“Regardless of our performance it doesn’t matter. It’s the fact that we actually learning a lot and we’re able to get out racing and take all of this back with us to improve our sailing.”

Jen French, 2018 Clagett/Oakcliff

“As a quadriplegic, to be able to be on the starting line and race with an incredible crew against other skilled sailors is just as breathtaking and amazing experience, without equal in any other aspect of my life.”

Dave Whalen, skipper of The Clagett Sonar granted to the Y-Knot program in 2016

“I haven’t been able to sail and it’s just, it’s that freedom again."

Sarah Everhart-Skeels, 2018 Clagett/Oakcliff

“It is so so liberating, getting out of my wheelchair, just the sense of adventure, being outside, being on the ocean, very liberating.”

Tim Brown, 2018 Clagett Newport

“Clagett’s awesome...I’ve been learning a lot from a lot of really great sailors and coaches.”

Cristina Rubke, 2018 Clagett Newport

“I wish every event that I’ve been to is like this, because you feel very special, they take great care of us”

John McRoberts, 2018 Clagett Newport

“I’ve learned more in the past few days than I have over the past few summers”

Tim Brown, 2018 Clagett Newport

“The coaches, and the organizing committee and the race committee is spot on, overall 10/10...I’m going to come back for as many years as they’ll have me”

Delani Hulme-Lawrence, 2018 Clagett Newport

“It’s just life changing, definitely sailing changed my attitude towards life. I think it brings more happiness to me and brings more stability”

Akeal Shaheep 

“At The Clagett Regatta, I had the Atlantic ocean coming over the bow...and I wore that smell of the salt into my bed last night and I cried. And I thank God for giving me a second chance”

Richard Ramos 

“I was a sailor before the stroke, but ever since...this is what keeps me living”

Tammy Vermette 

“It doesn’t matter if you have a disability or not, it’s the same sport. It’s about adaptations.”

Sarah Everhart-Skeels 

“World class coaches here, in a world class venue, it is a world class regatta”

Tim Ripley 

“I am glad, I am grateful. To get me here, get me out of my box and just give me the freedom that I always wanted and always fought for.”

Akeal Shaheep 

“What disabled sailing meant to use was actually pretty much a miracle.”

Mary Scandone

“To make it back at the end of a day of competition has to really give people that boost that, ‘Hey listen anything else in life I think I can handle.’

And that’s what, I think, the sport of sailing really does for us as disabled. It really helps us integrate back into society.”

Rick Doerr

“I don’t think that a lot of people believe in those of us who have a disability and when we go into a situation with the confidence that you get from competing in a sport you can convince somebody more that you are worth more than they might think you are”

Sarah Everhart-Skeels

“We’re all given the opportunity to gain inner strength and shine within ourself and it brings us back here each year. And for that I’m grateful, they gave me what I needed”

Nancy Jodoin

“It’s the most fun I’ve had in 32 years. I am riding high”

Richard Ramos

“It doesn’t matter what your abilities are, or your disabilities, communication is really key in this because you have to basically have your own language...it’s sort of like a wet, watery chess game”

Pauline Dowell, 2018 Clagett/Oakcliff Match Racing Clinic and Regatta