SailAhead's "Let's Take A Veteran Sailing" A Spectacular Success!

The 4th annual SailAhead "Let's Take a Veteran Sailing" event hosted by the Centerport Yacht Club on Sunday, July 29th, was another spectacular success! SailAhead programs such as this event use sailing and the ocean as a therapeutic platform to help heal PTSD suffering veterans and to spread PTSD and veteran suicide awareness.

After a very stirring opening ceremony honoring the fallen victims of PTSD and their families, about 200 veterans, families & guests aboard 43 sailboats crewed by 100 volunteer skippers & crews sailed out of Northport Harbor into LI Sound under gorgeous skies! The SailAhead veterans’ fleet was joined by the Centerport Fire Department Fire Boat, Huntington Harbormaster Patrol Boat and a hovering helicopter overhead taking photos of all the participants. Following the event on the water everyone was treated to a sumptuous BBQ spread at the Centerport Yacht Club with special treats provided by Arizona Beverages and Ralph's Italian Ices.

SailAhead was officially launched in the winter of 2013 by two teenage brothers, Kilian and Sean Duclay (aged 16 & 14 at the time), with the enthusiastic support of their family, friends and Oakcliff Sailing Center.

SailAhead is a charitable 501(c) (3) tax-exempt non-profit organization (Federal Tax ID 81-0900037). For more information about SailAhead, please visit www.SailAhead.org.

(Photos courtesy of Stacy Aslan and Phil Sweeney)