When we first meet able-bodied people, we tend to classify them as 'the boss', or 'the neighbour' or 'the red-head'. But when we recognise people as 'Mr. Henry', 'Jelmer' or 'Marsha', we realise that they are individuals with unique needs, wishes and aspirations.

Similarly, when we meet disabled people, we tend to classify them as 'the wheelie' or 'the blind woman'. But when we know them as 'George' or 'Jane', we identify with their human-ness.

As with other shared activities, sailing makes it easy to get to know people, their likes and dislikes, their abilities and limitations. Try to understand the individual. Addressing someone by his/her given name helps effective communication.

General Awareness
Ask disabled people how their disabilities may affect their sailing, and how you may help. Check with the participants - they may be too embarrassed to raise certain issues in a group discussion.

Avoid the assumption that all people who use wheelchairs are without movement or feeling below the waist, or that all people using white sticks are totally blind (but be aware that they may be!).

One common trap is for people with a disability to assume that the needs of other disabled people are much the same as their own.

Managing a disability is very much the responsibility of the individual concerned. However, able-bodied assistants should be aware that:

• Travelling to a sailing club in a remote location may pose a problem for someone who can not drive. Public transport may be possible for some but out of the question for others.
• Rigging and de-rigging the boat can be complex; help may be needed for just stepping the mast or for the entire procedure. Disabled sailors must learn to take responsibility for supervising all help with their own boats.
• Moving around the site is an important consideration. Mud, sand, soft or slippery surfaces are difficult for the less agile. Rough terrain is hazardous for people with visual impairment.
• Embarking and disembarking is not easy (see Chapter 5 - Access to Boats).
• Moving around the boat must be considered. Will individuals crawl or 'bum about'? Will it be necessary to provide an additional thwart or a sliding seat? See Chapter 6 - Adapting Boats.

Time afloat must be discussed with disabled sailors so that they know what is planned and how they are to 'manage' their needs. The toilet needs of a paralysed person or an inability to sit for long periods may influence the length of a voyage. It is important to check that everyone has adequate food, drink, protective clothing and drugs for the time afloat.

Weather conditions often dictate the comfort of someone who can not move around much in the boat or has poor temperature control. Similarly rough seas and strong winds can toss a boat around to such a degree that those with are reduced lower limb function or trunk control spend most of their time hanging on.

Social activities must neither isolate nor focus on people with disabilities. Check that the venue is accessible and clear of unnecessary clutter (see Chapter 7 - Access to Clubs). Check also that people with hearing or vision impairment are welcomed, orientated and involved.

Visual Impairment Visual impairment (VI) can vary from no vision at all to a useful condition where shapes and colours can be distinguished. The ability to make best use of residual vision may vary according to the lighting conditions; someone who needs very little guiding in shade may suddenly be virtually blind in bright sunshine and vice versa.

Introducing yourself. Always try to:

• Address the person to whom you are talking. Don't talk through a third person.
• Introduce yourself when you arrive and say when you are leaving (it can be embarrassing to be left talking to an empty room).
• Identify a particular person in a group by touch or name.
• Avoid substituting 'hear', 'sense' etc. for the word 'see'. It is essential to allow extra time and support so that visually impaired sailors have a chance to orientate and familiarise themselves with layout and equipment.

• Lead a partially sighted person; do not push or grab an arm. Offer your elbow and ask the person from which side they prefer to be guided.
• Be accurate in your verbal instructions
• Mention when you are turning left or right
• Warn when approaching kerbs other obstacles. Say whether steps lead up or down.
• Negotiate a flight of stairs with care; pause a moment to let the person find the first step.
• Guide a person into a chair by putting their hand on the back, or seat. Do not push a person into a chair. If it's a bench or a stool, say so.
• Mention hazards, particularly at head height, as you go along.
• Guide so as to avoid the bows of boats which overhang pontoons.

• No-one is isolated from an activity by VI.
• Clear instructions are given in plenty of time so that the visually impaired sailor has a valid role in the crew.

Meals. Check if a person needs help:

• Locating and identifying food (some people use a clock layout to describe this e.g. potatoes at 5 o'clock, sausages at 2 o'clock etc.)
• Cutting up food
• Managing certain foods. Spaghetti, unboned fish etc. can be challenging.

• Rehearse tasks at leisure, so that instructions in real situations can be anticipated and understood.
• Keep instructions short and consistent.
• Check that instructions have been understood.
• Devise a signalling system to supplement verbal instruction and to confirm understanding
• Remember that night watch duties can lack stimulus.

• Talk to someone face to face. Many hearing impaired people can read lips. Often, facial expressions are important contextual cues.
• Speak clearly at a normal speed.
• Place yourself with your face in the light rather than with bright lights behind your head.

Learning Difficulties

The term 'learning difficulties' is used to cover a range of disabilities once collectively labelled 'mentally handicapped', 'mentally retarded' etc. The term refers to people whose needs vary from little to total care. In the context of sailing, participation by people with learning difficulties varies from simply experiencing the wind and water to making a significant contribution to crew activity.

Instructions should be short, consistent and very clear. Be prepared to repeat instructions over and over again; the ability to retain large volumes of information could be limited.

Physical Disability The causes of physical disability are too numerous to list, but they can be grouped broadly into the following categories:

• Disability from birth such as spina bifida or cerebral palsy
• Result of trauma/accident such as spinal injury, brain damage or limb amputation
• Medical cause such as polio, meningitis or stroke (cerebral vascular accident)
• Medical condition such as epilepsy, diabetes or haemophilia
• Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease or muscular dystrophy.

If you wish to find out more about a particular physical disability, ask a sailor with the disability or contact the national organisation supporting that disability (see Chapter 12 - Useful Contacts).

Managing the disability. On a day-to-day basis, most people manage their own disabilities (this is not to say that they do not need help with activities of daily living etc.). Similarly, most sailors manage their disabilities on the water. For some however, difficulties do arise from reduced or absent:

• Mobility - hinders easy movement into and around the boat, particularly during manoeuvres. An additional thwart may help (see Chapter 5 - Access to Boats).
• Stability/balance - made worse by the movement of the boat. Extra hand-holds or back support may be required.
• Sensation - may mean that injury is not perceived e.g. A spinally injured sailor could break a leg or damage the skin on the backside without knowing it. The latter has the potential to give rise to a decubitus ulcer (pressure sore) and must be avoided at all cost. Some disabled sailors should sit on cushions at all times.
• Strength/stamina - results in sheets pulled on slowly or incompletely. Efficient rigging helps.
• Co-ordination - causes difficulty selecting or grasping particular items. This problem can be decreased by widely spacing cleats etc. and altering sheet ends (see Chapter 6 - Adapting Boats).

Incontinence. Some disabilities cause loss of bladder control. This is very much a matter of personal management. While sailing, consideration should be given to how incontence may affect the duration of an activity. Privacy, and the needs of female sailors must be considered also. If the heads (toilets) are inaccessible, alternatives need to be arranged. Much can be managed with forward planning. Hands. Sailors with lower limb disabilities need to use their hands for many tasks - moving about the boat, steering or simply holding on. Sailing can be made easier with tiller brakes, back supports, hand-holds etc. (see Chapter 6. - Adapting Boats).

For further information, see Chapter 12 - Useful Contacts.