This season, the Club’s Sailability group has been very busy, with a regular group of up to eight individual clients and their carers attending, along with students from two specialist colleges, one from Frankston and the other from Dromana, each bringing 8 -12 students and teachers.
Tuesdays are Sailability days with up to 25 clients and nearly as many volunteers sail in up to 8 Hansa 2-person yachts off the marina hardstand in the reasonably sheltered waters of the marina pond. Each yacht is sailed by an experienced skipper who entertains our clients with up to an hour of sailing and, in some cases, provides tuition to interested students. Supporting volunteers meet and greet clients, escort them to the lower landing and assist with boarding the yachts. There is even a special crane for loading wheelchair bound clients
In addition to sailing, we offer cruising on the water in our beloved Patrol 1 launch. Some of our clients sail on Patrol 1 as their first on-water experience, or when all the yachts are occupied, and sometimes as a substitute for yachting due to their being anxious under sail. Either way, they get to enjoy the on-water experience in safe, managed conditions.
Like many recent club sailing activities, the greatest challenge this season has been the weather, with several sessions cancelled due to strong winds or rain.
While the program is currently at capacity with clients, we would welcome a couple of additional volunteer skippers. If you have some time available on Tuesdays between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm and are a competent sailor, please contact the Coordinator, Ian Dalton, on 0418 109 825.
Ian Dalton – Sailability Coordinator
