Two is better than one .

Published 17:16 on 31 Aug 2026

It is often said that two is better than one. If studying business this may refer to two heads being than one (brainstorming), or it may perhaps refer to a quote from The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck:

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour …..

At the Woolverstone Project though, we have a new and more pragmatic example of two being better than one and that is having two Wheelyboats. Thanks to a very successful fundraising campaign and the generosity of a range of funding bodies and people, we launched a new Wheelyboat called Turnstone at the start of the 2026 season. Having two boats has made an enormous difference and, while we would always be hesitant to use business-speak for anything we do, it has proved to have a real synergy about it. Having a second boat has enabled us to be much more flexible about the nature of groups who come with us. It has allowed us to take out a wider range of groups and most importantly it has enabled a huge degree of flexibility in our scheduling of sailing sessions.

Volunteers have risen to the challenge and by boosting our training programmes we have got more qualified Wheelyboat skippers than ever. The generosity of MDL Woolverstone Marina and Lodge Park in allowing us to moor another boat has been another important factor in the success of Turnstone.

A couple of particularly notable instances of the value of having two boats has been on the special days we offer. These are for various groups, but regular ones which we offer every year are for the group Success After Stroke and the local Parkinsons Support Group. On both these days we have been able to get many more people on the water and for longer, allowing them to see much more of the beautiful River Orwell and creating therapeutic benefits for them. In his 2014 book Blue Mind, the marine biologist, Wallace J Nichols, explored the neurological and psychological benefits of being in, on or near water. This has gained increasing attention in recent years and brought the therapeutic power of water much more into focus. It is often termed the theory of blue space, or blue mind, and increasing numbers of practitioners are recognising its value. At the Woolverstone Project we have recognised it for years but perhaps didnt have a phrase for it. Two Wheelyboats have meant that we can extend this therapeutic benefit to many more people.

Last updated 17:16 on 31 August 2026