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Nazvi Careem

The Sailability Hong Kong family celebrated a breakthrough last week that would have made its ­beloved co-founder, the late Mike Rawbone, proud.
A 39-year-old Hong Kong quadriplegic was lowered into a small boat at the Hebe Haven Yacht Club and from there, he was on his own.
Using a system known as servo, the disabled sailor was able to use his chin or blow on two tubes to control the vessel by himself, without help.
“This is a first for Hong Kong,” said Kay Rawbone, who with her husband Mike launched Sailability Hong Kong in 2009. “He had an accident 23 years ago and he cannot move anything but his head.


“It’s the opening of a new chapter for Sailability Hong Kong. He’s a member at Hebe Haven, he wants to be a champion and we had him in a boat and he can now do things by himself.
“It’s a really big moment and Mike would have been so proud.”

Mike Rawbone died on August 3 in Hong Kong, with the local sailing community paying tribute to a man who helped create an environment for underprivileged and physically and intellectually disabled people to learn how to sail.
The quadriplegic sailor is one of thousands of sailors who have benefited from the legacy of Rawbone and his vision to make sailing more accessible to the community at large. The Hong Kong branch of the global Sailability charity movement is leading the way in Asia with dozens of boats catering to varying degrees of skill.
“What he’s left behind is the most advanced Sailability programme in Asia, according to World Sailing, and giving an opportunity to 3,500 new sailors, with many returning,” said Kay Rawbone, who has vowed to continue the programme.

“Sailing has been opened up to many different demographics in Hong Kong: low income, ethnic minorities, the blind, deaf, amputees and others.”
Kay Rawbone has also played an influential role in the success of Sailability Hong Kong. She has a background in working with the disabled from England and her expertise was the perfect complement to Mike’s proficiency in sailing.
“Mike’s introduction to people with disabilities is through me,” she said. “I grew up with a cousin with down syndrome and for me, I never saw any difference in people with disabilities.


“Mike and I met when we were young and sailing was part of his life and he really embraced that. With the skills I have [with disabled people] and Mike’s sailing skills, we put those two together.”
The previous weekend, Sailability Hong Kong had 24 boats competing in a 150-strong fleet in a local regatta. Kay said her sailors put on an impressive showing.
“We have really seen how people can grow and how lives can change through this programme,” said Kay Rawbone, who is also a competent sailor. “We have been given so many positive comments by so many people [after the regatta] about our sailors’ discipline, standard of sailing and their understanding of racing.
“It so sad that Mike wasn’t there to see it. He would have been so proud. That is part of his legacy, which is being taken forward.

“Since Mike passed, we’ve had so many new inquiries with different organisations realising we are here and we can change lives.
“We are looking forward to new things, next October in Italy is the Hansa World Championships in Palermo, and we are hoping to hold a regional event in March 2022, and also in Australia in 2022 there is a regatta where intellectually disabled sailors can compete for the first time.
“We just hope Covid doesn’t stop us from doing these things.”

Kay is also involved in the international sailing community’s bid to have the sport reinstated in the Paralympic, taking part in global webinars to promote their cause.”
In 2014, a disabled sailor from the programme – who never sailed until late 2013 – was part of the Hong Kong team to win a medal at the 2014 Para Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.
Hong Kong’s flagship racing franchise, Scallywag, is also involved in Sailability Hong Kong, donating a number of special beginners’ dinghies with extra stability for those who are just starting out.


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Water sports

Sailability Hong Kong’s Mike Rawbone leaves a lasting legacy that will continue to change lives

The late Mike Rawbone co-founded Sailability Hong Kong and his legacy lives on in the underprivileged who are learning to sail. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Mike Rawbone.

Kay and Mike Rawbone.

A wheelchair sailor prepares his boat.

Mike Rawbone in the 24 Hour Dinghy Race 2019.

Sailability Hong Kong co-founder Mike Rawbone dies, aged 75; community mourns pioneer who gave sailing to poor, disabled and minorities

Mike Rawbone started Sailability with his wife Kay in 2009. He died on August 3, 2020 aged 75. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Underprivileged kids learn to sail under the Scallywag and Sailability programme at Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Sai Kung. 28JUN20 SCMP / Edmond So

Sailability co-founder Kay Rawbone at the Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Sai Kung. Photo: Sailability

Anyone can sail: disabled, elderly and poor make most of Sailability and Scallywag coaching programme

Kids head out to the water in their dinghies as part of the Sailability and Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag partnership. Photo: Edmond So

Leg 9 Newport to Cardiff Day 4 on board Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag. David Witt helming. 23 May, 2018.

Kay Rawbone

This image shows Mike Rawbone, who heads up Sailability a programme that provides the facility for the disabled community to have the opportunity to sail or at least, to have a water based experience. 11APR15 [FIT AND FAB HEALTH BROADSHEET]

Sport

Other Sport


Kay Rawbone says a new chapter for the programme opened last week when a quadriplegic sailor was able to control a vessel by himself
Sailability Hong Kong is the most advanced programme in Asia with a diverse group of people learning how to sail



Kay Rawbone says a new chapter for the programme opened last week when a quadriplegic sailor was able to control a vessel by himself.
