You don’t have to be a sailor to understand the appeal of the flap of a sail, a gust of wind and the rush of the sea just inches below your wet butt – playing the old Rod Stewart anthem Sailing on Spotify will give you the general idea.
But there ain’t nothin’ like the real thing, and it’s a thrill that many disabled people were resigned to never experience until the international Sailability program came to Australia in the 1990s and to Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club in 2010. If we discount 2020, when only two weeks of the course were run because of Covid, Sailability celebrates its tenth anniversary in Noosa this year, and the 2021 course starts next week.
Says co-ordinator Ken Plunkett: “Sailability offers a fun, safe and welcoming environment where people with disability are accepted and encouraged to participate in, and enjoy the sport of sailing. It’s a program that offers an additional level of support, an established network of volunteers, and equipment to assist people of all abilities to get into sailing.”
Each sailor who does the program is accompanied by a qualified sailing instructor using a 12-foot Vagabond sailing dinghy that is widely used for sailing training throughout Queensland. The sailing activity is supported by a safety boat that is on the water at all times.
Says Ken: “Behind the scenes during the year, we have been able to retain the trained boat skippers and they are looking forward to restarting with clients old and new this year. The boats that are used during the program have been refreshed and are ready to go, and early in 2020 the club purchased a boat especially for clients who had previously expressed an interest in assisting their skipper sail the boat.”
Sailability organisations are not for profit and volunteer-based. The experienced volunteers from previous years are also looking forward to restarting with the rest of the team. A sanitising protocol will be adhered to throughout the weekly sessions.
An average of 20 sailors attended a 23-week programme in the 2019 year and organisers are expecting a similar number this year when the program starts on Thursday, March 4.
Says Ken: “We are calling for volunteers to assist again this year. A Blue Card and a heart of gold is all that is required.”
Contact: Sailing office on 5440 7407 or email sailing@nyrc.com.au
