Sailing is an equal opportunity sport
CPA Alberta’s Barry Lindemann first heard of the Disabled Sailing Association of Alberta (DSAA) from Ed Thompson, a C2 quad, in 1998. He didn’t pursue it at the time. But last summer, Barry was finally convinced to get aboard.
“At this time last year,” says Barry, “I’d never even thought of sailing. Now I’m singing its praises to anyone who’ll listen.”
Barry concedes that he had doubts when he first learned about disabled sailing almost three years ago. “I didn’t want the hassle of getting in and out of the boat and I didn’t want to get wet,” he says. “I wasn’t sure that if I went out, I would get back to the dock okay. Listen, I hadn’t been away from my wheelchair in five years, and I was skeptical whether I could really sail the boat. Overall, I expected it wouldn’t be worth the hassle.”
When Barry finally went sailing, he was pleasantly surprised. “The DSA staff was very friendly and knowledgeable,” he recalls. “Getting in and out of the boats was done fast and safely with a big Hoyer-style lift. They put me in the driver’s seat, helped me to get comfortable, explained how the controls worked, and I was out sailing the boat myself in two minutes. There was someone with me for safety, but I was in control.”
Sailing for people with even high level spinal cord injuries is made possible by DSAA’s state-of-the-art Martin 16 sailboats.
“It was easy to sail,” says Barry, “I had no trouble working the controls. I used the Autohelm system-it was like driving my electric wheelchair. Right, left, in, out; there was a big learning curve the first time out, but I caught on quickly and that was it. I felt more comfortable in the Martin 16 seat than I do in my own wheelchair! My concerns about being able to work the boat alone were totally unfounded.”
At the end of his first sail, Barry says he was hooked. “I thought, ‘Why didn’t I do this sooner?’ I mean, for $15 – you can’t do anything for $15 – and to be able to go sailing in your own boat, have someone to help you in and out and get you on the water safely, on a beautiful day? It was not only fun and recreational, it was like a vacation from the office!”
Not surprisingly, Barry’s become a strong supporter and promoter of sailing for people with disabilities and the DSAA – and he urges people to be more willing to try sailing than he initially was.
“What’s holding you back? Just knowing that I could do something new was a big bonus for me. So often I get stuck in a rut doing things and think that I can’t. Sailing is something that truly anyone can do. I’d really ask, ‘What’s holding you back?’ Don’t be as dumb as I was – give it a shot.”
This year, Barry plans to take the Learn-to-Sail classes to improve his skills and enhance his confidence and enjoyment. “I want something that takes my mind away from the disability movement, accessible curb cuts, and everything like that. For me, sailing is it. You’re just out there on the water, learning as you go. If those boats go unused for even one hour this summer, it will be a shame.”
This article was provided courtesy of the Canadian Paraplegic Association (Alberta).
