Accessible sailboats offer a different sailing experience than the team boats because they are designed to be sailed by one person. Not only do participants learn quicker, but also these sailboats allow the sailor to compete with able-bodied participants. These boats level the playing field by eliminating the physical condition of the sailors as a factor that impedes their performance. Each person can develop to his or her peak skill level. The technology and design of these sailboats allows able-bodied and disabled sailors to compete or have fun together, fully integrated.
Our fleet of boats includes sailboats designed by Don Martin, the famous America’s Cup designer. They are specially designed for people with disabilities, having a specially engineered seat built into the cockpit to accommodate limitations. They are stable and have self-tacking jibs and easy-to-handle mainsails. The helmsman is sitting mid-ship and facing forward. They were designed with an auto helm and adaptive equipment so even quadriplegics can sail the boat alone. It can be modified slightly to include the scope of sailors that are blind to high quadriplegics who can maneuver the boat independently with an auto-helm and joy stick mechanism (similar to power wheelchairs for high quadriplegics).
Do you know a cure for me? Why yes, he said, I know a cure for everything. Salt water. Salt water? I asked him. Yes, he said, in one form or another, sweat, tears or the salt sea. Isak Dinesen