The Disabled Sailing Association has just launched (it went live today!) a website devoted to its boat donation program.

It’s not a new program, just a new website. We want to take things to a new level.

The DSA’s boat donation program was founded in 2000, and is supported by Greater Vancouver’s top yacht brokers and surveyors. It’s a proven success – a valuable source of income for the program.

Yes, people donate their boats and yachts to keep sailors with disabilities on the water.

The DSA operates a fleet of eight Martin 16 sailboats that have been specially designed for people with disabilities, as they can be operated using a joystick or mouth controls.

Donated boats are sold. They are a source of income, not program boats.

The boat donation program has been well supported over the years for a couple of reasons: people’s generosity, the fact that boat donors receive a tax receipt for 100 per cent of the value of their vessel, and that donating a boat is a lot quicker and easier than selling it. In today’s market, it can take six or 12 months to sell a boat. People can have a boat listed for a complete year and not have one call from a potential purchaser.

It helps sellers and sailors.

The Irish Wakers played a benefit show last night to launch the Disabled Sailing Association season in fine style.

Hence the sailboat at the back of the stage – marine and music!

There’s a story behind the boat. UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher presented it to Rick Hansen to honour his “Man in Motion” world tour back in 1986. At the time it was the world’s only sailboat adapted to allow people with disabilities to sail. That is, sail as in operate the boat, not sit and watch someone else sail. Active as opposed to passive.

To cut a long story short, Rick gave the boat to quadriplegic Sam Sullivan in 1989, who formed the DSA later that year so anyone with a disability in the area could get the chance to sail. Since then the group has grown, commissioning the Martin 16 adaptive sloop and an innovative mouth-operated sip n’ puff control system that lets people with no arm movement at all sail. (The genius of the sip n’ puff system is that it’s modular, and can be dropped into a boat as required – you don’t have to set aside one of your fleet due to permanent modifications. Two quads want to sail at the same time? No problem, drop another box in the boat!)

The boat shown here, however, is the first one, a Sunbird. The DSA tracked it down in 2010 and refitted it.

The show was staged at Vancouver’s Blusson Centre on Tuesday, May 31. The hockey gods smiled on us and the event, pre-planned months before, did not clash with a Stanley Cup playoff game.

The Irish Wakers, as their website announces, celebrate the music of Ireland, with nods to the Canadian Maritimes and to seafarers everywhere.

It’s a good description, because it’s hard to pin down their sound in a word. They draw from a number of traditional influences to create a sound that emphasises the songs, not the genre.

Like the best of bands, they effortlessly switch from powerful to ethereal. One minute strumming tunes that get the room dancing, the next putting a shiver up your spine with their harmonising. When they stop playing, and just sing, they really fill the room with sound. As you would expect of a group with five vocalists.

Oh, and I greatly enjoyed their music while taking these shots. The Irish Wakers come highly, highly recommended.

Check out the band’s website: www.irishwakers.com

And visit the Disabled Sailing Association: www.disabledsailingbc.org

And there’s more pics over on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38722915@N04/

Good news: the Disabled Sailing Association season opening concert will not conflict with the Stanley Cup finals.

You don’t have to miss any Canucks action to support disabled sailing and celebrate the opening of the 2011 sailing program!

What:  A Salty Shindig

When: Tuesday, May 31

Where: Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, 818 West 10^th Ave., Vancouver  (Map – parking & transit.)

Doors open 6:30pm (show begins at 7pm)

Headliners The Irish Wakers (left) celebrate the music of Ireland, with nods to the Canadian Maritimes and to seafarers everywhere. The evening also highlights the talents of Vancouver Adapted Music Society members: a trio of Jeff Stanfield, Ted Emes and Dave Symington; and singer-songwriter Glenn David Loft.

Admission by donation – with all proceeds supporting the Disabled Sailing Association summer program. The evening is supported by the Wicklow Pub; beer and wine will be available.

Please RSVP to Steve Street: 604-688-6464 ext. 115 or sstreet@disabilityfoundation.org – today!

(If you have already done this, no need to tell him a second time!)

It’s back! Sailing is back!

The Disabled Sailing Association of BC sailing season is underway.

Sailing is both a pastime and a sport – depending on how competitive you are – and is now completely accessible by anyone with a disability, thanks to pioneering groups like the DSA. Fully accessible boats mean sailing is an active experience, rather than a passive excursion on a boat, as people with all levels of disability can sail solo.

The summer sailing season starts Wednesday, May 25 at Jericho Sailing Centre (1300 Discovery Street, Vancouver). Sailing costs $10, taking place Wednesday through Sunday, from 11am to 5pm (that’s the time of the last launch, with each sail lasting a bit over an hour). Check out the calendar of events for more info.

For more info call the Jericho office direct on 604-222-3003.

Can you help make sailing a reality for people with disabilities – or do you know someone who can?

The Disabled Sailing Association of BC needs volunteers in both land and on-the-water positions for the upcoming sailing season. (Which opens Wednesday, May 25, although you can book a sail from Thursday, May 19. The full calendar of events is here.)

The DSA’s annual volunteer orientation day is held at Jericho Sailing Centre (1300 Discovery St, Vancouver) from 11am – 2pm on Saturday, May 21 .

It’s a chance to meet staff and fellow volunteers. Food will be provided.

If you are interested in coming along, please first speak to DSA program administrator Eric Molendyk: 604-688-6464 ext. 117 or eric@disabilityfoundation.org.

The Disabled Sailing Association of BC is launching its 2011 sailing season in spectacular style with an evening of Celtic music.

The Irish Wakers

Billed as A Salty Shindig, the event is headlined by Vancouver’s legendary five-piece Celtic party band The Irish Wakers. The evening will also feature the talents of Vancouver Adapted Music Society performers Jeff Standfield, Dave Symington and Glenn David Loft.

It’s held at Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, 818 West 10th  Ave., Vancouver on Tuesday, May 31.

Doors open 6:30pm, and the show begins at 7pm. Admission is by Donation, with all proceeds supporting DSA-BC’s adaptive sailing program. The evening is supported by the Wicklow Pub..

The Irish Wakers “celebrate the songs and dance music of Ireland, with nods to the Canadian Maritimes and to seafarers everywhere.”

Bring your singing voices and be prepared to meet up with adaptive sailors, volunteers and the generous people that support this sport.

Please RSVP to Steve Street: 604-688-6464 ext. 115 or sstreet@disabilityfoundation.org.

Share your love of sailing with the Disabled Sailing Association of BC (DSA-BC).

The group, based at Jericho Sailing Centre, was formed in 1988 to enable people with disabilities to access the activity of sailing.

DSA-BC relies on volunteers to launch boats, accompany clients around English Bay, teach sailing skills or just enjoy being out on the water. DSA sails Wednesday through Sunday, from 11 AM to 6 PM, starting May 25.

Last year, 312 sailors with disabilities enjoyed more than 900 sailing experiences with DSA-BC – each sail was made possible with help from people like you.

For more information contact Eric Molendyk: email eric@disabilityfoundation.org or phone 604-688-6464 ext. 117.

It’s video night. I just posted a whole bunch of videos to the Disabled Sailing Association of BC website – in the video gallery, naturally – so to celebrate adaptive sailing I thought I’d add them here, also.

Watch and enjoy – and remember, just over two months ‘till the season starts.

Just made a poster for the forthcoming get-together for anyone with an interest in adaptive sailing.

It’s held at the GF Strong Staff Cafeteria (which is near the patient cafeteria on the first floor), from 6:30 – 8 pm on Wednesday, March 23.

The evening will look at all aspects of sailing skills, from beginners to advanced.

And it’s FREE!

While you are waiting for the season to start, there’s nothing quite like watching footage of on-the-water action. . .

This is from Mobility Cup 2010, which was held in Vancouver in September of that year. It explains why we do it – and why some people are prepared to travel half way round the world to compete.

For more about the history of the event, see: www.mobilitycup.org

And for this year’s Mobility cup: www.mobilitycup2011.ca