Podcast - Community Boating & Blind Sailing

[Sal's Dad]

I just listened to a recent "Furled Sails" podcast http://www.furledsails.com/

Noel Davis did a longish (63 minute) interview with Charles Zechel, Director of Boston's Community Boating http://www.community-boating.org/ )

Some nice information on the organization, and on sailing (and racing) for the blind. http://www.blindsailing.org/ Something I had never even considered.


I have gotten into listening to podcasts (especially during public radio's pledge week!) - what other maritime programs are there, besides the wicked good BoatTalk http://shows.weru.org/archives/ ?


Sal's Dad

[Ian McColgin]

When I put on an event we called "AbleSail" the motto was that humans are handicapped compared to dolphins and boats are just really expensive wheel chairs in a marine context.

There's a bunch of efforts - some excellent in Canada and bunches around our coasts. Shake-a-Leg in Newport has some nifty stuff.

My favorite AbleSail moment: We had a blind skipper. He followed the sound of another boat and of course no sailor needs sight to feel the wind and trim accordingly. I boarded two passengers for him - a blind couple and their seeing eye dog - without telling either party about the other's blindness. So as they sailed off the young wife mentioned that as they were blind, it would enhance their experience if the skipper could describe what was around them. It actually went incredibly well as these were the first blind folks that skipper had shared - taught - blind sailing to. They had a gas. The dog had fun too.

[JimConlin]

Community Boating is a terrific outfit. The sign over the door says "Sailing for All" and they mean it. A junior (age 10-18) membership costs $1 per season. A great asset to he Boston area.