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The reach of sailing for people with a disability has spread to the far south with the Bluff Yacht Club attracting five people along to a have-a-go evening for disabled sailors last Wednesday.
The Club has two new members, Chris Andrews and her son Hudson, (a young boy with cerebral palsy) who have taken up the sport in an Access 303. It’s Chris and Hudson’s enthusiasm that prompted the club to encourage more sailors with a disability to give sailing a go.
A sporting opportunities forum for the physically disabled held recently in Invercargill also provided some impetus for the Bluff Yacht Club initiative, and Yachting New Zealand's Regional Support Officer Graeme wall took the chance to transport the Otago Yacht Club's Access 2.3 sailing dinghy to Bluff for the evening session. Chris and Hudson’s Access 303 was also generously shared among the group.
With regular sailing on at the Bluff Yacht Club each Wednesday, the group of newcomers who all use wheelchairs, were able to meet Club members and see what the Club has to offer. Despite it being a chilly, wet evening the club had a mixed fleet out including a few learning Optimist sailors, Sunbursts and Lasers along with the two Access sailing dinghy’s.
“Five people, including Hudson, were there on Wednesday night for the disabled sailing have-a-go evening,” says YNZ Regional Support Officer Graeme Wall. “The others were Jack Lovett-Hurst, Michelle Nunn, Anita McKenzie and Phil Hoogenboon.”
“This was a first time experience for Phil, Michelle and Anita. While Jack proved to be a bit of a natural; we were thinking that he may have had a go on a yacht previously,” continues Graeme. “Everyone enjoyed the evening and Phil has indicated that he is certainly keen to get sailing again at the Bluff Yacht Club. He got involved in all aspects straight away, after sailing he armed himself with the hose and proceeded to hose the boats down.”
“First time sailor Michelle found the experience good fun and thoroughly enjoyable, although a little chilly on the night. It was a far cry from the basketball court that she is more used to - Michelle not only works for the basketball league but also plays wheelchair basketball.”
For more information about what is happening at other clubs around the region, or if you would like to get involved in disabled sailing, check out this disability specific page on our website.
