Dolphin IV launches in Poole Harbour, expanding disabled access trips

Pip Hare brought a familiar sailing name to Poole Harbour on 16 April 2026, but the real headline was below deck level and along the side of the boat. Her christening of Dolphin IV marked the launch of a specially adapted 10.2-metre catamaran that will run free harbour trips for disabled passengers, adding a new chapter to a charity service that has been going since 1982.

The boat was built on the Isle of Wight by Cheetah Marine in Cowes for Friends of Dolphin, the charity that has spent decades keeping the trips afloat. Over the years, the organisation says its boats have carried around 60,000 local people, turning what might look like a ceremonial launch into something much more practical: another season of regular access on the water for people who might otherwise struggle to get aboard.

Dolphin IV has been set up with that purpose from the start. The catamaran includes an extra-wide side door for wheelchair access, along with fixing points around the vessel so wheelchairs can be clamped securely once passengers are on board. That combination matters. It means the boat is not relying on improvised assistance or a one-off accommodation, but on a layout designed around disabled access trips as a normal operating pattern.

The charity is also pairing the hardware with crew readiness. The skippers are undergoing training so they will be qualified to help disabled passengers from May onward, which gives the new vessel both a physical and a human support system before the busy season builds. In a part of the marine world often dominated by launches aimed at speed, luxury or offshore performance, Dolphin IV is a reminder that catamarans can be built for something just as significant: dependable, inclusive passenger service.

Carol Cox, chair of trustees, said the charity was pleased to have reached the milestone and that fundraisers had worked for years to keep the trips going. She added that the crew enjoys sharing a love of Poole Harbour with passengers and is looking forward to a busy season. For Catamaran Yachts readers, Dolphin IV is the kind of platform that shows the twin-hull format at its most useful, steady under way, easy to adapt, and capable of opening the water to people who have been left out for too long.