Therapeutic Sailing Nonprofit Builds $5M Marina, Serves Marylanders With Disabilities

ANNAPOLIS, MD — To most Marylanders, crabs are the state's unofficial delicacy. One community, however, thinks of something completely different when it hears the word.

Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating, also known as CRAB, has offered nautical experiences to people with disabilities for decades. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Annapolis nonprofit is ready to take the next step with a new marina that will create additional gateways to the Chesapeake Bay.

Boating is challenging as is, but it brings extra obstacles for people with disabilities. Boarding a boat can be difficult for anybody who uses a wheelchair because the vessel may have high walls or sit well below the pier at low tide.

Once aboard, few watercraft have safe seating. Even less are designed for people with disabilities to drive.

That's where CRAB comes in.

The organization modified its fleet of sailboats for equitable access and operation. Lifts and slides simplify the entrance. Racecar bucket seats and harnesses secure the explorers, and adaptive steering ensures anybody can take the wheel.

"They don't think they can get on a boat," CRAB Executive Director Paul Bollinger Jr. said, noting that his group allows people with disabilities to overcome this doubt. "They don't think they would be able to sail."

Some CRAB vessels have extended tillers, helping captains push and pull the rudder from their seats. Another watercraft touts sip-and-puff steering. This mechanism lets helmsmen who are paralyzed guide the vessel with oral movements detected by a straw.

CRAB earned a $218,000 grant this fall from the Meridian Foundation to buy a pontoon boat. When purchased, the flat-bottom watercraft will sport a ramp to welcome wheelchairs with ease.

A joystick will provide seamless navigation for any mariner. Plus, members will be able to wakeboard off a lift on the stern.

"They love sailing as much as any able-bodied person," Bollinger told Patch in an exclusive interview. "We make them sail. We’re not taking guests for sailboat rides. It's all part of the therapy."

CRAB serves more than 1,000 Marylanders. About two-thirds of its participants have a disability. The nonprofit expects to double or triple in size in the coming years thanks to its upcoming marina, called the Adaptive Boating Center.

The organization replaced its 30-year-old fleet in 2017 and realized that it was quickly outgrowing its home at Sandy Point State Park. Bollinger and his team searched the Annapolis area for a place to house their seven new boats. They eventually settled on Port Williams Marina on Back Creek, located at 7040 Bembe Beach Road.

In 2017, CRAB agreed to acquire the property. The group finalized the paperwork three years later. The City of Annapolis officially owns the land, but CRAB leased the plot for 40 years.

CRAB has raised nearly $2 million for the construction. Anne Arundel County contributed $1.3 million, the state gave $1 million and the city committed $500,000. The $5 million hub is slated to open in autumn 2022.

"The governor, the county executive, the mayor, the City Council, everybody wants to see this project built," said Bollinger, who goes by "Bo." "We're the favorite project of every politician in the state. It's all good."

The 8-foot-wide floating pier is nearly finished. The dock will connect to the shore with a 45-foot bridge, allowing golf cart access straight to the vessels. Kayaks, canoes and remote-controlled sailboats will also be available.

Back on land, a pavilion will greet entertainers and summertime picnics. A neighboring educational building will feature 18-foot glass windows overlooking the creek.

A total of 81 solar panels will sit atop the roof and power the property. About 600 trees, bushes and perennials will beautify the complex. With three electric vehicle charging stations, Bollinger said the site will be "as environmentally friendly as anybody can possibly be on .86 acres."

"There’s no limit to what CRAB's going to be able to do from this center," Bollinger said. "It’s incumbent upon us to ensure that it is the best facility."

Bollinger thinks CRAB founder Don Backe would be proud of the Adaptive Boating Center. Backe started CRAB in 1991, two years after he was paralyzed in a car accident.

Then in his 50s, Backe still had his upper body strength and enjoyed voyaging around the bay. His work at CRAB showed other Marylanders with disabilities that they too could find freedom on the water.

"Don Backe was one of those larger-than-life characters," Bollinger recalled, cheering the CRAB founder's passion for sailing. "It focused on his abilities, not disabilities."

Backe died in 2013 after a prolonged illness. He was 77. His spirit still lives on in CRAB's mission.

Two years ago, a CRAB sailor underscored the importance of the nonprofit's work. That participant told a volunteer that "I just want to thank you for taking me the furthest I have ever been from my wheelchair and the memories that put me in it." Bollinger teared up when he first heard the story.

"We really have a symbiotic relationship with our guests," Bollinger said. "They give hugs and kisses to our volunteer skippers and crew and thank them ... That’s what keeps our volunteers coming back and knowing that they are making a difference."

CRAB is always looking for supporters. Marylanders can donate at this link. Residents can get involved in CRAB's camps, clinics and regattas by clicking here. More information is posted at crabsailing.org.

RELATED:

• New Marina For People With Disabilities Unveiled In Annapolis

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