Our Mission
Spectrum Sailing provides maritime education, programming, and outreach for autistic individuals. Our free camps provide opportunities for skill development, social interaction, and confidence building. Sailing is our platform to positively impact the physical, mental, and social health of our participants.
Spectrum Sailing was born out of necessity. When Founder and Executive Director, Scott Herman, searched for a sailing camp that would accept his autistic son, no one would take him. Wanting to change this, Scott created one himself. In 2018, he launched the first Autism Sailing Camp in Charleston, South Carolina. The local program proved is impact and interest from the community grew quickly. With that success came a bigger vision: to ensure autistic kids across the country could have the same opportunity.
Today, Spectrum Sailing has grown exponentially and stands as the only national autism sailing program in the United States. We are not simply a sailing camp that accommodates autism—we are an autism-centered organization that uses sailing to build lifelong skills and wellbeing.
Thanks to the generosity of the Autism and Sailing communities, and supporters nationwide, we now offer camps in many locations across the United States at no cost to the sailors. These kids just need a chance, and Spectrum Sailing is proud to help create that opportunity!