Bay SailAble

Now Available at SMSC

SMSC is excited to be offering a Bay SailAble program this season. With a focus on creating a welcoming and supportive opportunity for anyone with a mental, physical or cognitive challenge to experience the freedom, exhilaration and joy of sailing, Bay SailAble is all about access and opportunity, values that resonate strongly with the essence of SMSC.

Individuals who are currently unable to consider sailing as a recreational or competitive opportunity will benefit the most from this program. However, we also anticipate that family and friends of participating individuals will benefit indirectly as they see their loved ones enjoying the experience.

Club and Bay Area community members who train and serve as program volunteers will reap the benefit of their training and exposure to the program as well as the opportunity to forge relationships with all who participate in the Pilot. We hope you’ll consider a role and join our volunteer crew.

Program Details

Program participants and their companion sailors will be using a Martin 16 keelboat purpose-built for SailAble programs. The Canadian designed and built Martin 16 is a boat that allows children and adults with physical disabilities the possibility of leaving their wheelchair or other mobility device behind and going sailing. It is currently used in adapted sailing programs around the world for recreational sailing, learn-to-sail programs and racing.

Our new-to-us boat was refurbished and prepared for the season at East River Shipyard Ltd. Initially, we’ll be offering our program on a self-transfer basis to those who are able to transfer independently from their wheelchair. During the second phase of our program (likely August) we’ll be operating a lift system that will allow those in a wheelchair who need more assistance to be lifted from their chair to the boat.

In the third phase of our program (late 2025 or 2026), we will offer full accessibility with adaptive technology for those who may require sip and puff technology to operate the boat.

Bay SailAble Volunteer Opportunities

The Bay SailAble program is a volunteer-based program offered free of charge to those who would like to sail. If you’d like to volunteer your time to support the program, you will be asked to fill one of our scheduled Tuesday or Thursday sailing spots a few times a month.

Volunteer roles can be found here.

Bay SailAble Funding Partners

We are grateful for the funding support from many partners to make this program possible, including: