The Sailability Programme, part of the National Sailing Academy, and which caters to special needs children from the National Vocational and Rehabilitation Centre {NVRCD}, Adele School, Victory Centre and other institutions, is hailing the accomplishments of 40-year-old Sylvester Winston Michael of Seaview Farm Village.
After just two months of training in the Sailability Programme, Michael has mastered the skill and is now capable of sailing on his own with limited supervision.
He also understands some of the dynamics of sailing.
“The boat moves according to the wind: there is a special way to sailing, there is a special angle to sit which prevents the boat from capsizing and when there is no wind the boat can’t move,” Michael said.
Asked how he feels about his achievement, he said he was elated and expressed his love for the sea and what the experience was like for him at the first instance.
“I was scared at first and I even fell a few times because you have to sit way down in the boat, otherwise you can’t get to sail but I am OK now, I feel good and I love it,” Michael stated.
There are four levels in sailing, bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Michael is at the silver level.