Support Sailors with disABILITIES
Get your face on a Sydney to Hobart boat and support this great charityParaplegic Sydney to Hobart yachtsman finds freedom through Sailors with disABILITES.
It takes immense bravery and determination to sail non-stop, unassisted around the world.
What if you’re also paraplegic? And what if you decide to build your own boat? Are you staring down the barrel of the impossible?
Seemingly not for one gutsy Australian, Vinny Lauwers. After an abusive childhood and a motorbike accident no-one thought he would survive, Vinny found himself confined to a wheelchair. Sailing was Vinny’s escape – heading away from shore with the wind blowing through his hair he discovered the freedom many sailors before him have relished.
The voyage to sailing around the world started over a bottle or two of red wine with a number of the founding members of Australian Charity Sailors with disABILITIES (SWD).
The chat ended in the decision to enter the 1994 Rolex Sydney to Hobart race with a disabled crew. Lots of people thought they were crazy… and lots of people were proved wrong. The SWD team successfully conquered the race and found a new sense of pride as they discovered who they were along the way. (And just for the record SWD are still competing in the race).
Over the next few years Vinny sailed regularly with SWD building his knowledge and skill and clocking up the miles he needed to achieve his dream.
Vinny was named the World Disabled Sportsperson of the Year 2001 after he became the first paraplegic to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world.
The journey took 233 days. Unbelievably Vinny broke his back again during one incident. It took incredible strength to dig deep and keep going through that.
Vinny Lauwers is now a successful motivational speaker who encourages people not to be defined by what they can’t do but what they can.
Sailors with disABILITES has launched an innovative fundraiser for this year’s Sydney to Hobart yacht race. The Faceboat website http://www.faceboat.org.au/ which allows members of the public to upload a photo of themselves or a loved one to the site which will then be printed on the side of their Sydney to Hobart racing yacht.
For more information please See the Sailors with disability website - http://www.sailorswithdisabilities.com/
And for more information on Faceboat please see - http://www.faceboat.org.au
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