BAY AREA ASSOCIATION OF DISABLED SAILORS

Our Mission

We believe sailing is the sport where people with disabilities 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.

A Message from Our Commodore

2007 will prove to be a banner year for BAADS. The final travel links have been completed, making our club’s boats and facilities some of the most accessible in the world.

This past year, we have acquired ten Access Dinghies as well as two Zodiac chase boats, adding to our original fleet of three keel boats, this makes our club the largest on the West Coast (See Training)

Our experienced instructors have trained people with disabilities and able-bodied volunteers to sail the Access Dinghies and keel boats and are in an excellent position to introduce others to this safe and uplifting experience.

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

Web Partners
South Beach Yacht Club
St. Francis Yacht Club
America President Lines
West Marine
US Sailing
American Sailing Association
Java House

BAADS continues its ASA (American Sailing Association) certification-training program for those interested in sailing larger yachts on San Francisco Bay and beyond. (See Training) This Memorial Day, BAADS hosted our firsts National Regatta.This event was co-sponsored by the American President Lines and The Access Dinghy Foundation. The Race was governed by the St Francis Yacht Club and established San Francisco as a premiere destination for national and international sailing regattas for people with disabilities. (See Sponsors)

South Beach Yacht Clu b’s new facilities and Community Room provides a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for meetings and celebrating. BAADS annual events such as the infamous Pirate Party, as well as other very popular outings provide a continuous stream of festivities. (See Events) As BAADS is located in the center of the world’s High Tech Industry we are continually updating our accessible equipment with state of the art technologies. BAADS outreach to an ever-expanding circle of people with disabilities and inner city populations instills confidence, communication skills and appreciation for the environment.

On November 10, 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

© 2010 Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors
Pier 40 the Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94107