The club, led by Stephan Krings, has been taking people in wheelchairs out on the water for years and is our partner for regatta support cruises for wheelchair users in Kiel and Sassnitz—in Sassnitz, it is also one of the organizing clubs for the inclusive regatta.

Contact Sven Jürgensen, Chairperson We Are We Inclusion in Sailing e.V. sven.juergensen@wir-sind-wir.org · +49 171 683 5555 www.wir-sind-wir.org

Stephan Krings Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V.