Additional Information for Access BOOM Hosts

Hosting an Access BOOM mobile presents some challenges that are unique to this mobile. However it is my hope that with the right information and good communication we can make this experience a great one.

Our program is very adaptable and our instructors can accommodate most sites needs, unfortunately not every site is suitable. If you are not sure if your site is suitable please contact us, and we may be able to help make your site more accessible through a few simple modifications.

We recommend that your site have a dock that is wide enough for a wheel chair, and room for helper. There should be a stable ramp to the dock. The water should be at least 3 feet deep off the end of the dock so that the dagger boards can be in the down position while the instructors are loading the students into the boats.

Each site should have an accessible building that the instructors can use to teach land lessons, or use for programs on rainy days, and where participants can leave their belongings and feel secure.

Each site must provide at least one support person on site the entire time the program is running. Our Access BOOM Instructors are CYA certified instructors. Although they usually have some experience working with people with disabilities they do not hold any specific certification in that area. That is why it is important that the host sites have someone on site who is familiar with the participants and their needs.

The boats that are used for this mobile are called the Access Dinghies. The Access Dinghy 2.3 model is a two person sailing dinghy. The participants are in these boats with a partner, not an instructor. The instructors are in a coach boat so they are manoeuvrable and can teach everyone on the water at the same time. Please try to make sure that all potential participants understand that they will be in the boat with another person who has a disability. If this is not a suitable situation for an individual, you may want to consider registering them with a companion (this may be a parent or friend) who can sail with them. This companion does not have to know how to sail, but should be comfortable in boats or around water. It is important that as a host you remember that this companion will occupy one of the sailing spots. So if you have two participants register with a companion that is four participants total.

Ontario Sailing has made some changes to the registration process which we feel will make the program better overall. This year Ontario Sailing will provide all the hosts with a Participant Registration Form, which must be completed for every participant, and then a copy must be sent to the Ontario Sailing office. This information will help our instructors to better meet the needs of the individual participants, and will be kept confidential between the Ontario Sailing Program Director, and the two Access BOOM Instructors.

The instructors will assist the participants into the boats. The instructors will use a two person human transfer to lift participants into the boat. This lift is very effective at transferring most individuals, particularly youth. Please make sure that all participants are aware that if someone requires assistance into the boats it will be provided by the instructors manually lifting the individual. Ontario Sailing strongly believes that everyone should have the opportunity to sail. Our Access BOOM mobile is able to accommodate participants with many different disabilities, however our Access BOOM mobile may not be right for everyone. If someone would like the opportunity to sail please contact Ontario Sailing and we will help find a permanent accessible sailing program with a lift.

Thank you for your interest in hosting the Access BOOM Mobile. If you have any questions please email ucansail@ontariosailing.ca or phone 1-888-672-7245 ext. 226.