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Adaptive sailing in Miami
Adaptive sailing is sailing set up so that people with disabilities can take part fully. It uses boats built or modified for stability, adapted seating, accessible docks and instructors who adjust how they teach. At Shake-A-Leg Miami, people of all abilities sail on Biscayne Bay from a universally accessible campus in Coconut Grove.
Tell us what you need, and we will plan around it.
Who sails with us
- People who use wheelchairs and people with spinal cord injuries
The whole campus is wheelchair accessible, from the parking lot to the dock. In April 2026, 75 participants joined our Spinal Cord Injury Bay Day, a day of adaptive sailing sponsored by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation.
- People who are blind or have low vision
Our Blind Sailing program, for ages 16 and up and led by ASA-certified instructors, is coming soon.
- Children and adults with autism or with intellectual or developmental disabilities
About 175 participants came to our Autism Bay Day in April 2026.
- Veterans
They sail with us in our ASA courses, with a reduced veterans rate on ASA 101, and fish free on Veterans Adaptive Fishing.
- Kids and young adults with disabilities, ages 7 to 22
In We Can Sail.
- Families and friends
Family Day Sail brings out the whole family of someone with a disability, and Sunday Social welcomes people with and without disabilities.
Don't see yourself here? Ask us. Our fleet, dock and campus are built so that the answer to "Can I do this?" is almost always yes.
Boats, docks and access
Our fleet has 20 sailboats, 60 kayaks, a safety fleet of chase boats and an accessible 40-ft pontoon. Our boats are accessible: every hull was either designed for stability and easy movement on board, or modified until it was.
- Freedom Independence 20
A 20-ft sailboat built specifically for people with disabilities, and the boat Shake-A-Leg Miami started with.
- Hobie Cats
Small, fast catamarans sailed with crew on both sides.
- Adapted keelboats
The boats behind our ASA courses, including Sandy. Several of our sailboats are fitted with adaptive chairs.
- The Pearson, an accessible 40-ft pontoon
She takes groups out on Biscayne Bay.
- The Impossible Dream
A universally accessible 60-ft sailing catamaran that a person who uses a wheelchair can fully operate. She is run by Impossible Dream Inc., a separate nonprofit, and is based at Shake-A-Leg Miami when she is not sailing the East Coast.
Accessible sailing starts on shore. You can roll onto the dock, and the campus has lifts. Removable ramps help people board, and staff and volunteers are ready to assist. Wheel The World mapped our accessibility independently.
Adaptive kayaking in Miami
Our adaptive kayaks include three Creating Abilities kayaks, donated by the Woody Foundation. Their Universal Seat and outrigger system lets a paddler with a disability go out on equal terms and independently. Every part adjusts or comes off, so each kayak is set up for whoever paddles next. We also use stabilized kayaks, ergonomic paddles and seating support.
Paddling is part of We Can Sail, Family Day Sail, Sunday Social, Seaworthy and Outings (by donation). If you need an adaptive kayak, tell us when you sign up, and we will plan around it.
Adaptive sailing programs: ways to start
We Can Sail
Sailing, paddling, powerboating, island exploration and STEM for children and young adults with disabilities.
- Who: Ages 7–22
- When: Saturdays, 10 AM–1 PM, October 2026 to May 2027. Pick your Saturdays on the form.
- Cost: $50 per session; scholarships available
ASA sailing courses on adapted keelboats
Earn an American Sailing Association certification, starting with ASA 101. No experience needed. This is also how veterans sail with us.
- Who: Ages 16+, sailors with and without disabilities, veterans included
- When: ASA 101 runs on 5 Saturdays, in the classroom and on the water; fall cohorts September–December. ASA 102–104 coming soon.
- Cost: ASA 101 is $800, $680 for veterans, or $45 for people with disabilities and for veterans with a disability. Other rates are on the registration form; scholarships available.
Family Day Sail
A full day on the bay for the whole family: sailing, kayaking, then lunch with other families.
- Who: Families with a member who has a disability; all ages
- When: Quarterly, on weekends. Ask us about the next date.
- Cost: Free
Sunday Social
Sailing, paddle sports, fishing and time together on the water. Join any time.
- Who: Everyone: people with and without disabilities, adults and families
- When: Sundays, half day, year-round
- Cost: Free
Veterans Adaptive Fishing
Adaptive fishing, not sailing: half-day trips on our wheelchair-accessible pontoon, where everyone fishes from the same shaded deck. No fishing experience needed.
- Who: Veterans, ages 18+
- When: Thursdays, 10 AM–1 PM, year-round; up to 12 anglers per trip
- Cost: Free
Seaworthy
Half-day trips on the bay, planned around each group.
- Who: Groups of kids, teens and young adults with disabilities, booked by hospitals, schools and community organizations
- When: On request, October to May
- Cost: Usually around $50 per participant, agreed with each group
Not sure which program fits? Browse all programs or contact us.
Cost and scholarships
Most of our programs are free or low-cost.
- Free
Family Day Sail, Sunday Social and Veterans Adaptive Fishing.
- Paid, with scholarships
We Can Sail ($50 per session) and ASA 101 ($800, with reduced rates for veterans and for people with disabilities). For ASA 101, you can also ask for a scholarship on the registration form.
- Other
Seaworthy is priced per group, usually around $50 per participant. Outings are by donation.
Apply for a scholarship and we will get back to you with details. For We Can Sail, families give a short reason and say whether they receive government assistance or free or reduced-price lunch.
Shake-A-Leg Miami has given more than $740,000 in scholarships to Miami-Dade children and adults with disabilities or economic challenges. Help put someone on the water.
Your first sail, step by step
- Choose a program.
Use the cards above, or browse all programs.
- Sign up.
On the program page, click Register now or Sign up and follow the steps. Groups send a request form instead.
- Tell us what you need.
Ask about accommodations before you sign up. Email info@shakealegmiami.org or call 305-858-5550, and we will plan around it.
- Come to the campus.
We are at 2620 S Bayshore Dr in Coconut Grove, with accessible parking on site.
- Get on the water.
You get a life jacket, and staff and volunteers are ready to help you board.
Safety and staff
- Our staff are trained to work with a wide range of support needs and are certified in water safety, CPR and boating safety.
- Everyone wears a life jacket, on every boat.
- Chase boats from our safety fleet go out with sailors on the water.
- ASA courses are taught by ASA-certified instructors.
- Captain JP White has been a sailing instructor at Shake-A-Leg Miami since 2005.
- Volunteers pass a background check before they help.
- Caregivers can come on the boat, and family members and certified therapists are welcome to assist participants.
Questions about adaptive sailing
Can people who use wheelchairs sail at Shake-A-Leg Miami?
Yes. You can roll from the parking lot onto the dock, and the campus has lifts. Our boats are accessible: the Freedom Independence 20 was built for people with disabilities, several sailboats have adaptive chairs, and our 40-ft pontoon is wheelchair accessible. See the fleet.
Is adaptive sailing free?
In some programs, yes. Family Day Sail and Sunday Social, which both include sailing, are free, and so is Veterans Adaptive Fishing. We Can Sail is $50 per session. ASA 101 is $800, $680 for veterans, and $45 for people with disabilities, including veterans with a disability. Scholarships are available for We Can Sail and ASA 101.
Do I need sailing experience?
No. ASA 101 starts from the beginning, and Family Day Sail and Veterans Adaptive Fishing need no experience at all.
Can a family member or caregiver come along?
Yes. Caregivers can come on the boat. Family Day Sail brings the whole family, Sunday Social is open to everyone, and family members and certified therapists are welcome to assist participants.
How old do you have to be?
It depends on the program. We Can Sail is for ages 7 to 22, ASA courses start at 16, and Veterans Adaptive Fishing is for adults 18 and over. Blind Sailing, coming soon, will be for ages 16 and up. Family Day Sail is open to the whole family, all ages, and Sunday Social welcomes adults, young adults and families.
Can people who are blind or have low vision sail?
Our Blind Sailing program, for ages 16 and up and led by ASA-certified instructors, is coming soon. Email us to hear when registration opens. Blind and low-vision sailors first sailed with Shake-A-Leg Miami in the 1990s, and in 1999 we hosted the Blind Sailing World Championship in Miami.
Where are you, and is there accessible parking?
We are at 2620 S Bayshore Dr, Coconut Grove, FL 33133. There is onsite parking with designated accessible spots close to the entrance. Several bus routes stop nearby, and ticket validation is available. Questions? Call 305-858-5550 or contact us.
Since 1990 on Biscayne Bay
Harry Horgan, our co-founder and CEO, started Shake-A-Leg Miami in 1990 with his wife Susie and others. Harry grew up sailing in Rhode Island and was paralyzed in a car accident at 22. He and Susie moved to Miami, where a program of sailing for people with disabilities could run throughout the year with fewer weather disruptions.
- 1999: We hosted the Blind Sailing World Championship in Miami.
- 2002: Our three-story, universally accessible watersports building opened.
- 2022: The City of Miami extended our license for our bayfront home by 25 years.
US Sailing honors include the Outstanding Community Sailing Program Award (1997, in its year-round program category), the Robie Pierce Award for an outstanding program for sailors with disabilities (1999, shared with Shake-A-Leg Newport) and the Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy, given to Harry Horgan and Shake-A-Leg Miami (2012).
Each year we welcome more than 30,000 visits. In the past year, volunteers gave more than 15,000 hours. Read our story
Children and adults of all abilities came to Shake-A-Leg Miami.
Adult and teen mentors and volunteers gave their time on the water.
Awarded to Miami-Dade children and adults with disabilities or economic challenges.