Fischer Panda supports sailing4handicaps

The non-profit aid organisation sailing4handicaps was founded in November 2012 by Wojtek Czyz and Elena Brambilla-Czyz. Their undertaking: sailing around the world on a catamaran and providing direct and unbureaucratic assistance to amputees

in developing countries. A project that creates new perspectives for people with disabilities.

After intensive planning and preparation, the two former professional and very successful athletes Elena Brambilla-Czyz and Wojtek Czyz started their circumnavigation on the catamaran "Imagine" in May 2015. Since then, their vision of providing free prostheses for leg amputees in developing regions has been successfully put into practice. Elena and Wojtek also train them so that they can repair and maintain their prostheses on their own. The couple is supported by orthopaedic technicians who fly to the respective locations to make and adapt the high-quality prostheses on board the catamaran.

39 prostheses have been manufactured and the „Imagine “has sailed to numerous countries, includ-ing Morocco, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Dominica, Grenada and the Galapagos Islands. A total of € 190.000,00 of material has been used to date.

Besides the social commitment, both precision and technology are required. The catamaran "Imagine" had been converted into a floating workshop to provide the conditions for the project.

Together with Wojtek, we decided to install a Fischer Panda generator Panda 15000i with a nominal output of 12 kW. Shore power is not always available in all ports where Wojtek and Elena stop, however a constant and reliable power supply is essential for the work. The generator has a variable speed control where the speed of the diesel engine is adjusted according to the consumers in use. The inverter supplies the electrical load with a constant output voltage.

Power - wherever you are. This requirement is fulfilled by the Fischer Panda Generator. Various electrical devices on board can be operated at any time.

After a mould has been made for the prostheses, precise changes and modifications can be made using a modern 3D printer and professional Rodin 4D orthopaedic software onboard the catamaran.

Filing, grinding, sawing and drilling works are also carried out on board. An industrial vacuum cleaner with compressor keeps the working area clean.

An oven, a hot air gun and a sewing machine must also be supplied with power.

Regular maintenance and replacement of wearing parts on the generator are essential due to the above-average power requirement and the different climatic conditions.

Although Fischer Panda has a worldwide dealer network and service stations in over 80 countries, Fischer Panda service partners are sometimes not available in particularly remote regions. In these cases, the Fischer Panda 24/7 Service Hotline provides fast and uncomplicated assistance to the crew.

The "Imagine" is currently located in Tahiti and is now preparing for the next stop in Tonga.

In addition to the crew on the "Imagine", the charity organisation which was founded solely to support this project and help as many people as possible worldwide consists of a four-member honorary board. As co-founder of sailing4handicaps Elena Brambilla-Czyz has a double function. She is the second chairman of the association and a permanent crew member.