About Me

I came to sailing in my late twenties, on a Competent Crew course (2003) on the west coast of Scotland. From living on my narrowboat Jimmy it opened up a whole new world.

After a brief time on a 10 metre motor sailer ketch Ann Douglas, I co-founded Sail Boat Project in 2008. This was a community sailing school with the aim of "widening access to the sea, for all". As well as learning business skills and maintaining two sail training yachts for commercial work, Karic and Jalapeno, this set me on a path to get my Yachtmaster Offshore (2011), become a Cruising Instructor (2012) and then Yachtmaster Instructor (2014), delivering RYA sail training courses and skippering holiday trips.

The most rewarding work was using sailing and sail training with less fortunate groups of young people, people living with dementia and people recovering from addictions. I’m a firm believer in the positive effect that sailing and being on the water can have on mental health, so called blue health (read this book!)

Since 2020 I've lived and travelled on my 1978 12 metre Standfast yacht, Pelangi, based out of the south coast of Portugal. Pelangi and I have sailed with friends and solo - to the UK and back, spending a good amount of time in Brittany and Galicia. I'm on my second tour of the Canary Islands this winter (2024). I work freelance as a sailing instructor and commercial skipper, holding my Yachtmaster Ocean qualification.

Dhara Thompson