Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is a 1.5-mile public beach and city park in Jacksonville, Florida. In April 2019, the City of Jacksonville received and installed its new BoardSafe adaptive kayak launch. Many community advocates had pushed for a long time to get an accessible launch. Now that they have…
The City of Jacksonville and Brooks Rehabilitation have teamed up with BoardSafe's adaptive kayak launch to provide accessibility to residents with disabilities in Florida. Jacksonville's Adaptive Recreation Program is hosting clinics around the city to educate and encourage residents with disabilities to enjoy kayaking. One of the clinics will be…
Like any sport, rowing is competitive. Not only is there competition in the water, but there is also competition out of the water. Temple University's rowing coach says that they have the best rowing dock in Philadelphia. We concur because we believe that we design and manufacture the…
Bethlehem-based insurance carrier, HMK Insurance, featured their client BoardSafe Docks and gave them accolades for their dedication to making aquatic sports and activities more accessible. Below is a snippet of the article: HMK Client Spotlight: Northeast Products & Services Inc. How does one manufacture state-of-the-art aluminum boating docks…
Many outdoors lovers arrive at a local state park, lake, or waterfront, and find an accessible kayak launch. The launch is intriguing to them, and they wonder how it works, who uses it, and how it was built. Below are some photos of the step-by-step process of the…
Sirenia Vista State Park in Cape Coral, Florida, is an 8-acre environmental park, known as a great place to enjoy viewing manatees. It is also a favorite fishing area for locals. The park is undergoing a series of upgrades. The Phase I enhancements have been completed and include…
Dartmouth Maritime Center recently had its gangway and floating docks destroyed by severe weather. BoardSafe Docks was called to manufacture the aluminum floating docks and aluminum gangway for the downtown. Three 8' x 30' aluminum floating docks were manufactured and delivered, as well as one 4' x 40'…
Here is another time lapse video of the adaptive and accessible kayak launch being installed at the boat launch. In January 2019, BoardSafe's first adaptive and accessible kayak launch was installed at Cape Coral in Florida. Below is a time-lapse video of the aluminum gangway, aluminum floating dock,…
Not all docks are created equal. Just as there is a multitude of outdoor activities that one can enjoy at a lake, river, marsh, or other waterfront, there is a plethora of equipment options to help you enjoy those activities.
Rowing docks are docks especially designed for rowing, sculling, crewing, or paddling. Oftentimes, rowing centers are built on lakes and rivers and managed by universities, rowing clubs, or government agencies (local municipalities, parks, etc.).
We often receive phone calls asking, “What is low profile or freeboard for rowing docks?”
Those not familiar with rowing, sailing, and other aquatic sports, often ask, “What is a low profile dock?” or “What is freeboard?” This is a very important quality of an aluminum floating dock for rowing centers and a vital consideration when designing a rowing center.
Imagine boarding or exiting a boat or a boat’s cockpit. The larger the height differential between the rowing dock and the boat, the more difficult it is to get in and out of a boat. Factor in a poorly-designed floating dock that is unstable, as well as a boat floating on choppy water. Moving from dock to boat becomes increasingly difficult, especially when the rower is squeezing into a narrow racing shell with other rowers also moving about. Rowing is best enjoyed without falling in!