Adaptive Sailing Makes Waves at NSPS
The Council for Sailors with Disabilities was well represented at the 2007 National Sail Program Symposium in St. Petersburg, FL. The highlight was a two and a half-hour session at the St. Pete Sailing Center. The first section focused on how to make a venue accessible, the second on adapting boats for use by sailors with disabilities. Tom Rinda and Gene Hinkel did a masterful job of outlining the steps that they, the yacht club and the City of St, Petersburg went through to make the Sailing Center a model of accessibility for the 2001 IFDS Worlds. Assisted by Jen French, of the 2007 US Disabled Sailing Team, the explanations were followed by a walk-through of the venue, from docks to toilets, to parking spaces. U.S. Disabled Sailing Team Head Coach Betsy Alison provided added insight into both the venue and adaptations through her comments and slides as the US prepares for Qing Dao later this year.
Next followed a look at adaptations, from the simple resin garden chair and cooler in the cockpit solutions to the complex transfer system used by Jen in her Sonar and the seating system used by Swedish Paralympian Gustaf Fresk in his Paralympic Two Person SKUD-18. Betsy's slides and on site experience with the Hoyer lift and adaptations added to the sense of real experiences. Also on hand were USA Sonar Bronze Medal Paralympians J.P. Creignou and Roger Cleworth, who discussed the 2.4 Metre as a boat for sailors with disabilities.
Other related sessions were lead by Arn Manella on sailing for people with intellectual disabilities, including stroke and brain injury; Jack Yoes, speaking about women and girls in the Special Olympics held last year in Shanghai; Dr Jane Greenberg of Miami, who has a program based out of the public school system, Jim Muldoon, talking about the Brendan's in a Box program for people with learning disabilities; and Deb Frenkel and Meredith Bass, speaking on beginning and funding a community sailing program for people with disabilities.
Attendees were most appreciative of the efforts of all presenters, going away with a much clearer sense of the possibilities for making sailing available to all. We look forward to repeating the effort next year in California.