Natasha Lambert, a 29-year-old from the Isle of Wight with cerebral palsy, sailed her 46-foot catamaran 3,000 miles across the Atlantic using a custom 'sip-and-puff' breath-control system. She became the first person to cross the Atlantic using this technology.
A Dream That Started Young
Natasha, who cannot use her arms or legs and struggles to speak, expressed a desire to sail at age nine after a family activity holiday. Her father, Gary, an electrician by day and inventor by night, created a custom sip-and-puff system so she could independently skipper and steer boats.
Her sister, Rachel, 19, explained: "Growing up, it was never a 'no' for Tash, but an 'ok, how can we make this happen'. Our parents encouraged her to have a go at all sorts - like abseiling. When she expressed an interest in sailing, Tash wanted to not just be a passenger. She wanted to be in control of the boat. But when we did some research near our home in Cowes, the technology just wasn't there."
How the Sip-and-Puff Works
The sip-and-puff system consists of a small tube held in Natasha's mouth via a modified helmet. Sipping turns the boat right, puffing turns it left, and a tongue-operated LED light beam switch allows her to control the sails.
Rachel said: "Tash can easily drink from a straw, so that was the basis of it. They started with a model boat that she could control on a pond, then upgraded and upgraded until it became a full size boat. Then Tash got on board."
Early Achievements and Charity Work
Natasha began sailing on rivers, then at age 11 tackled the Solent. In September 2012, she sailed around the Isle of Wight, raising over £17,000 for charities. The following year, she completed a solo cross-Channel voyage from Boulogne to Dover, and in 2014, she navigated along the south coast of Britain to Wales, earning the title Young Sailor of the Year.
In 2015, the family set up the Miss Isle School of Sip and Puff Sailing in Cowes, teaching other young people with severe physical disabilities to sail. Later that year, Natasha was awarded a British Empire Medal for her charity work.
The Atlantic Crossing
After Dame Ellen MacArthur gave Natasha a pilot guide to the Atlantic, the family spent two years researching and two years adapting a 46-foot catamaran named Blown Away. They set sail on 22 November 2020, with Natasha as skipper, supported by a five-person team including her family.
They traveled from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia in 18 days, 21 hours, 39 minutes and 8 seconds, as part of the ARC event. Natasha finished 28th and became the first person to sail across the Atlantic using sip-and-puff.
A Tribute to Mum
Tragically, this year, their mother Mandy died from cancer. In her memory, the family plans to cross the Atlantic again in November, hoping to raise £30,000 for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, RNLI, and Calvert Lakes.
Rachel said: "We miss her every day. It's been really hard. We were such a team. Most families can't say they've crossed an ocean together. But Mum is still with us and she'll be with us on the boat. One of the last things she said to us was, 'keep having adventures. Keep seeing the world'. So we will - we're doing it for her."
For Natasha, sailing means freedom: "I don't have a disability on the water. I feel free."
