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We've done a number of articles on disabled sailing - hell our very own Dawg finds his ass parked in a wheelchair due to a nasty industrial fall a few years back. Personally, I don't know how these guys do it. It takes a level of desire, effort, and commitment that I reckon a lot of us perhaps don't have. There is a group here in San Diego, American Institute of Marine Studies (AIMS), that is dedicated to the cause of "challenged" sailing. Urban Miyares wrote a very interesting article on their race to Ensenada to test some innovations in equipment for this very dedicated group. Enjoy - The Ed
The 39th San Diego to Ensenada Yacht Race (the October 4th “Little Ensenada” hosted by Southwestern Yacht Club) is a seventy mile sprint down the Mexico coast to Ensenada. It was also the baptism of newly designed and fabricated, first-generation, accessible sailing devices and equipment adapted to B’Quest (the AIMS-Challenged America Tripp 40 sailboat) for crew members with disabilities. The test crew were Sam Gloor, quadriplegic, Bob Hettiger, paraplegic, Gordon Parham, spinal cord injury, and Urban Miyares, deaf/blind with diabetes. The remaining crew of Josh Ross, Captain, Steve Alvey, engineer, and Keith Ericson, volunteer, completed the crew of seven. Mechanical engineers claimed it would work. Lab tests showed a strength and safety factor of 400% greater than normal sailing use. And at the dock, everything seemed to work just fine. But will it work offshore in racing conditions? Report on the Equipment and Devices. 1. The first modification was to convert the steering from tiller to a 52-inch wheel. This was essential as pedestal wheel-steering is easier and less tiring, allowing those with limited/minimal sitting balance to be more agile and functional when driving the boat. Adding a steering wheel was an accessibility issue that has demonstrated to improve the driver's performance and stamina tremendously. 2. Helm Seat Combination. A first-of-its-kind design, this innovative helm seat and traveler (rail or track) combination consists of a high-back, cushioned, go-cart seat with four-point safety strapping, mounted on a motorized, beveled traveler going from port to starboard. Seated in the helm seat the driver is able to have an unobstructed view above crew and forward, at a minimum eye-level height of 5’4”. With six-way directional capability, the helmsperson is able to easily position the seat forward and backward, adjust the seat’s tilt, and move the seat from one tack to the other with finger tip controls for maximum comfort, visibility and performance. Selecting the automatic mode, the helm seat will automatically maintain the driver’s vertical position, at all points of heel. Everyone gave the motorized helm seat and traveler combination high marks, commenting that visually they were able to see so much more, and had greater comfort and feel behind the helm. “Like driving an eighteen-wheeler with power steering…” With this adaptation, everyone at the helm was able to maintain their strength and concentration after long periods behind the wheel. The design is most functional, and we can envision enhancements and new designs in the further development of this concept. Once others experience the motorized helm seat, we can envision it becoming a sailing safety, comfort and performance enhancement that any skipper (whether or not disabled) -- especially those making long passages -- will want to have installed on their boat in the near future. 3. Winch and Trimmers’ Seats. Two prototype seats (contoured, high back seats with adjustable shocks at the base, for easy adjustment to any position or tilt) were mounted in the cockpit, alongside the winches. This is our second attempt to find a solution to the challenge of the ideal winch/grinder seat and position for crew having a disability of the lower extremities. Previously we tried bench-like seating. But it wasn’t functional, and created potential pressure-point (medical) problems and leverage challenges, especially when the boat healed and winch grinding and trimming was required. This second-generation, prototype, seating configuration was an improvement, but we still have a long way to go in ergonomic design, location and height of the seats, and how best crew members with limited/minimal lower-body strength and balance can work the winches and trim the sails effectively and comfortably. Experimentation and findings from this race have already prompted the next design for the drawing board. It’s looking more like we need to design a pedestal grinder with adjustable seating to best accommodate. A universal seat design for this crew (grinder/trimmer) position will be a challenge as one size doesn’t fit everyone here. 4. Electric Elevator. It worked great. Easy to operate on all points of sail. Bob and Sam (wheelchair users) were able to go down below and return to the deck at-will and independently. Interestingly, Sam and Bob each had their own method and preference on the use of the elevator. A challenge we discovered was that of lines in the companionway's pit area -- lines leading below deck getting entwined in the elevator lifts and mechanism. An easy solution: more efficient bags in the companionway to hold the lines. We will address this in the new design and upgrade of the running rigging which is now being planned. Overall, given the limited space, the elevator design was truly innovative -- a most simple and weight-conscious design. It would seem that a standard design can be patterned from this concept to make access below deck readily achievable (for a person with a disability) on most any boat. 5. Slide Bench below deck. A foldable slide bench was installed below deck which allows the user to easily transfer from the elevator platform onto the slide bench, and then either slide/transfer to a bunk position on either the port or starboard side, or slide forward to the galley, and then to the head and sink. It’s design is simple and most functional. A discovery was that additional grab-/handrails are needed for easier transfer in certain positions. The backing rail to the slide bench (a back support preventing crew from falling backwards off the bench when the boat heels) offers a great bracing and support point for other crew members in the galley, those going forward, as well as offering a convenient amidships rail for hanging lines or drying foul weather gear, etc. Surprisingly, with the slide bench, hand/grab rails, etc., repacking a chute was not a problem. 6. Accessible Head. Taking care of personal business is a most important health issue at sea, especially for someone with a spinal cord or other medical condition. For many with special needs, going to the bathroom is seldom a quick stop. Maintaining a steady position and balance at all levels of heel for minutes on end is essential to take proper care of hygiene, healthcare and personal sanitary needs (catheters, bladder bags, injections, infusion sets, etc.). Hand rails were conveniently mounted, and a pull-down bar was installed so a crew member can remain on the “John” regardless of the boat’s motion or heel. This simple solution worked great. No spills; no mess; no cleanup needed afterward. And the Race…? A Southern California high-pressure weather system well in place, our start was conservative but good, in 6-8 knots of wind. Second or third boat across the start line in our division, a pack of us maintained our close reaching for over an hour before scattering some heading inside along the Mexico coast; others continuing further offshore in search of stronger winds. We cracked a few degrees off the wind and hoisted our asymmetrical spinnaker, tracking the rhumb line (the direct compass course or line to the finish in Ensenada). Puffs of wind would come and go, and our speed varied from 4.5 knots to 6.2 knots. We flew three different spinnakers in the next few hours, trying to get the most out of the fading wind. It was a great exercise for me, this being the first time I did foredeck on B’Quest. Three spinnakers, a daisy and drifter were each all hoisted and furled in the next few hours. I was ready for nightfall on the foredeck as, being blind, I quickly became comfortable with all the lines, and was soon able to sense the curl of the spinnaker by the tension on the sheet around the winch...and sheeted accordingly Now just to learn what trim B’Quest needs to go faster. Even though we were miles from the shore, floating kelp was all around, and during one of the spinnaker sets we hit a meadow of the green stuff about ten miles offshore. Instantly realized we had kelp on the keel and rudder. Speed dropped to 4 knots as it felt like we were towing a lawn mower. Flossing the keel worked somewhat, but we were never convinced we got all of that Mexican lettuce off. Speed failed to reach 6 knots again; the wind continued to extinguish with the setting sun. Nightfall came and the sky was described as a black velvet canvas with “billions and billions” of stars. Seals and dolphins played around the boat as we headed south, going slightly outside of the rhumb line to try and avoid kelp and seek fresh wind. We kept the boat moving at around 4-plus knots as we jibed onto a port tack and headed towards the finish line. With midnight approaching, we were about fifteen miles from the finish trying to maintain 4 knots of speed. Then we entered the void. No wind. A dead calm about five or six miles from the finish line, with a couple of hours of ebb tide remaining. Racers from the offshore route and racers going inside funneled to us in the calm. We tried every sail combination we could, shifting our weight to leeward to capture any breath of air -- settling on the drifter and mainsail as we reached back-and-forth, covering less than one nautical mile in the next hour. “Welcome to Ensenada!” The pack of us stayed together, one sailboat would appear to be making headway on us on one tack, and then we would get it back on the next tack. Knowing that we would have to wait a couple of hours before the tide changed and flooded us towards Ensenada, and that it would be even longer before the morning breeze would give us the needed push, we decided to motor in and DNF (Did Not Finish). Southwestern Yacht Club did a great job, and the party in Ensenada on Saturday was wonderful. Talking with the other racers it didn’t seem to matter which course one took -- inside or outside. And with the light wind conditions, the rankings were pretty much based on the time you crossed the finish line, regardless of one’s handicap (PHRF) rating. One skipper who was in that pack of boats with us just miles from the finish line said he stuck it out and sailed in, crossing the finish line around 5am. We already had quite a few hours of sleep by that time in the morning. So how did we do? Race wise it was a learning experience that we definitely benefited from. The big winner was being able to test all the new gadgets and feeling more comfortable on B’Quest. The focus now is to sail B’Quest more often and learn about the boat. The summation of our newly designed rehabilitation sailing adaptations on B’Quest: If it works in Mexico, it probably will work anywhere. AIMS-Challenged America (a charitable collaboration between the American Institute of Marine Studies and “Challenged America”) is a therapeutic recreational sailing program providing learn-to-sail and advanced sailing opportunities to enhance rehabilitation, promote self-sufficiency and independence, foster the competitive spirit, build upon skills and abilities, and heighten the life experiences of active people with disabilities, their family and friends, and healthcare providers. For additional information on AIMS-Challenged America sailing program, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, contact Josh Ross, Program Director, director@aimssailing.org, (619) 523-9318, or visit www.aimssailing.org. American
Institute of Marine Studies (AIMS) “Challenged
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