Adaptive Sailing: Building a Program

by Cristina Rubke, Maureen McKinnon, Betsy Alison and Joe Harris

Why Adaptive Sailing?

• Creates a positive difference in many lives
• Increases your membership and outreach base
• Increases access to funding opportunities
• Creates new Partnership and sponsorship opportunities
• Provides full inclusion to your community
• Improves community relations

Learn more about the advantages of establishing an adaptive sailing program at your sailing organization. In this Sailing Leadership Forum presentation, you will learn about adaptive facilities, equipment, designs, staff training tips, recruitment, resources and funding.

What’s New in Adaptive Sailing

By Sarah Everhart-Skeels and Cindy Walker

We recently had a conversation with Betsy Alison, US Paralympic Coach for the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider about the evolution of adaptive sailing in the US. We agreed that Nick Scandone winning US Sailing’s 2005 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award placed adaptive sailing on the map. Nick and his crew, Maureen McKinnon, kept the focus by winning a gold medal in the SKUD-18 event at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. Also, 2.4 meter sailor, John Ruf won Bronze in Beijing. Nick is no longer with us, but his wife Mary Kate wrote a great book about his life that I would highly recommend, In The Nick of Time: The Nick Scandone Story.

Daily Lift

Did you know that Betsy Alison has been voted Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year a record five times?