Sail Able tailored for everyone
LUNENBURG YACHT CLUB People with physical, cognitive disabilities reaping rewards
It is a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the wind is light and sailor Mark Stewart is slowly making his way toward his boat.
But Stewart — who formerly raced J24s and J29s before a life-altering accident — needs help to make it down the dock and leans against his wife, Marni Gent, for support.
A small sailboat, a Martin 16, bobs seemingly in anticipation of his arrival.
Stewart is still dealing with the effects of a traumatic brain injury that took nearly everything from him.
“He forgot almost everything of his former life,” explained Gent. “But the one thing he didn’t forget was how to sail.”
And thanks to the Lunenburg Yacht Club’s (LYC) Sail Able program, Stewart has been able to get back out on the water despite his injuries. The Sail Able program, which is offered at a limited number of yacht club’s across the province, is designed to get people suffering from physical or cognitive disabilities out on the water.
Gent said that when she heard about the program starting up in Halifax a number of years ago, she thought it was perfect for Stewart. The program migrated to LYC in 2015 and Stewart has been a participant ever since.
“When it started up here, it was just great. It’s only minutes from the house and he can get out way more often. The summer before last, he was out 33 times. We’re trying to break that record,” said Gent with a smile.
But as a former competitive sailor, Stewart didn’t immediately take to the program following his accident.
“It was very different from