Check out this Fox News special about Sailing Angels and Captain Dave McCabe. Sailing Angels, http://www.sailingangels.org, is an incredible sailing program near Houston, Texas. 

Therapeutic sailing empowers individuals who find themselves in rough waters to experience the serenity of smooth sailing. For some participants, therapeutic sailing acts as a life preserver pulling them out of the depths of despair. It allows them to take control of the wheel and put aside the uncertainty that often capsizes their everyday life. By facilitating teamwork and communication, it provides participants with a sense of purpose and hope.

Sailing eases the limitations of disabilities and allows an individual to experience greater freedom and interact with others. It also provides a platform to share knowledge and teach life skills. Proponents of sailing therapy include John’s Hopkins University, Dr. Norman Saunders, a prominent neurologist, and Dave McCabe a retired NASA engineer. Captain McCabe’s sailing program allows volunteers to share their passion for sailing and turn dreams into realities. Volunteers who have participated in similar programs have questioned who benefited more – the volunteers or the participants.

The action of sailing can be reproduced using a virtual sailing simulator. Like sailing on the open water, sailing on a simulator gives individuals the opportunity to do something out of the ordinary and experience the elation of mastering a new skill. Combining the proven benefits of therapeutic sailing with the technology of sailing simulators facilitates a year round program in a safe environment.

Southeast Michigan currently lacks a sailing program that benefits children with special cognitive and physical challenges. The goal is to establish a community based nonprofit program using a virtual sailing simulator to serve these children. This program has the potential to serve as a model that could be replicated in other communities around the world. Help raise the sails of hope to make this program a reality.

Check out VASail on Pinterest, pinterest.com/VASailing, to see more pictures of the VSail Trainer sailing simulator. Check out the adaptive/therapeutic sailing programs around the world and learn about inspiring sailors.

 A virtual sailing program that helps people with spinal cord injuries develop upper body strength and boost coordination skills might be implemented in Dexter.

Dexter Township resident Larry Courson is working to bring the V-Sail Trainer program to the community to help children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Read More at: http://dexter.patch.com/articles/virtual-sailing-program-helps-disabled-special-needs-students