46' Catamaran for Disabled Sailors
The enthusiastic membership of BAADS (Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors) list among their objectives:
To provide adapted boats and marina facilities.
To develop a group of disabled and non-disabled sailors who can complement each others’s skills and form a network of boating friends and partnerships.
To provide sailing training, opportunities, and challenges to meet each member’s desired level of involvement.
What better vehicle than a catamaran to fulfill this aim?
BAADS dreams for a fully wheelchair accessible design which they will use for daysailing with rather large groups, overnight/weekend trips with smaller groups, competitive racing in San Francisco Bay and local ocean races, and possibly distance ocean racing such as the Transpac race to Hawaii.
These requirements led to the unusual design layout proposed by Jim Antrim. Because wheelchair access to all sail controls is essential, the cockpit is placed forward near the mast. Because wheelchairs need lots of space to maneuver, the layout is relatively simple and empty, therefore light weight. The hulls are light for their length, easily driven. Required sail power therefore will be relatively modest for a boat of this size, making handling easier.
