Adaptive Kayak Launches Offer Expanded Access To The Water
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Read moreAdaptive Kayak Launches Offer Expanded Access To The Water
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Your enjoyment of the great outdoors should only be limited by how much you want to be out in it, not by accessibility issues.
That’s why developments in adaptive kayak launches, which take into consideration the input of those with disabilities, are such a useful and — dare we say — cool move forward.
Board Safe’s Adaptive Kayak Launch
Check out the company’s informational video below.
Kayakers with different levels of mobility will use this adaptive kayak launch in different ways. For example, more mobile kayakers can benefit from the easy launch channel with brackets that sit below the kayak and keep it stable as you get in.
Less mobile kayakers will have extra options that allow them to get in and out of a kayak more easily. They may use a slide-out bench with transition steps and a plank that slides over the kayak and helps the users lower themselves into the vessel.
Handrails and overhead straps offer additional support if needed. Canoes and some other boats work with the multi-purpose dock too.
In this video from Board Safe, you can watch adaptive paddler Ken, who uses an electric wheelchair, go from his vehicle into the water and then back out of the water. He does everything completely by himself. He uses a string to tow his kayak to the adaptive launch. After that, he is able to maneuver his chair and then his body onto the kayak thanks to the ramp, sitting steps, and bar and straps over the kayak water launch area.
Adapting Kayaks For Accessibility
Kayaks may also be adapted for those who suffer from other issues, such as vision impairment, loss of arm and shoulder mobility and spine injuries. Some issues require simple fixes, like the placement of tape to help blind people with hand placement on their paddle. Others may require more work, such as special seating inside the kayak for paraplegics.
Where Can You Find One?
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