How often do you have to bend down so you don’t hit your head on a 60-foot catamaran? Well, when the boat was designed and built for persons in wheelchairs, few “able-bodied” noggins are safe once aboard the Impossible Dream.
I was extended an invitation by Captain Will Rey to go for a sail on one of the coolest sailboats I have ever been on in quite a while. The electronic winches for the main and jib sheets are controlled in the cabin; and, a handheld, remote control allows a sailor in a wheelchair to do the same from the deck that is totally accessible from stem to stern. At the helm in the forward salon, Capt. Will recently installed two, touch-screen, Garmin 7212 series GPS chart plotters, and the steering wheel has a large, knob that allows for the helm to be easily controlled by someone with limited arm and hand mobility.
The boat is outfitted with a special, electronic lift that allows for persons in wheelchairs to board easily and comfortably from the dock. In addition, two electronic lifts in the cabin provide access to the pontoons for crew bunks and head/shower facilities. The galley area is designed to be easily managed by persons in wheelchairs with lower counters, cabinets, and refrigerator all located within easy reach.
On our cruise, at the helm was Lance Hinrichs who serves as vice president of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) and Julia Dorsett, a Paralympic sailor and tennis player, both in wheelchairs in the 18-27 knot winds and two- to three-foot seas from the east. Let’s just say this: no sailboat on the Bay that afternoon had a chance of catching this “specially-abled” catamaran, as our speed climbed to 14 knots, as we rushed towards Poplar Island across the fetch of the Miles River.
After coming about to return to Annapolis, Julia told me, “As a Paralympic sailor I have only raced smaller boats, and now Impossible Dream makes it possible for disabled sailors to race against able-bodied sailors in big boats! In our first regatta we took third in the Ft. Lauderdale to Key West Regatta as an all-disabled team, three in chairs and one amputee. This boat evens out the playing field between the disabled and abled, which is truly a dream come true.”
Captain Will informed us that the 60-foot by 27-foot Impossible Dream is based in Miami, FL, and spent the past summer cruising to ports along the Eastern Seaboard taking nearly 500 disabled passengers out for the experience of a lifetime.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they welcomed aboard the signer himself, President George H.W. Bush, and First Lady Barbara Bush who embarked in wheelchairs and sailed the boat off Kennebunkport, ME. I’m sure the First Lady thought it beat skydiving!
Back at the dock, we all shared a cocktail in the spacious (width) but cozy cabin (height). Lance told all of the able-bodied passengers, “Since becoming a quadriplegic in 1982, I have sailed on many boats with various levels of adaptions for the disabled. Most work great and allow disabled sailors to master and enjoy the experience of sailing. However, Impossible Dream is in a league of its own, with a design that lets a disabled sailor take complete charge of a 60-foot yacht. I’d have to say that today was amazing and one of my best days ever on the water!” Everyone aboard agreed and raised a glass to salute the beautiful sail we shared.
The Impossible Dream (with the “Im” crossed out of the boat’s name on the hull) and her crew headed south to her homeport after the U.S. Sailboat Show. For more information, visit impossibledream.us
by Paul Bollinger, Jr.
