June 6, 2025
4 minutes reading time
Project FEAR: Jazz Turner’s daring solo voyage to redefine what’s possible
On 2 June 2025, Jazz Turner set sail from Brighton Marina with a quiet but determined mission: to become the first known female wheelchair user to complete a solo, non-stop and unassisted circumnavigation of the British Isles. Her vessel, a 27-foot yacht named Fear, is more than a boat - it's a symbol of defiance, resilience, and self-belief.
But Jazz’s journey is about more than miles and maritime challenge. It’s about pushing back against every assumption the world makes about disability, chronic illness, and what a young woman with a terminal diagnosis can do with the time she has left.
A Story of Courage – and Complexity
At 26 years old, Jazz is already a decorated Para Inclusive sailor and advocate. She lives with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare genetic connective tissue disorder that has progressively impacted her health. She uses a wheelchair full-time, has frequent seizures and faints without warning. She’s survived sepsis, organ failure, and more hospital stays than she can count.
And yet, here she is – alone on the sea, sailing headlong into one of the toughest challenges the UK coastline can offer. With an estimated 2,070 miles to cover, this is no casual coastal hop. Her aim is to complete the journey in 4 to 8 weeks, without stopping, support boats, or external assistance.
“I wanted to do something big, something that made people think differently about what disability really means,” Jazz explains. “Fear will always exist – but so does the choice to rise.”
Jazz’s love affair with the sea began early. She taught herself to sail at age 13 and built her first dinghy by 14. Despite her declining health, she has continued to compete at high levels, representing Great Britain in Para Inclusive Sailing events such as the RS Venture Connect World Championships and the Para Nordic Championships. She’s earned medals, respect, and – more importantly to her, opportunities to bring other disabled people into the sport she loves.
Through her involvement in World Sailing’s Inclusive Development Programmes (IDP) and with support from organisations like Sailability and Virtus, Jazz has helped shape the future of Para sailing – not just as an athlete, but as an outspoken advocate for equity, access, and innovation.
Now, through Project FEAR (Face Everything And Rise), she’s taking that fight to a new level – one that demands wind, skill, and absolute perseverance.
Making a Difference – One Nautical Mile at a Time
This voyage isn’t just personal – it’s practical. Jazz is using her challenge to raise £30,000 for Newhaven & Seaford Sailability, a local charity that supports people of all abilities to sail. The funds will go toward purchasing adapted Hansa dinghies, investing in sip-and-puff and eye-gaze sailing technologies, and expanding opportunities for other disabled sailors to find the freedom and joy that Jazz finds at sea.
“Disability often comes with a lot of ‘no’s’ – you can’t do this, you won’t manage that. Sailing gave me my ‘yes.’ It gave me independence, adrenaline, and dignity.”
In preparation for her voyage, Jazz’s father, Chris Turner, helped adapt Fear to include a wind-powered generator and satellite navigation systems. She’s equipped with emergency comms, safety tethers, and the same quiet grit that’s seen her survive more than most people do in a lifetime.
Her training has been self-led and relentless. Despite not knowing how to swim and struggling with seasickness, Jazz refused to let limitations become roadblocks. “My body has never worked the way it’s supposed to. But my spirit? That’s something else entirely.”
How to Follow and Support Jazz’s Voyage
- 💻 Website/Blog: https://jazzturneruk.wordpress.com – Personal updates from Jazz directly
- 📷 Instagram: @jazturnersailing – Daily posts and tracking updates
- 🎯 Fundraising Link: Project FEAR GoFundMe – Help Jazz reach her £30,000 target
- 🛰 Live Tracking: projectfear.uk – Real-time map of Jazz’s progress
Every donation, share, and message of support helps amplify the message Jazz is sailing to deliver, that ability is not defined by diagnosis, and that adventure, courage and contribution are not reserved for the able-bodied.
A Legacy in the Making
Jazz’s story isn’t just about sailing. It’s about agency. It’s about reclaiming life from the margins and writing your own ending, even when the prognosis is cruel.
As she wrote before casting off: “If this is the last thing I ever do, it will be enough. Because I’ve done it on my terms, and I’ve done it in a way that makes the world just a little bit more possible for someone else.”
Fair winds, Jazz. You’re already making history.