Photo: Kevin Wixom trimming the genoa aboard B'Quest I, a Tripp 40 (2005).
Kevin Wixom, Team Challenged America 2005 Transpac crew member and volunteer, has accepted the chair position of the Council for Sailors with Disabilities, US SAILING. Great going Kevin.
Okay, sailors all know that cooking in a kitchen shoreside is a snap. But take a bucking sailboat in a wind-swept sea, and even boiling water and pouring it is a challenge. So you galley-salts, “how” and “what” do you cook when at sea?
For example: I can remember sailing on the east coast years ago in my youth, and one crusty sailing veteran used only coffee (percolator) pots to cook with, on a two-burner stove. He claimed it was the easiest and safest way to cook as, with his half-dozen coffee pots (one reserved exclusively for brewing coffee, and the other for hot water only), he would strum up the greatest soups and stews, pasta dishes and hearty and warm breakfast one could ever imagine. And there was always a hot pot of water on the stove for instant coffee, tea, hot chocolate or bullion.
Do you have any innovative or galley secrets you could share? Let us know. We’re looking for those unique recipes, cooking utensils, and methods of cooking that can be included in the Challenged America newsletter, and later be put into a book, giving you and your boat’s name credit.
Q. How do I schedule sailing?
A. Just call or email the Challenged America office – at least 4 days prior to your day of request to sail, along with information on your type of disability, so we can meet any special needs/accommodations and schedule a volunteer companion sailor.
Q. How much does sailing cost?
A. It’s free, but we do accept and welcome donations.
Q. What is Open Sailing?
A. Open Sailing days are our primary days for small boat sailing, and adaptive sail training for potential and existing sailing companions and instructors.
Q. Can I only sail on Open Sailing Days?
A. No, you can sail on ANY day you request, provided a qualified companion sailor is available, and the sailing office is open.
Q. Can I learn to sail at Challenged America if I don’t have a disability?
A. Yes, but there is a cost . . . You must be willing to volunteer.
“In this picture, Doug just finished rigging the sail boat with a joystick system so that I could steer the boat and trim the sails independently. What a sense of freedom and independence! We are a great team. He calmly gives me instruction and I execute. It’s a great sport for me, since I cannot speak (and it’s not necessary)! The only time I was slightly nervous was when we returned, under full sail, within feet of the famous race boat Stars & Stripes and pulled up to the pier with a perfect “hockey stop!” Good times.”
– Ellen
“It is always a humbling, inspirational and tremendously fun experience to sail with Ellen. Using the Power Assist system that we set up on the Martin 16, she has total control, steering the boat and trimming the sails.”
– Doug
Editor’s Note: Ellen is a veteran who served as a nurse while on active duty, and now has ALS — aka Lou Gehrig’s disease. This was Ellen’s second time at the VA National Summer Sports Clinic for recently injured veterans, and sailing with Challenged America.