Advances in technology continue to alter the boating experience and — for people with disabilities — open up new possibilities.
Floridian Juan Carlos Gil, 34, a native of Colombia, is legally blind and has cerebral palsy, but that has not prevented him from enjoying boating.
On a recent afternoon in Miami, with the help of George Poveromo, the host of World of Saltwater Fishing on NBC Sports, and sponsor Mercury Marine, Gil left his wheelchair on the dock and took hold of a joystick piloting system for an afternoon he says he’ll never forget.
“Boating means happiness and being able to be free and enjoy life,” Gil said. “The joystick has changed my view on what is possible.”
For safety reasons, Gil never boats alone, but technologies such as this have allowed him to experience boating like never before.
