BLESMA stands for British Limbless Ex Service Men's Association. Based in the United Kingdom, BLESMA helps with the rehabilitation of servicemen and women proving there is life after amputation.
15 members of BLESMA are crew on board OnDeck's Farr 65, Spirit of Juno. The boat has not been modified to accommodate the crew, they have had to adapt to life at sea. Racing a Farr 65 requires a considerable amount of raw muscle power and a great deal of stamina; Shifting sails around and operating the pedestal grinders is back breaking work, even in light airs.
A key goal for BLESMA revolves around amputee helping amputee and sailing big boats is all about teamwork. For the crew of Spirit of Juno, the RORC Caribbean 600 is an ideal way to develop self-confidence and personal satisfaction. Few of the crew have much sailing experience but they are competing as a unit, sharing the burden, making the difficult task of racing over 600 miles achievable.
It is worth remembering that as servicemen, they were physically very active and racing in the RORC Caribbean 600 allows them to carry on competing in sport on a level playing field. They are taking on a challenge and getting a buzz from sailing in one of the most spectacular places on the planet.
The RORC Caribbean 600 attracts every type of entry from all over the world; family owned performance cruisers to high performance custom boats with professional crew. All are attracted to the challenge, the satisfaction and sense of achievement of taking part in a great yacht race. The BLESMA team is no different.
