Sailability WA offers people with disability a sense of freedom and purpose through sailing. The program formally commenced in 2000 and offers supported sailing programs, an established network of volunteers, and equipment to assist people of all abilities to get into sailing.
Many of the participants that have engaged with Sailability WA experience a feeling of freedom on the water. At the same time, Sailability WA provides a sense of community and purpose beyond everyday life as a person with a disability.
Many disabilities do not prevent people from repurposing, learning, and maximising their capabilities in life. Our purpose is to help people maximise their ABILITY and enjoyment on the water. Some people with disabilities simply enjoy the freedoms sailing on the water offers along with the fellowship of like-minded people. Other people with disabilities have learned new skills they might not have considered possible. One of our members Ricardo Jansen *tetraplegic was capable of sailing a purpose-built Hansa single person boat by breathing into a tube to control steering and sails!
Proudly Sailability WA has been the starting point for five Paralympic campaigns with Noel Robins, Jamie Dunross, Colin Harrison, and Rachel Cox bringing home Gold, Silver & Bronze Medals, in two different classes of Paralympic boats over a 16 year time frame. Sonar class crews were Sailability WA members – Geoff Milligan, Graham Martin & Russell Boaden.
Sailability WA is a Registered Charity. To run our programs we require funds to purchase and maintain many sailing and support craft as well as specialist equipment to make our sailing vessels accessible for people with mental, physical disabilities or vision impairments. Costs such as insurance and office support add to our fundraising needs as the majority of people participating as members do not have the financial resources to enter full fee paying programs. Sailability WA heavily subsidises the cost of participating in our sailing programs, and all donations to enable us to subsidise as many costs to participants as possible.