As the contest for Sydney to Hobart glory looms, one team wants to show what is possible on the water. The Making Waves program foundation crew has competed in the world-famous race for 30 years, with sailors with disabilities a key part of the team.
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00:00Sailing is in 63-year-old Alison Gearing's blood, but this is the first time she will
00:12compete in the Sydney to Hobart.
00:14About 20 years ago I really lost my hearing.
00:18With sailing you need to be always listening for calls, you need to be listening for what's
00:25happening and I can't hear it, and it puts you in a very, very dark place.
00:33Half the Making Waves crew lives with disability, with the yacht designed for accessibility.
00:39We only have ropes down one side of the boat so we can have clean access on the other,
00:43whereas most boats have it on both sides.
00:45I've got one strong hand and one kind of weaker hand, so I've just got to be very conscious
00:49I suppose when the boat's rocking and so forth to make sure I'm clipped on.
00:53The Making Waves Foundation first participated in the world famous event in 1994, breaking
01:00ground with a yacht crewed by people with disability.
01:03Things that are now taken for granted in terms of allowing us to get those opportunities,
01:09they had to work hard to achieve them and we're the beneficiaries of that effort.
01:16Not only chasing line honours, the crew is also raising money for programs to teach young
01:22disabled people how to sail.
01:24A lot of these kids that have never been on the water, never been on a boat, and again
01:28to see them, you know, they go out for a couple of hours on the Wings of Joy program and they
01:34come back and there's big smiles on their faces and you know, you've made a difference.
01:38And when it comes to Boxing Day...
01:40I can't wait to get on that start line and I'll be waving to all my friends at home and
01:47I could never do a Sydney to Hobart on another boat.
01:52A win for sailing inclusion.