BoardSafe Docks Sponsors the 2025 SOBA Training Symposium
BoardSafe Docks is proud to be the Platinum Sponsor of the States Organization for Boating Access Education and Training Symposium happening now in Providence, RI.
As an experienced aluminum boat dock manufacturer, BoardSafe designs floating commercial docks, gangways, adaptive kayak launches, accessible fishing piers, pedestrian bridges, and other custom dock components to customer specifications. BoardSafe takes great pride in manufacturing environmentally friendly, safe, and low-maintenance boat docks and dock components that retain their strong structural integrity and fully comply with ADA regulations when required. All BoardSafe products are manufactured in the USA.
Management has over 30 years of high-end construction experience, and their expertise and attention to detail have made BoardSafe a trusted aluminum dock provider for high-profile marinas, water trails, rowing centers, and water access projects.
BoardSafe strives to be environmentally friendly in all our operations. Our materials are selected for their durability and sustainability. We design systems that do not hinder the surrounding ecosystem of plant and animal life. Our quick and quality installation process reduces the on-site presence of heavy equipment, and we do it right the first time.
Tom Warchol, who leads Business Development at BoardSafe Docks, will be a featured speaker at this year’s symposium. Growing up in the Adirondack region of New York State, Tom spent a considerable amount of his youth kayaking and canoeing the rivers and lakes of the area and developed a desire to work in an industry that promoted marine and wilderness access. He graduated from Clarkson University with a degree in mechanical engineering and has spent his professional career designing and developing large infrastructure projects. These projects include nationwide telecommunication networks, global work for the United Nations, and marine infrastructure throughout the US. Being a partner at BoardSafe Docks allows him to work with incredible customers who share the same passions for adventure and improving marine access for all looking to get out on the water and connect with nature.
Learn more about us at the BoardSafe Docks website: boardsafedocks.com.
BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch at Reelfoot Lake State Park, TN
Reelfoot Lake State Park in Tipton, Tennessee, recently installed a BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak launch at Kirby Pocket. This new addition improves accessibility for all visitors, especially those with disabilities or limited mobility, allowing everyone to enjoy kayaking on the lake.
For those interested in visiting the park, its GPS Coordinates are: 36.363, - 89.4327, and the Park Office / Visitor Center (731-253-9652) is located at 2595 Hwy 21 E, Tiptonville, TN 38079.
Reelfoot Lake State Park, located in the northwest corner of Tennessee, is a popular spot for fishing, boating, and wildlife viewing. Their website tells its history, describing how the 15,000-acre lake was created by a series of violent earthquakes between 1811–1812, which caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a short period of time, creating the lake.
The park’s ecosystem is unlike any other place in Tennessee. Reelfoot Lake is a flooded forest. While Majestic Cypress trees rise above the water, below the surface are many submerged Cypress stumps. A variety of aquatic plants and flowers occupy the shoreline and are found along the shallow water. The lake harbors almost every kind of shore and wading bird, as well as golden and American bald eagles.
A BoardSafe Accessible Kayak Launch added to this location will complement the green space and offer significant benefits by enhancing accessibility and safety for all paddlers, including those with disabilities or in wheelchairs. A BoardSafe system promotes inclusivity, community engagement, and can even boost local economies through increased tourism. Everyone will be afforded the opportunity to connect with nature and the beauty and uniqueness of the park.
The benefits of a BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch are known to provide paddlers of all abilities:
Enhanced Accessibility
BoardSafe launches are designed with adaptive features like gangways, chutes, and tiered benches, making it easier for individuals with mobility impairments, including those in wheelchairs, to enter and exit kayaks.
Improved Safety
Features like non-slip surfaces, overhead grab bars, grab straps, pull bars, and stable platforms reduce the risk of falls and accidents, creating a safer environment for all users.
Increased Confidence
The design of the launch system provides a sense of security and stability, holding the kayak steady in the chute, allowing paddlers to focus on enjoying their experience rather than worrying about tipping when getting in and out of the kayak.
Greater Independence
Adaptive features empower individuals with disabilities to participate more fully in kayaking, fostering a sense of independence and freedom.
When learning about the launch, kayaker Sherrye Clark, offered her thanks to those who thought of it and the ones who built it. “You’ve brought potential joy to some people who are otherwise excluded.”
Lori Stephens Skelton remarked, “I just watched the instructional video, that is just too cool!”
Benefits of working with BoardSafe Docks
BoardSafe is the trusted leader in accessible waterfront recreation products and services. We are known for our customer service and the ability to customize waterfront systems to meet the specific needs of a community, and for being able to offer different dock configurations and layouts, gangway lengths, and adaptive features.
The durable aluminum framing and extrusions and composite decking ensure that the launch system is weather-resistant and low-maintenance.
While the cost of an adaptive launch can vary depending on the size of the floating dock, the length of the gangway, its features, and customization, the long-term benefits for the community often outweigh the initial investment.
This project highlights some of the ongoing efforts of Tennessee State Parks to partner with design experts like BoardSafe Docks to enhance accessibility and remove barriers to access across their parks.
Tennessee State Parks are known for their unspoiled beauty, preserved historic sites, and breathtaking scenery for kayaking, fishing, and boating. Finding and eliminating barriers is their goal while creating an outdoors that is for everyone and ensuring that everyone can connect with nature and with the water. BoardSafe Docks is an established, trusted expert who has designed, engineered, manufactured, and installed recreational water access systems throughout the state of Tennessee and across the country.
For more information about this project or others, please contact us through our website at BoardSafeDocks.com or give us a call at 610-899-0826.
Accessible Kayaking at Seven Islands State Birding Park, TN
Carley Pearson, ADA Coordinator for Knox County, TN, demonstrates the features she uses at the BoardSafe Accessible Kayak and Canoe Launch located at Seven Islands State Birding Park in Kodak, TN.
🎥 Watch Carley in the full video here: fb.watch/BkGlsjJJCL.
Eric Collins, Park Manager at Seven Islands, shared, “I don’t think people understand the impact until they see it being used.” He spoke positively about Tennessee’s ongoing efforts to make its state parks accessible to all.
Tennessee’s Access 2030 Initiative
Access 2030 is a statewide initiative aimed at making Tennessee State Parks the most accessible in the country by the year 2030. The program focuses on removing barriers and providing inclusive outdoor experiences for every visitor.
Park improvements under this initiative include:
- wheelchair-accessible parking, trails, and overlooks.
- all-terrain wheelchairs at 22 state parks (including 11 in Middle Tennessee).
- colorblind viewer scopes.
- BoardSafe’s accessible products, such as kayak and canoe launches, ADA-compliant gangways, pedestrian bridges, fishing piers, and courtesy boat docks.
Each state park now has a dedicated webpage highlighting accessibility features, along with helpful online resources like educational program request forms.
Tennessee State Parks has partnered with accessibility leaders such as Sunrise Medical, which provides all-terrain wheelchairs at select parks, and BoardSafe Docks, a marine access specialist known for designing and building inclusive, ADA-compliant water access systems.
BoardSafe’s Commitment to Accessibility and Our Partners
What sets BoardSafe Docks apart is our comprehensive, consultative approach, offering design, manufacturing, and installation services tailored to improve access for all. BoardSafe works closely with TN key partners, including:
- Tennessee State Parks.
- Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.
- Tennessee RiverLine.
- Tennessee Blueways.
- Legacy Parks Foundation.
The Tennessee State Parks Conservancy plays a crucial role in supporting these accessibility efforts through fundraising and project support. Together with partners like BoardSafe Docks, they’re ensuring that outdoor and on-water adventures are accessible to everyone now and in the years to come.
BoardSafeDocks is honored to be an accessibility expert and partner, creating accessible adventures for all who want to access the water. To learn more about BoardSafeDocks, our products, our impact, and our role in education and advocacy, give us a call at 610-899-0286 or contact us through our website at BoardSafeDocks.com.
BoardSafe Docks Honored by Recent Review of Adaptive Kayak Launch
BoardSafe Docks is honored by Tara Shett’s recent review of our Adaptive Kayak Launch, featured in her YouTube video: Can disabled people kayak? #wheelchair
Tara is a T11/12 paraplegic ♿️, wheelchair user, disability advocate, digital creator, and occupational therapy assistant. In her honest and inspiring video review, she shares her firsthand experience using the BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch in Fairport, NY, along the historic Erie Canal.
The Erie Canal Boat Company in Fairport Village is home to one of our Adaptive Kayak Launches and offers a wide range of adaptive equipment, including the SureHands Body Support Lift, backrests, outriggers, adaptive paddles, and other custom modifications designed by Kevin Carr of Creating Ability. Together, these features provide adaptive paddlers with the tools and confidence to enjoy the water independently and safely.
Tara shares her personal journey living with a spinal cord injury sustained four years ago. Her content highlights both the challenges and triumphs of navigating life, work, and recreation from a seated position. Her mission is clear: to raise awareness and reshape perceptions of what it means to live life on wheels.
Tara’s heartfelt endorsement of our launch is a reminder that everyone deserves equal access to nature and recreation. We encourage you to follow Tara and support her advocacy for a more inclusive world, one where tourism, recreation, and public spaces welcome all abilities.
🔗 Follow and support Tara Shett:
- Facebook: Tara Shett
- Instagram: @tara_shett
- YouTube: @ParaTara
“Life doesn’t end when you become seated.” — Tara Shett
#ErieCanalBoatCompany #RochesterAccessibleAdventures
#BoardSafeDocks #CreatingAbility @TaraShett
#DisabilityAdvocacy #AdaptiveKayaking #SpinalCordInjury
#AccessibleRecreation #UniversalAccess
#InclusionIsGoodBusiness