• Background

Until recently, the sport of sailing, a symbol of liberty and independence, was just a dream to those with mobility impairments. But over the past 10-15 years, all aspects of sailing have become available to pretty much anyone who wishes to participate in this exhilarating sport!

In Canada the first "adapted" sailboat was introduced during Expo 86 in Vancouver, when the United Kingdom's Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher donated a 15-foot Sunbird to Rick Hansen, Canada's "Man in Motion". He in turn asked Sam Sullivan, a Vancouver quadriplegic, to develop a sailing program for the mobility impaired. Since that time a number of disabled sailing associations have been formed across Canada, and the Sunbird has gradually been replaced by the Canadian-made Martin 16.

 

Martin 16 in action.

In 1995 René Dallaire, a Québec quadriplegic, founded the Association québécoise de voile adaptée (AQVA) with one Martin 16 sailboat.

 

AQVA's founder René Dallaire ready to go

 

• Who are we today?

The association is a provincial organization consisting of three chapters:

Montreal/Pointe Claire: The main chapter has been operating out of the Pointe Claire Yacht Club since 1996. The PCYC is located on Lac St.-Louis.

Quebec City: Currently inactive. We hope to re-vitalize this program in 2009.

Sherbrooke: In operation since 2000, this chapter is situated at the Centre Nautique Du Petit Lac Magog.

• Our Mission

Our mission is to enable people with mobility impairments, including very severe ones, to increase the quality of their life and to reintegrate in the community by means of sailing.

• Objectives

The association’s activities are designed to relieve the physical obstacles that challenge the mobility impaired.

Too often people choose to ‘do for’ instead of ‘do with’ those challenged physically. This can result in a tendency towards passivity on the part of the handicapped person who no longer seeks to do for oneself.

Our goal is, therefore, to offer the opportunity and resources necessary for those with mobility impairments to learn to sail independently.

We believe that sailing, a symbol of freedom and independence, can have a positive effect on one’s personal and social life.

• How?

The association is a charitable organization. Also, the mobility impaired are well represented on its board of directors.

It is a community organization with a dependable source of enthusiastic and collaborative volunteers.

Registered as a non-profit organization, the association depends on the support of private, public and corporative donations. Funds donated are used to purchase the adapted sailboats and other necessary equipment. They also permit the association to subsidize the sailing program, thereby offering it at a reasonable cost.