Passionate sailor Latisha Davenport has been sailing consistently since sixth grade, smashing goals and expectations as she races competitively despite having been blind since birth.
Latisha after a Green Fleet competition at Rye Yacht Club
Latisha began sailing at Rye Yacht Club (RYC) in Victoria, where a program at the local primary school saw her and her classmates do five introductory sailing sessions. During this program, Latisha sailed in an Opti and learned to tack, gybe and recover from a capsize unaided. Unfazed and determined, Latisha was at the top of the class, completing the same activities as her classmates albeit a short distance away to avoid any collisions.
The following summer Latisha received a Sailing Scholarship at RYC that included her membership and the cost of her sailing courses for the season, and she has continued to excel since.
“I didn’t think I’d get it because I can’t see anything, but I actually got it, and it allowed me to start sailing more,” started Latisha.
“After a while I found a sailing partner who I sailed with for a while in the RS Feva. My partner Charlotte and I would practise crewing and skippering, and we were getting involved in quite a few races together. I enjoyed racing a lot, I liked the challenge,” she said.
Latisha skippering with Ella
Whilst competing on the RS Feva, Latisha crewed 60% of the time and skippered the rest. With her partner able to provide directions, Latisha was happy hiking out, managing either the jib or the mainsail and steering when she was skipper. The duo competed in several Club races.
“In 2019 we got outright first for the season. I’d love to enter more competitions and eventually go to the Paralympics but at the moment I’m in between sailing partners. I’d love to find someone to sail with who has a competitive nature when it comes to racing.
“I’m blind but I can still do everything, I can still sail, and I’d love to sail with someone who isn’t afraid and wants to see how far we could go.”
Latisha ready to go out on the water
Off the water Latisha continued to talk about her love of sailing and her wish to be able to sail in the Paralympics in the future. Hearing this, a couple of long-standing RYC members renovated a Minnow and gifted it to Latisha. She named the boat “Queen” after her favourite band and continues to sail in it to this day.
Latisha and her parents have also worked directly with the club to enhance accessibility for Latisha and other members, implementing tools that make the sport more accessible for people with vision impairments.
“I have a helmet with a two-way radio connected to it, and Bob from the Club has a hat that has the other radio on it, so he can communicate with me that way,” said Latisha. “He can tell me which direction I’m going, whether I need to push or pull the tiller, or tack or gybe and it really gives me independence out there which I really like.
“The club has been great with helping and supporting me, they give me a lot of opportunities to sail and be independent. I’ve also had the opportunity through sailing to make friends as well, and at the moment I have a group of girls that I’m friends with that I really like talking to when I’m there,” she finished.
Latisha stand-up paddleboarding
RYC Sailing Principal Bob Cooper is a long-term supporter of Latisha, having coached her for many of her teenage years, and could not be more impressed by her attitude or ability.
“Latisha is confident and self-sufficient girl who loves to come sailing,” started Bob.
“All she needs from me to sail is a few cues occasionally like little push or small pull on the tiller to help her maintain course. If she does capsize, and she is quite happy to, she will swim around to the centreboard, right the boat, get back aboard and resume sailing without any instruction at all.”
A passionate and dedicated sailor, Latisha is now two months off her 18th birthday and set to finish grade 12 at the end of this year. She is hopeful that she will have more sailing and racing opportunities in the future and encourages everyone she can to achieve their goals.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or what ability you have, you can do anything you set your mind to. There’s no such thing as ‘can’t’, only ‘can’, and you just need to try.”
