BEING wheelchair-bound is no barrier to sailing the seas.

TJ, left, and Sam are proving that disability is no obstacle to fun, thanks to the Sailors With disABILITIES yacht. 




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Hundreds of disabled Queensland children are feeling the breeze at their backs and the salt air in their nostrils thanks to Sailors with disABILITIES (SWB).
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The Sydney-based not-for-profit organisation, which started taking disabled crews in the Sydney to Hobart race almost 20 years ago, is on its annual voyage to the Sunshine State.

Almost 900 disabled children and carers are setting sail on SWB's 16m ocean racer, Kayle, in the month-long "Northern Campaign", which takes in the Gold Coast, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Mackay.

Kayle, built by SWB founder David Pescud, has sailed in every Sydney to Hobart since 2001 and is modified to accommodate up to five sailors in wheelchairs.

The crew are experienced, able-bodied yachtsmen including veteran Sydney to Hobart skippers.

Mr Pescud, a keen yachtie who became a successful businessman despite being unable to read or write due to dyslexia, said his aim in setting up SWB in 1994 was to show the disabled "how good their life can be".

"Ocean racing can be a bit threatening and if you can do that, you can do anything,'' he said.

"I wanted to show what disabled people, especially kids, can achieve and teach them to dream.

"We had a 12-year-old disabled kid take part in the (storm-ravaged) 1998 Sydney to Hobart and he now runs his own business.''

Mr Pescud said SWB, which takes about 2500 disabled children and adults sailing each year, had struggled to fund this year's Northern Campaign and was keen to find a Queensland-based sponsor.

"It costs about $35,000 and it's almost getting to the point where we have to make a choice between doing the Sydney to Hobart or the Northern Campaign,'' he said.

"We'd love it if (billionaire miner) Clive Palmer or someone like that would come on board as a backer.''


Source : Herald Sun , 12th July 2013