Sailability Tasmania is a voluntary non-profit organisation based in Hobart that aims to create a safe and inclusive environment for people of all abilities to participate in the sport of sailing. They welcome individuals without regard to age, ability, gender, or socio-economic status, and especially encourage people with disabilities to join. Sailability Tasmania operates in three regions of Tasmania: Wynyard, Launceston, and Hobart.
The organisation provides the necessary boats, facilities, experience, and resources to teach individuals with disabilities how to sail and expand their horizons. Sailability Tasmania commenced operations in 1999 and has since been dedicated to facilitating participation in sailing and boat usage at social, recreational, and competitive levels on both inland and ocean water. Their mission is to ensure that people with disabilities, regardless of their age and level of disability, have the opportunity to engage in sailing.
Sailability Tasmania serves people with disabilities of all ages, along with their families and friends. They also encourage able-bodied individuals to volunteer as crew members for their boats. The organisation is always seeking to recruit new able-bodied members, particularly retired individuals with boating experience, as they aim to provide a 7 day/week service throughout the year.
As a non-profit organisation, Sailability Tasmania relies heavily on corporate and government sponsorship to cover their expenses. They request a small donation from clients who avail themselves of their services to help meet the running costs. In the future, they anticipate the need to replace their yachts and welcome bequests from individuals to ensure the continuity of their activities.
From July 13th, Sailability Tasmania will be resuming sailing activities for their members and volunteers only. From September 1st, they plan to offer sailing opportunities to participants from support organisations and sailors with higher needs. The organisation will implement precautionary measures to minimise the risk for their sailors, but the decision to sail or not will ultimately be up to the participants. They also encourage individuals who are immunocompromised or over the age of 70 to consider their personal circumstances before resuming sailing.
For those interested in sailing with Sailability Tasmania in Hobart, they can contact Julie, the bookings officer, to inquire about boat availability. Each boat will be limited to a maximum of six participants, and participants should maintain a safe distance of 1. 5 metres whenever possible. It is important to note that the recreational use of the keelboats may not allow for this distance due to the limited space onboard.
Sailability Tasmania is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals with disabilities to enjoy the sport of sailing. They strive to ensure that sailing is accessible to all and welcome new members and volunteers to join their organisation.