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Thousands of people with disabilities go sailing every year and it’s a side of our sport that is growing all the time as people experience a level of freedom and control that can be hard for them to find elsewhere in life. Tim Dempsey and Brendan Tourelle both play major roles in Sailability, the name given to sailing for people with disabilities, and talk in this podcast about who can participate, the technology used, where the sport can take them and what it is even like to get out on the water.
Both Tim and Brendan bring plenty of their own experiences, given both are confined to wheelchairs, and tell their vastly different but powerful stories. They also delve into some of their experiences on the international circuit, including Tim’s journey to the 2012 London Paralympics, what the racing scene is like in this country and the chances of sailing being included again on the programme for the Paralympics.
Tim and Brendan were open and honest in this podcast but mostly enthusiastic about the possibilities for people with disabilities to get involved in sailing. If you haven’t seen Sailability in action, it can be very inspiring and they’re always looking for more people to get involved.
