Click here for information about CRAB (Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating).
It somewhat pains me to admit this, but I've done more keelboat sailing over this past summer than dinghy sailing. I've been volunteering at CRAB (Chesapeake Regional Accessible Boating - my long time sailing friend, Dick White, is sailing director there) and I've been kicking around the Bay with various groups in CRAB's keelboats, the Freedom 21's, which were designed specifically for handicap sailing.
The blogmeister had to make a singlehanded delivery of a Freedom 21 from the home-port of Sandy Point State Park down to Annapolis (the Freedom 21's were sailing in Boatyard Bar and Grill fundraising regatta off Annapolis that Saturday). I took my trusty pocket waterproof camera and shot a very short video of the 6-7 mile jaunt (including selfie).
I was delivering the Freedom 21 down to Annapolis for the annual Boatyard Bar and Grill fundraising regatta, where, as it turns out, US Sailing had decided to feature this years regatta, and CRAB, in this well done video.
The local Chesapeake Bay sailing rag, Spinsheet Magazine, captured the elusive blogmeister crewing at a previous Wounded Warriors Regatta.
The Internet bombards us daily with the inspiring, the feel-good pluck of the underdog, the gritty - so much so that we sometimes become inured to it all. Despite the overload, this particular video of the U.S. Womens Skud 18 paralympic team manages to resonate the naked courage it takes to move forward in the wake of a disastrous, paralyzing injury or sickness. This is one part of a well-done series of sailing videos sponsored by Sunbrella - the manufacturer of cover materials.
I did a post two years ago I called Disabled Sailing but that term might not be politically correct; I see that 'Mobility Sailing' may be the more desired description. In any case, over the last two years, the proliferation of sailing videos covering the sailing programs for the disabled has been amazing. This is one sector of the sport that seems to be rapidly expanding and that is solely due to volunteerism.
Again, a big tip-of-the-hat for those that design and build the boats and equipment (marine metalworker Derek Dudinsky. is someone I know personally), fund raise, organize, do race committee, teach, crew and in any way contribute to ensure the joys of sailing remain open to all.
Wow! Those who volunteer their time in getting the disabled into sailboats are tops in my book! The absolute joy radiating from the disabled in piloting their own sailing vessels fills the following videos with a special aura.
First up is the Downtown Sailing Center , a community sailing program run out of the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. Video excerpted from a Maryland Public TV documentary.
Next, is a disabled competition in specially designed trimarans on Grafham Water, England.
Bald but my eyebrows are growing at a prolific rate. Sailed Windmills and Y-Flyers in the 1960's. Founded Miami University (OH) sailing team. Sailed International 14's and Lasers in the 1970's. Sailed International Canoes in the 1980's to mid 1990's. Sailed Classic Moths since 2002. Enjoy boatbuilding though I'm very, very slow at it (the Internet doesn't help matters). Name in real life: Rod Mincher
After choosing this username (Tweezer is the name of my Classic Moth), further research on the Internet turned up that Tweezerman is a corporate name for a line of pedicure products. Let me emphasize that I do not work for, nor endorse these products.
