Making Sailing Accessible to EVERYONE

from Ahoy! July/August 2021

Steering the Course

WORDS: NIKKI CLARINGBOLD | IMAGES: SUKI CHEUNG AND NIKKI CLARINGBOLD

Sailability Hong Kong specialises in offering the opportunity to sail as a sport and recreational activity, which is not always accessible to all due to a variety of reasons – be it physical disability, mental health issues, learning disabilities or socioeconomic reasons. The team at Sailability are skilled at breaking down the barriers within the community and offering practical support, inspiration, and encouragement to make sailing accessible to everyone.

As part of celebrating the recent World Sailing inaugural Global Women’s Sailing Festival, with the aim to introduce women and girls across the globe to the sport of sailing via a dedicated weeklong program established by World Sailing, Sailability Hong Kong Co-Founder Kay Rawbone recognised the opportunity to encourage female disability sailors to the sport.

Over the 27 and 28 of May 2021, 20 ladies from the Association of Women with Disabilities Hong Kong (AWDHK) were given the opportunity to get out on the water through the assistance of Sailability HK, out of their HHYC base. Kay Rawbone was heartened to see the drive and determination of past wheelchair sailor Leung On Ki, Angel in initiating the outing for the group. Angel had encouraged 19 fellow wheelchair colleagues to attend. While apprehensive about the challenges involved, they were all eager inductees to sailing as part of this worldwide female-based initiative. Sailability also specifically sought out and encouraged a stronger female-based volunteer group to be involved for these days. The specific challenges of having female physical disability sailors attending a sailing session for the first time needed to be recognised, as just getting in the boat can be the biggest challenge of the day and can be quite intimidating if not handled with care. Kay noted that having the support of females to help with the delicate manoeuvring of the ladies in and out of the boats on the day, while offering female associated reassurance, goes a long way towards giving these new sailors added confidence to let them enjoy their time out on the water.

Instrumental in coordinating the outing for her association, Leung On Ki, Angel of AWDHK expressed her sheer joy in being part of the Sailability Sessions and sharing the precious experience with her colleagues. As a seasoned sailor boasting 18 months experience of sailing within the Sailability community, she explained that encouraging

and nurturing new events outside of the group’s regular activities are important, particularly given the limiting restrictions enforced by using of a wheelchair. Angel explained that one of the biggest obstacles for wheelchair bound attendees was reassuring them of the accessibility to participate in a new activity. “Many participants are very concerned about the problems that are associated with getting in and out of the boat and their ability to cope once on the water.” With the assistance of the specific female-based volunteers to help, she said the intimidating concerns of being handled by strangers were very quickly overcome and all the participants embraced the help with the challenging task of getting out of their restrictive wheelchairs and into the boats.

Angel added that while everyday activities are so constrained by being in the wheel chair, the ladies were able to experience the “freedom of being able to go anywhere, that can be achieved by getting out on the water in a boat. It is very rewarding.”

With the encouragement and support of the Sailability team to make a seemingly daunting task accessible, to see faces change from those of quiet apprehension to beaming smiles is a very rewarding experience. Exhausted and elated, the ladies, ranging in age from 40 to 50+, all expressed their desire to return to the water as soon as possible.

Commenting after their return to shore, the newfound sailors reported, “The Volunteers and staff were so kind and helpful in getting us on the boat. The staff have given the instructions very clearly”. While others added, “It’s such a fantastic experience. I wish I could join the event again. Thanks to AWDHK and Sailiability Hong Kong so much for hosting this event for women with disabilities. Thank you so much for letting me join this event.”

Recognising the benefits of finding a new interest, a new skill set and all while enhancing overall quality of life, Sailability offers the opportunity to anyone experiencing a disability to participate in the sport of sailing. They can also provide the necessary framework to enable training to those having ambition and determination to participate in local, regional, and international events.

Sailing is a sport that is unique in its ability to offer the ‘inclusivity’ of having the opportunity to compete against able bodied sailors on a ‘level playing field’, giving greater confidence and independence to both women and men with disabilities.