ST. PETERSBURG — The Warrior Sailing Basic Training Camp, based at the St. Petersburg Sailing Center, brought in 25 wounded and active veterans this week.
Most of the participants in the three-day camp have never sailed before. The veterans come from all branches of the military and have a variety of injuries, which include limb loss, blindness, and traumatic brain injuries.
The participants learn to race in Sonar sailboats, which are Olympic-class boats. There are typically three people per boat. Adaptive equipment is added to the boats for the physically disabled.
The Warrior Sailing Program works to develop a competitive sailing team and offers follow-up training for participants who want to compete.