BAY AREA ASSOCIATION OF DISABLED SAILORS

Our Mission
We believe sailing is the sport where people with disabilities people feel most able. Thus, BAADS seeks to make all aspects of sailing in the San Francisco Bay Area accessible. This includes full participation in teaching sailing, cruising, racing, and developing engineering designs for adaptive equipment to benefit people with diverse abilities

Sailing is an exciting, elemental experience. With the wind brisk and the waves washing against the hull, there's an undeniable feeling of camaraderie as all aboard become part of the triad of nature, boat, and crew.
The Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors strives to make this experience accessible to all BAADS members, their families, friends and caregivers. Whether you get about in a wheelchair, navigate with a cane, or are able bodied, BAADS exists to open this exhilarating sport to you.

Travel directions for the blind to BAADS location

A Message from Our Commodore
In 2010, BAADS offers even more exciting sailing opportunities. Besides our instructional Sunday Sail on the Bay with our keel boats and the Saturday Dinghy program in McCovey Cove, we will be holding Liberty Saturdays once a month for those who want build their racing skills in the Liberty Access class. (Liberties are 12 ft boats specifically designed to accommodate sailors with significant physical disabilities.) We will also start participating in racing teams on J 24s for sailors with visual impairments, in preparation for racing competitions. The Islander 36 Orion, which this year sailed its maiden voyage past the Golden Gate to anchor overnight in Drake’s Bay, will expand its ocean cruising further along the Coast of California with the ultimate goal of participating in the BAHA HAHA.

Ed Gallagher,
Commodore

BAADS continues its social events at South Beach Yacht Club, including the infamous Pirate Party. We invite you to see more details on these programs and additional events by exploring this website, or better yet, joining us! BAADS gives thanks to all those financial donors and volunteers who give their time and talents in maintaining our boats and sailing programs. Without their support, BAADS could not offer the opportunity to enrich the lives of so many.

You can sign up for sailing and hear up-to-date notices by calling Sail Mail at 415 281 0212.

Your Commodore,
Ed Gallagher

Worth checking out:
"One man's blind ambition: Doing it all without seeing a thing". Ed Gallagher talks about how he 'sees' with Skype on the Today Show

On November 10th, 2005 Scott Duncan and Pam Habek made sailing history by achieving their first milestone becoming the first legally blind people to cross the Pacific Ocean! Follow their story

WEB PARTNERS
South Beach Yacht Club
St. Francis Yacht Club
America President Lines
West Marine
US SAILING
American Sailing Association
Java House

USEFUL LINKS
www.disabledtraveladvice.co.uk/
Advice for travelers with disabilities