Editor's Interview: Sail Into Life Bunbury

Sailing for everybody, an Australian snapshot (continued)

has enjoyed a sail. Usually around 30 people sail each week. The volunteer base is all local and they are mostly all retirees. Some have their own yachts and are still keen to sail, others just want to help out. As the client base comes from out of town largely, many do not arrive until 10.30 am as they have their own procedures and while some come by car, there are several organisations who arrive in mini-buses. The parking area has been known to hold 5 buses, and a lot of cars on a busy day.

Sailability is determined to give clients what our slogan says; ‘Freedom on the Water’, as sailing is and should be, for everyone, regardless of ability, age, or income. Sailability have not registered with the NDIS due to erratic funding issues, but some of the clients are registered, and they make a weekly donation of $10 per sail.

We certainly are appreciative of the effort the carers go to, bringing their clients some distance to enjoy a 30-minute sail on our inlet. TCB will always need more volunteers for Sailability, given the age of the group, and we hope to offer sailing to people with disability and people who are disadvantaged in our Wide Bay area for many years to come.

The Mayor Mick Curran, Patron of TCB Sailability and local TCB councillor were present to officially launch the new electric hoist, surrounded by Sailability volunteers.

We are all well aware of the physical and social benefits of aqua therapy and the positive effects that exercise and physical rehabilitation in water have on the body. This activity is not just relaxing but can relieve stress and pain on joints and work towards making independent movement much easier.

The Pelican pool hoist manufactured in Australia by Para Mobility allows a person with any disability to have access to both above and below ground spas, swimming and Hydrotherapy pools – without any manual lifting. The Pelican is a versatile hoist that can be custom made to suit most pools and allows the addition of interchangeable accessories – from an aquatic wheelchair to a sling. This design allows the one hoist to be used as a client’s range of movement changes over time.

EDITOR’S INTERVIEW: Sail into Life Bunbury

by Anita Harrop

Today I have had the pleasure of talking with Marg Roberston, Rotary Sail into Life Bunbury.

Rotary Sail into Life, initiated by the Rotary Club of Bunbury in 2005, offers people with disabilities the opportunity to experience the freedom, adventure and fun of sailing on the open waters out of the Koombana Bay Sailing Club.

Fundraising and sponsorship enabled the initial purchase of a small fleet of three Hansa Access Dinghies, now a fleet of seven dinghies and a rescue craft, plus a floating pontoon and a hoist for people in wheelchairs to access the dinghies. Initial works provided concrete paths around the area and a shade sail is erected to provide welcome shelter. Improvements since those initial days have been to engage Naturaliste Yachts and Chandlery to manufacture a new electric hoist (as the original hoist was manually operated and was challenging for the volunteers to wind). The new hoist has proved a most valuable asset for the club, sailors and the volunteers alike!

Another exciting activity offered is fishing from Rotary Reel Time (the Sail into Life fishing pontoon). The pontoon has a fold-out rear ramp, to which a path of rubber matting is connected from the beach sand, and people with mobility disability including wheelchair users can access the pontoon directly from the shore.

The programme has more than 150 participants, family members, carers and volunteers involved over the season and Koombana Bay is now a vibrant hub of colourful dinghies, people and activity three days a week!

Sailors and skippers on the jetty at Koombana Bay, Bunbury, with the electric hoist insitu

Upper jetty and lower pontoon with dinghies ready for sailing