Who We Are
Access Boats USA is here to provide a service to the community.
Access Dinghies now built in the U.S.A.
Access Boats USA, Our family’s new company in Plantation, Florida, opened its doors March 1, 2005, making Access Dinghies available for the first time from a builder within the United States. As with most things that surround the creation of these little boats and the programs that utilize them – Access Boats USA has a story. Ricardo became familiar with the Access Dinghies, after meeting Debra Frenkel of the Tradewinds Foundation, during a program for children with cancer and their families. Ricardo’s son, Josh, 14 years old has been going through treatment for Leukemia since September of 2002 (As of the end of March, 2005, he has finished his treatment and is doing well.) Josh and his family had attended a special day of yachting and activity provided by the Tradewinds Foundation. Josh was then invited to join in the all-inclusive sailing program, newly established by Tradewinds, in the Ft. Lauderdale area, and the smiles that crossed his face rejuvenated his father. Ricardo hadn’t seen Josh smile like that in a very long time. Since then, Josh has gone sailing almost every weekend and won first place in the gold fleet at regatta in Miami. Josh said that when he is on the water he “forgets about everything and it doesn’t matter if you have a disability – even if you are a quadriplegic – in these sailing boats you have the same chance of winning.” (Josh continues to use crutches due to weakness in his legs from the treatment.) He has brought his cousin with him to sail. Recruited his mother and sister to participate in special events. Has made new friends and has traveled to regattas in other cities. Josh intends to be working in the business with his father in anyway he can, and of course, continue sailing. Ricardo has been volunteering for the program while Josh has been sailing. He told another story about a deaf/mute gentleman who came to sail, Steven. When he got off the water from his first time out – he was smiling ear to ear – hurried off the boat and ran up the dock, scurrying. The instructor and Ricardo watched in bewilderment, unsure why he had ran off so quickly and only explained by Steven’s return, holding up with outstretched arms - a piece of paper with the words, “I loved it!” written across. When Debra Frenkel suggested building the boats in the U.S. to Ricardo, he was already sold!
Philosophy
There is far more to this than little boats and sailing. Sailing is the ideal catalyst which brings together members of the whole family and community. It integrates disability and helps able bodied people to understand disability, it includes minorities and involves all age groups in a clean and natural, environmentally friendly activity which is good for them, and good for the whole community.
The key here is that disabled and other disadvantaged people generally don't want to be sidelined into disabled specific and other special programs, they want to participate alongside everyone else. It is therefore our responsibility to ensure that our boats are used by the general community in everyday activities.
Consequently our boats were not designed to appeal only to the small minority who are today's active sailors, but to attract all those groups who feel they are excluded by the current system.
We therefore concentrate our resources on the development of what we call "accessible sailing" programs which make sailing available to everyone regardless of age, physical capability and financial status. An example of this "sailing for everyone" philosophy is the enormously successful "Sailability" network that is rapidly expanding throughout the world. (www.sailability.org)
We believe that this philosophy is the future which will not only bring about a turn around in the decline in sailing participation, but also provide an integrated recreational opportunity for the disadvantaged members of the community, the often talked about but seldom seen goal of total inclusion.
We attribute our growth and extraordinary good fortune to the belief that we are here to provide a service, and our experience proves the truth in the paradox, that the more you give away the more you will receive, and, if you don't want anything, you can have it all.