Resilience on the waves: the inspiring journey of Dave Kovacic

IN 2012, a severe ear infection took a devastating turn for Dave Kovacic, a local IT worker and avid water-sportsman.

The infection spread to his brain, destroying his optic nerve and rendering him completely blind.

The transformation occurred overnight; Dave went to sleep with his sight intact and awoke to total darkness.

The repercussions were severe, causing complete hearing loss in his right ear and a 70% loss in his left.

Dave had built a multifaceted career spanning IT, biochemistry, and hospital science, holding degrees in medical laboratory science and a master’s in IT.

Throughout his career, he had overcome numerous challenges, but the sudden loss of his sight presented him with his greatest challenge yet.

Despite his professional success and history of resilience, he initially believed his days of water sports were conclusively over.

That was until a New Year’s resolution opened a new chapter.

“My New Year’s resolution was to learn to sail,” Dave revealed.

With encouragement from Mark Huglin a disability support worker at Leisure Networks in Geelong, Dave began exploring this new pursuit.

“I was discussing it with Mark, and he committed to making it happen.”

Mark, a member of the Anglesea Motor Yacht Club, proposed a trial day on the water before Dave committed to formal lessons.

He connected with Kate Stanley, the commodore of the Yacht Club, who offered to introduce Dave to sailing on a catamaran.

Equipped with a wetsuit borrowed from the “Go Ride a Wave” surf school, Dave was fully prepared for the day.

“It was my first sailing experience on a catamaran.”

“I was going from one side to the other, handling the tiller. It was awesome.”

The outing couldn’t have been better timed, with conditions perfect for Dave’s reintroduction to the water.

“We got the best day in January,” Mark said.

Mark said Dave adapted to sailing with remarkable ease.

“He assisted Kate with setting up the yacht, working with the rigging and tightening shackles, which helped him familiarise himself with the catamaran’s layout,” Mark said.

“And we got it to the point where Kate could hand the tiller to Dave, and he was steering it on his own.”

Dave is now cultivating a bucket list of new challenges, supported in all endeavours by his partner, Claire—though she harbours reservations about skydiving.

“Claire doesn’t want me to go,” Dave mentions, though his determination remains undimmed.

Keen to deepen his sailing knowledge, Dave is looking into enrolling in a sailing course.

“It all depends on what opportunities present themselves,” he says.