While the choice of what style life jacket/PFD is often dependant on the type of sailing and an individual’s preference, more care must be taken with the choice for persons with a disability.
Many sailors with disabilities primarily sail boats with design features that make them virtually impossible to capsize, so would consider themselves to be “as safe as houses” and are probably in more danger crossing the road.
Hansa Class Recommended Yardsticks for Mixed Class Racing - for sailors wanting to compare Hansa Classes performance to other classes sailing against them at the same regatta.
Good race management is good race management regardless of who is on the water. Sailing theory, rules, and tactics are the same for everyone, although physical parameters may be different when working with sailors that have a disability.
Blind Sailing New Zealand and several ‘Sailability’ organisations maintain independence as non-profit organizations around New Zealand to reflect the specific demand for specialist sailing groups for people with all types of disability.
There are 17 Regional Sports Trusts across New Zealand. The goals of a RST are to increase regional levels of physical activity and to strengthen regional sport and physical recreation infrastructures (which includes clubs).
The Volvo Sailing...Have a go! programme began in 2006 with one trailer, living the dream of Sir Peter Blake that all children should get the chance to go sailing.
The method of calculating a club’s cost of affiliation to Yachting New Zealand is a per club member levy system. A Club Member is, any individual who is a member of a club, whether they are a sailing member or not.
The NZCT Regional Support Officer (RSO) programme helps build the capability of clubs and regions. The goal is to make sailing and boating more visible, more accessible, help clubs offer better experiences and grow participation as a result.
Sailing offers unique opportunities for those with disabilities. Unlike many other recreational pursuits, sailing can be one of the most accessible sports for people with disabilities. Anyone can enjoy the freedom of the open water.
