Vote here to help Disabled sailor Brendon Tourelle win Attitude Award

by Sail-World.com on 12 Nov 2014 Disabled Sailor Brendon Tourelle's work with Sailability has been recognised as he is a finalist in the Peoples Choice for the Attitude Awards to be held on December 3rd.

You can vote for Brendon by clicking here

Freedom and adventure on the water are the cornerstones of what Sailability Auckland offers to people living with disabilities.

Brendan Tourelle’s relationship with Sailability started after a ladder accident left him with a spinal cord injury. He’d grown up around water and was a keen surfer so it seemed only natural to get back to the place where he felt most at home.

In those days Sailability had only a couple of old boats and sailors had to lift themselves in and out of the craft. The need for new equipment and greater accessibility prompted Brendan to become a committee member.

Now Chairman, Brendan's seen the Sailability programme grow from 12 sailors to 60, and from 8 boats to 23.

His own sailing has gone from strength to strength too, winning two national championship titles in the Liberty class and he currently holds the SKUD 18 Auckland title.

Brendan is also the vice president of TASC, The Association for Spinal Concerns, an organisation assisting the rehabilitation of people with spinal injuries. Each week Brendan teaches people with brain and spinal injuries to use the sailing simulator at the Otara Spinal Unit. The simulator uses a hydraulic system that allows it to heel like a real yacht. Many of those who have learned to sail on the simulator then make it out onto the open water to sail a real yacht with Brendan through Sailability.

To see more click here