first letter from Australia to Japan

Joint Japan - Australia Disabled Sailing Project

Grahme Rayner, a recent competitor in the Melbourne to Osaka Two Handed Race, received a truly warm welcome on his arrival in Osaka at the conclusion of the race. Grahme hopes that this project will go some small way towards repaying Japanese people$B!G(Bs generosity shown during his time in Osaka.

THE PROJECT

AIMS

• To provide Yacht Aid Japan with information and a practical demonstration to encourage disabled non?sailors to experience the freedom of sailing, both as a recreation and sport. This programme has proved highly successful for Sailability in Australia.

• To hold a series of Come & Try sailing events in Osaka and Tokyo and other venues, using Access Dinghies which have been donated by various organisations to Osaka Yacht Aid.

SAILABILITY NSW BACKGROUND

Sailability NSW is encouraging non-sailors into sailing, regardless of ability. Sailability$B!G(Bs aim is to include disabled sailors, their family and friends as well as volunteers into a community based sailing programme.

Sailability NSW has

• Fourteen branches.
• Approximately 600 members, with many thousands of participants.
• Totally run by dedicated volunteers.

Sailability NSW has developed the following resources to support disabled sailing organisations, all of which will be available to Yacht Aid Japan at no cost.

• Safety, Disability Awareness and Volunteers Co-ordinators Manuals.
• Sailability website.
• Membership database.
• Sailability Starter-Pak
• Newsletters ? National, State and Local

Sailability is a positive wave of community enrichment

THE PLAN

Grahme Rayner of Sailability NSW will travel to Osaka on 6^th August to co-ordinate this project. Grahme, recently a competitor in the Melbourne to Osaka Two Handed Yacht Race made many contacts and spoke to various Rotary and Lions Clubs as well as Yacht Clubs and Disability Organisations. Grahme holds the following positions within Sailability NSW and is ideally suited to run this project:

Vice President -Sailability NSW

Vice President -Sailability Rushcutters

President -Sailability Liverpool

A small fleet of Access Dinghies, donated by various organisations in Australia and Osaka, will be shipped to Osaka to arrive in early August.

A series of Come & Try Sailing days has been arranged for five weekends with various Yacht Clubs. Grahme will attend these events, ensuring the boats are correctly rigged and various safety procedures are followed. During the working week Grahme will address Government organisations, community service clubs as arranged eg. Rotary and Lions Clubs. The week days will also be utilised to demonstrate the concept of Access Dinghy sailing to disability organisations and their clients should they be unable to attend on the weekends.

ACCESS DINGHIES

Access Dinghies are the ideal boats for people with disabilities to sail as they are easy to sail, they are fun, they are safe and will not capsize and there are inexpensive.

Access Dinghies are unique. Their uniqueness comes from their ability to be sailed by an individual seated low down in the boat instead of leaning over the side to gain stability. The design features add up to allow total novices of any ability to sail an Access Dinghy with little or no tuition, nearly regardless of conditions. For control Access Dinghies have a very efficient high aspect rudder blade which presents no resistance when turned. Access Dinghies are steered by a very simple joy stick, positioned right in front of the sailor which logically turns the boat left or right to left/right commands. There is also a servo assist joystick which operates electric winches (if fitted) opening up sailing to all disabilities as the joystick can be controlled by hand, foot, chin, or any moving body part.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

The total estimated costs for this project is A$30,000 and included costings for:

2 x Wide Seat Access 2.3 Sailing Dinghies.

1 x Single Seat Access 2.3 Sailing Dinghy with servo assist electrics.

1 x Access 303 Sailing Dinghy.

Flight, accommodation and living expenses six weeks for Grahme Rayner.

BENEFITS

BENEFITS FOR DONORS

• An Access Dinghy with your company logo on the sail.

These boats will initially tour five venues in Japan (Osaka and Tokyo and 3 others). They will then be based in Osaka.

• The potential for media coverage by way of documentaries.

Currently a documentary on the Melbourne ? Osaka Race is being produced. Grahme has spoken to the presenters of this documentary regarding the potential of another documentary based on the Come & Try sailing tour of Japan.

• Mention on the Sailability web site

This site is being built into a world-wide reference for disabled sailing and is visited by many hundreds of people each month. It is Sailability NSW's intention to provide complete coverage of the Try sailing tour using the same facilities as was utilised during Grahme and Vinny's recent race eg. www.sailability.org.au/vinny/list.htm

BENEFITS FOR LOCAL DISABILITY SAILING GROUPS

• The potential for Japanese disabled sailors (regardless of experience) to compete internationally at Access Dinghy regattas ? currently in Australia and UK, soon Canada and USA.
• More opportunity for the participation of local business, community groups and disability service providers.
• Disabled Japanese people, regardless of their degree of disability and sailing experience would be able to experience sailing. Access Dinghies can be sailed solo by high level quads, people with severe Cerebral Palsy, MS, acquired head injuries etc. This means that a whole new segment of the disabled community would be able to participate in sailing.
• Japan would have the opportunity to expand their current sailing programme.

PROPOSED TIMETABLE

With the beginning of the project due to begin in early August it is imperative that sponsorships are quickly finalised as Access Dinghies need to be built and shipped via container boat to Japan. The shipping time to Japan from Melbourne is 19 ? 22 days.

Grahme's scheduled arrival in Osaka is 6^th August and departing on 12^th September, 1999. Come & Try events will be held on the following dates:

Osaka 14^th and 15^th August

* TBA 21^st and 22^nd August

* TBA 28^th and 29^th August

* TBA 4^th and 5^th September

Osaka/11^th and 12^th September

• Tokyo will be one of these weekends. Venue will be confirmed on confirmation of funding.

Mid week sailing opportunities pending availability.
For further information contact Grahme Rayner on 0146 141457 or email <grahmerayner@hotmail.com>

next report by local news paper of Australia