HE WAS a Jack Tar, a shell back, a "salt". Until a tragic accident landed him in a wheelchair Manfred Koranda's world was a ship. Now, 19 years later, the 49 year old former mariner has found his sea legs again on a square rigged sailing passage to Dublin.
Up the yardarm, out onto the bowsprit bar walking the planks there was little that he and his wheelchair could not have done enroute. "In fact, it is the only way to travel by sea," Koranda quipped yesterday on the Lord Nelson the world's first custom built tall ship for people with disabilities.
From Vienna yes, even landlocked Austria has a merchant navy Koranda, his son and daughter were part of a 49 strong crew sailing from Plymouth via Waterford and Dublin, to Liverpool.
A talking compass for those with hearing difficulties, anchorage points and wheelchair lifts, and discreet notches and rails for the blind give no quarter to the so called "able bodied" on board. The ship has eight permanent crew and three to four volunteer watch leaders or bosuns mates. Its typical trainee complement of 40 includes up to 20 people with physical disabilities.
The ship is almost self financing, according to its relief skipper, Capt George Mills from Southampton. Trainees can get subsidised passages. Shore management is by the Jubilee Sailing Trust, which was established in 1978 in Britain as a registered charity. Such is its success that a second ship is under construction.
The "paddy factor", as she terms it, is the well known Howth yachtswoman, Mrs Jennifer Guinness, who is an Irish Trustee. Both she and fellow Irish representative, Mr Michael Booth, of Shankill, Dublin, try to take in at least one passage a year. Many Irish participants have booked berths, and a North South crew skippered the vessel on a tall ships race leg from Cork to Belfast.
Curiously, the Lord Nelson is barred by the British Board of Trade from navigating the western Irish coast. "Pirates!" jokes the captain. In fact, the original decision taken for safety reasons may be reviewed on foot of improved lifeboat and air sea rescue cover on the Atlantic seaboard.
The Lord Nelson leaves Dublin port for Liverpool today, weather permitting. Further information on joining the ship can be obtained from Jubilee Sailing Trust, Test Road, Eastern Docks, Southampton 5014 3GG (tel:0044-1703-631395), e-mail jstjst.org.uk
