BoardSafe News at the Mariners' Museum, Newport News, VA
In early March of 2022. the following project was installed at the Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, VA. The client had a fixed pier with steps that lead to a floating dock. The floating dock was removed and a new pressure-treated ramp was installed by the customer on top of the pier, which then provided ADA-compliant egress to the dock. We then added an 8-foot-by-5-foot gangway, 8’ x 16’ floating dock, and Clip-a-Launch 16D (without an adaptive boarding kit). The cost of this project was approximately $27,000.00 (manufacturing only).
New Truly Adaptive Launch at Medina on the Erie Canal
The first challenge identified by BoardSafe Docks was that the existing gangway didn't conform to ADA guidelines and was greater than a 1/12 slope. To correct this issue, a landing was constructed for the existing gangway to rest on and a second gangway added to connect from that platform to the floating dock.
This concept was a cost savings for Mayor Mike Sidari in the Village of Medina because BoardSafe recognized they were able to use their existing gangway and not replace it with a more costly gangway. A replacement gangway would have been nearly 70-feet long.
The adaptive kayak launch in Medina was designed to attach to the customer’s existing floating marina. The marina’s freeboard was 16 inches, and the same height as a standard BoardSafe Dock. BoardSafe was able to size the docks and configure the launch to fit onto the downriver side of their dock system.
The components of this project included a customized landing platform for their existing gangway, a new 30-foot aluminum welded gangway, two 5' x 10' floating docks, one 8' x 20' floating dock, and one Clip-a-Launch 20S with a single side entry.
The cost of this project was approximately $65,000.
The BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch appeals to adaptive paddlers and will help the village of Medina continue to grow as a tourist destination because of its accessibility to the water, downtown historic district, and painted murals project located behind their historic downtown buildings.
Read more about BoardSafe's exclusive adaptive products here.
Fairport on the Erie Canal Welcomes Adaptive Paddlers
The Village of Fairport is proudly equipped with a custom BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch, part of a complete waterfront redesign at its Erie Canal’s entry point. GPI, the design engineer on the project, sought out BoardSafe Docks for their assistance in developing a design solution that would fit the adaptive launch into a designated space that rests next to their newly-designed boat ramp.
The launch system was designed with a concrete trench at the top of the launch that allowed for the installation of the bulkhead angle and related hinge pin. This space allowed the pin to be removed for an easy installation.
The customized scope of this project included an 8-foot-wide gangway that fit into the designated launch space. The chute was also designed to be 8 feet. The launch included an 8-foot by 20-foot floating dock and Clip-A-Launch 20S (designed for entry from one end). The cost of this project was $50,000 and was installed at the location of the Erie Boat Company, Inc., operated by Peter Abele.
The Erie Canal Boat Company offers kayak rentals and excursions on the Erie Canal and also has associated walking and bike trails along the canal. Their accessible boat company offers kayak, canoe, paddle board, pontoon, and bicycle rentals to people of all abilities.
The Erie Canal Boat Company is a recognized supporter of, and partner with, Rochester Accessible Adventures and the Adaptive Paddling And Cycling Centers (APACC) in the Upstate New York Regions. Together they host accessible paddle days, offer training, equipment, and inclusive programming to transform the Erie Canalway.
Anita O’Brien, Executive Director of RAA, has a mission to ensure that people with disabilities who live or travel in the region have access to equipment and have the ability to enter the water as safely and easily as they deserve. She wants everyone to experience the greatness of the Erie Canalway alongside their family and friends. Anita O’Brien is currently working with BoardSafe to get more of their adaptive launches installed along the canal.
The BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch supported the Erie Canal Boat Company in their mission and has helped make Fairport an inclusive destination for paddlers of all abilities. Tourism is on the rise in Fairport, which is becoming recognized as an inclusive destination. Read more about BoardSafe's exclusive adaptive products here.
Take a video tour of the Fairport accessible kayak launch below.
Brockport's Paddling on the Erie Canal Is Truly Inclusive
The Village of Brockport installed its BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch in June 2021 to accommodate truly inclusive paddling. The adaptive system is located in downtown Brockport along the Erie Canal. One of the challenges for this project was a nearly 20-foot-high concrete wall along the entire area, meaning the gangway for this project needed to be engineered from the walkway along the wall and down to the dock.
There has been a tremendous increase in kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding over the last several years. COVID has added to paddlesports’ popularity. Visitor research completed for the Erie Canalway National Corridor in 2017 reported that 42% of visitors would like to canoe or kayak on the canal. You can see the presentation below:
Erie_Canalway-Visitor_Research.pdf
In the years since that research study has been completed, it’s very likely the percentage of visitors interested in paddling the canal has increased. However, most small towns have not improved their canal access points or made provisions to include the disabled community. Launches that have not been improved and launches that have been built in accordance with minimum ADA standards still exclude a large group of adaptive paddlers. Adaptive paddlers require a launch with specific adaptive features. Adaptive athletes find great joy in getting into their vessel and out onto the water with their family and friends.
Read more about BoardSafe's exclusive adaptive products here.
Since the canal is considered a "navigable waterway,” the Erie Canal Corporation stipulated the entire dock system could only project a minimal distance into the canal. BoardSafe Docks identified a design solution that included a cantilevered walkway with support arms attached to the concrete wall. The walkway provided the solution as well as the necessary attachment point for the gangway that ran parallel to the concrete wall and attached to the floating dock. The adaptive launch was attached to the opposite end, allowing for safer and easier access for persons in wheelchairs.
A second challenge at this site was keeping the dock system in place. BoardSafe analyzed the options and recommended that two vertical I-Beam pilings be bolted to the concrete wall and piling guides be attached to the floating dock. This solution allowed the dock system to move up and down as the water level fluctuated, keeping the dock in the same position in relation to the concrete wall.
This custom project included a 5' x 6' landing, a 4' x 16' gangway, one 8' x 20’ floating dock, one Clip-a-Launch 16Dual that allows entry from both sides, and two custom I-Beam pilings and piling guides.
The total cost of this project was about $45,000.
Brockport is on the National Register of Historic Places and is known for its Victorian downtown district. The College at Brockport, State University of NY, is also located here and is recognized for offering the first Adaptive Physical Education Program in the country. It’s fitting that the Village of Brockport understands the need for equity and inclusion in providing an accessible waterfront and saw value in the BoardSafe Adaptive kayak launch with specific adaptive features, ensuring that paddlers of all abilities can experience the joys of paddling the Erie Canal.
Read a local article about the installation here.
BoardSafe Docks Improves Accessibility for Adaptive Paddling Along the Erie Canal
Hospitality and heritage bring hundreds of thousands of tourists to the Erie Canal each summer. They come from near and they come from far, attracted to the region by different activities: biking, paddling, camping, hiking, shopping, sight-seeing, or simply to refresh and resolve to do absolutely nothing. The tourists are as diverse as the region itself. This includes a diverse range of personal mobility — some hindered by age and arthritis, others living with significant disabilities. As a tourist, there is nothing worse than having your group — whether family or friends — fragmented because one member in the group is unable to access a particular location. Everyone in the tourism industry knows the importance of being hospitable, and this includes accommodating those with disabilities.
As the Erie Canal Heritage Corridor strives to better accommodate all visitors, many local leaders have recognized the popularity of paddling and the need to provide safe and convenient access in and out of the water. The recent addition of three adaptive kayak launches has improved accessibility for the adaptive paddling community and all visitors hoping to paddle the historic canal.
BoardSafe Docks is the manufacturer of the adaptive kayak launch, an industry leader in customized marine access products. BoardSafe Docks’ inclusive design allows for persons in wheelchairs to safely transition into their kayak and out on the water. It also ensures that groups of family and friends paddle together.
The launch system has been engineered with specific adaptive features that have improved the paddling experience for the widest range of users. The launch can also be used with canoes and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), making it a versatile option for towns, communities, and park systems looking for a truly inclusive launch.
Read "Who can use the BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch?"
The Story of the Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is one of the greatest civil engineering feats in our nation’s history. Nestled along the Erie Canal are 234 cities, towns, and villages that touch New York’s 524 miles of navigable waterways. The identities of its communities are all tied to their canal heritage. Historically, the Erie Canal created an economic structure by connecting its small canal towns, opening a water route to the midwest, and allowing for cheaper transportation of goods. The canal provided new opportunities for work and life for Americans living along the canal corridor. The waterway created a social connectedness between villages and served as the information highway for that era. The canal also became instrumental for social reform.
Today, the Erie Canal corridor is a national heritage landmark and a national treasure for each village because of its help in shaping American history. History and tourism are the crown jewels of each canal town. In-water activities offered along the canal corridor — specifically, paddlesports like kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding — offer a positive contribution to each town’s economy.
Tourism and paddling on the Erie Canal
There has been a tremendous increase in kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding over the last several years. COVID has added to paddlesports’ popularity. Visitor research completed for the Erie Canalway National Corridor in 2017 reported that 42% of visitors would like to canoe or kayak on the canal.
Erie_Canalway-Visitor_Research.pdf
In the years since that research study has been completed, it’s very likely the percentage of visitors interested in paddling the canal has increased. However, most small towns have not improved their canal access points or made provisions to include the disabled community. Launches that have not been improved and launches that have been built in accordance with minimum ADA standards still exclude a large group of adaptive paddlers. Adaptive paddlers require a launch with specific adaptive features. Adaptive athletes find great joy in getting into their vessel and out onto the water with their family and friends.
Providing accessibility for all abilities
Why paddle the Erie Canal?
Kayaking and other paddle sports are great options for visiting tourists who want to experience life on the water in the small canal towns. Fishing, relaxation, fun, and family, were the answers most often given when kayakers were asked about what draws them to the water. Kayaking allows for those who love the water to get out onto the water for less money than the cost of boating.
"We kind of just like going at our own pace, it's peaceful, and you can take kayaks into places you can't take other boats," said a paddler who used the Fairport Village Launch operated by the Erie Boat Company.
Benefits of a BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch
The Village of Fairport is proudly equipped with a custom BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch, part of a complete waterfront redesign at its Erie Canal’s entry point. GPI, the design engineer on the project, sought out BoardSafe Docks for their assistance in developing a design solution that would fit the adaptive launch into a designated space that rests next to their newly-designed boat ramp.
The launch system was designed with a concrete trench at the top of the launch that allowed for the installation of the bulkhead angle and related hinge pin. This space allowed the pin to be removed for an easy installation.
The customized scope of this project included an 8-foot-wide gangway that fit into the designated launch space. The chute was also designed to be 8 feet. The launch included an 8-foot by 20-foot floating dock and Clip-A-Launch 20S (designed for entry from one end). The cost of this project was $50,000 and was installed at the location of the Erie Boat Company, Inc., operated by Peter Abele.
The Erie Canal Boat Company offers kayak rentals and excursions on the Erie Canal and also has associated walking and bike trails along the canal. Their accessible boat company offers kayak, canoe, paddle board, pontoon, and bicycle rentals to people of all abilities.
The Erie Canal Boat Company is a recognized supporter of, and partner with, Rochester Accessible Adventures and the Adaptive Paddling And Cycling Centers (APACC) in the Upstate New York Regions. Together they host accessible paddle days, offer training, equipment, and inclusive programming to transform the Erie Canalway. Anita O’Brien, Executive Director of RAA, has a mission to ensure that people with disabilities who live or travel in the region have access to equipment and have the ability to enter the water as safely and easily as they deserve. She wants everyone to experience the greatness of the Erie Canalway alongside their family and friends. Anita O’Brien is currently working with BoardSafe to get more of their adaptive launches installed along the canal.
The BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch supported the Erie Canal Boat Company in their mission and has helped make Fairport an inclusive destination for paddlers of all abilities. Tourism is on the rise in Fairport, which is becoming recognized as an inclusive destination.
The Village of Brockport installed their BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch in June 2021. The adaptive system is located in downtown Brockport along the Erie Canal. One of the challenges for this project was a nearly 20-foot-high concrete wall along the entire area, meaning the gangway for this project needed to be engineered from the walkway along the wall and down to the dock.
Since the canal is considered a "navigable waterway,” the Erie Canal Corporation stipulated the entire dock system could only project a minimal distance into the canal. BoardSafe Docks identified a design solution that included a cantilevered walkway with support arms attached to the concrete wall. The walkway provided the solution as well as the necessary attachment point for the gangway that ran parallel to the concrete wall and attached to the floating dock. The adaptive launch was attached to the opposite end, allowing for safer and easier access for persons in wheelchairs.
A second challenge at this site was keeping the dock system in place. BoardSafe analyzed the options and recommended that two vertical I-Beam pilings be bolted to the concrete wall and piling guides be attached to the floating dock. This solution allowed the dock system to move up and down as the water level fluctuated, keeping the dock in the same position in relation to the concrete wall.
This custom project included a 5' x 6' landing, a 4' x 16' gangway, one 8' x 20’ floating dock, one Clip-a-Launch 16Dual that allows entry from both sides, and two custom I-Beam pilings and piling guides.
The total cost of this project was about $45,000.
Brockport is on the National Register of Historic Places and is known for its Victorian downtown district. The College at Brockport, State University of NY, is also located here and is recognized for offering the first Adaptive Physical Education Program in the country. It’s fitting that the Village of Brockport understands the need for equity and inclusion in providing an accessible waterfront and saw value in the BoardSafe Adaptive kayak launch with specific adaptive features, ensuring that paddlers of all abilities can experience the joys of paddling the Erie Canal.
The Village of Medina installed a customized BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch, Floating Docks, Gangway, and Landing, completed in September 2021.
The first challenge identified by BoardSafe Docks was that the existing gangway didn't conform to ADA guidelines and was greater than a 1/12 slope. To correct this issue, a landing was constructed for the existing gangway to rest on and a second gangway added to connect from that platform to the floating dock. This concept was a cost savings for Mayor Mike Sidari in the Village of Medina because BoardSafe recognized they were able to use their existing gangway and not replace it with a more costly gangway. A replacement gangway would have been nearly 70-feet long.
The adaptive kayak launch in Medina was designed to attach to the customer’s existing floating marina. The marina’s freeboard was 16 inches, and the same height of a standard BoardSafe Dock. BoardSafe was able to size the docks and configure the launch to fit onto the downriver side of their dock system.
The components of this project included a customized landing platform for their existing gangway, a new 30-foot aluminum welded gangway, two 5' x 10' floating docks, one 8' x 20' floating dock, and one Clip-a-Launch 20S with a single side entry.
The cost of this project was approximately $65,000.
The BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch appeals to adaptive paddlers and will help the village of Medina continue to grow as a tourist destination because of its accessibility to the water, downtown historic district, and painted murals project located behind their historic downtown buildings.
Although the needs and challenges of these three villages are all very unique and different, BoardSafe Docks was able to evaluate their needs and identify a solution to create an accessible launch system that includes specific features that will work for an adaptive paddler.
Build one and they will come
In addition to helping Erie Canal communities boost tourism and revenue, More Features = More Paddlers. Adaptive launches serve a wide range of paddling groups, making it safer and easier to enter and exit the vessel and the water. Adaptive launches are all about inclusion and human rights. Launches with specialized features increase social connection for adaptive paddlers and offer physical activity to contribute to the best medical outcomes. The Erie Canal has a great history for improving the lives of Americans who lived and worked on the canal and contributed to social reform. Today, the canal and villages have the ability to continue this work and ensure their launches are available to and accessible for everyone.
BoardSafe Docks is the industry leader in adaptive kayak launches and fishing piers, gangways and pedestrian bridges, rowing centers, and marinas. They specialize in design consultation, engineering, and manufacturing, and will work with you to ensure your project is accessible to the widest range of users and that necessary specific adaptive features are not overlooked.
You may learn more about BoardSafe Dock’s projects through our website at BoardSafeDocks.com or by calling 610-899-0286.
Durable Floating Docks and Launches Endure Frozen Lakes, Ice, and Winter Elements
People who enjoy water sports are often subject to climates and locations that experience winter conditions.
For example, people in New England and the Midwest face extremes of heatwaves and frigid blizzards. Many of our clients in these areas are concerned about protecting their floating docks, fishing piers, gangways, and adaptive accessible kayak launches. Parks and outdoor spaces must winterize their areas by putting items into storage, placing covers on items, and spending time to protect objects against the harshness of winter. Many customers ask if BoardSafe products need to be removed from the water and stored during the winter. The short answer is, “No, Board Safe’s floating docks, fishing piers, gangways, and adaptive accessible kayak launches do not necessarily need to be removed for the winter.”
BoardSafe’s products use high-quality grades of stainless steel, synthetic lumber, fiberglass, hardware, and other materials that are selected for their durability and ability to withstand extreme winter elements.
BoardSafe products are engineered and manufactured to perform well on rivers and tidal waters and can support various loads of spectators and athletes at rowing centers. BoardSafe takes special care to design products that are sturdy and can withstand both the elements and heavy use. Athletes in the northern United States and Canada will be happy to know that Board Safe’s docks and launches can remain in the water for the winter as long as the water levels do not fluctuate and there are no ice pack movements. Unusual situations, like draining a lake or chunks of ice floating down a river, could result in damage to the product. That said, a floating dock, fishing pier, or adaptive launch, that has a steady level and flow of water around it, will endure the winter and can be left in the water.
Each location and application is different, and BoardSafe should be consulted prior to allowing products to sit in the water all winter. With hundreds of installations across numerous climates and environmental conditions, BoardSafe is an expert in location selection, site work, design, engineering, manufacturing, and installation of floating docks, piers, and adaptive launches.
To discuss your project and to learn more about BoardSafe Docks, call 610-899-0286.
Who Can Use the BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch?
We’re often asked, “Who can use the BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch?”
BoardSafe’s adaptive kayak launch is designed and manufactured with specific adaptive features that make it easy for paddlers in wheelchairs to access their kayaking vessel. The aluminum welded frame, side-by-side gangway and chute, roll cage with overhead grab bar, optional hand straps, and slide-down seat with pull-out bench, provide access in a safer and easier manner — for everyone.
These design features are engineered with adaptive paddlers in mind, who are often excluded from paddling due to their inability to get into their kayak without others physically lifting them into their vessel. BoardSafe closely considers its features so they work for paddlers who need to navigate from their wheelchair to their kayak so they can enjoy their time on the water. Without these adaptive features, adaptive paddlers could be stuck on land, excluded from the joys that kayaking brings.
Can the kayak launch be used by non-disabled paddlers?
Can anyone use it? Can it launch an SUP (stand-up paddle board)? Can it launch a canoe? The answer to all these questions is, “Yes, yes, yes, and yes!”
The adaptive features of the launch are specialized to provide accessibility for persons who have been restricted from participating in the past. BoardSafe’s responsibility, when designing, engineering, and manufacturing these launches, is to make them accessible to paddlers with the highest degree of need. The BoardSafe launch is an inclusive launch, and we want people to try it out. The best way is to load up the kayak, canoe, or SUP, head to the nearest launch, and experience its ease of use!
Our goal at BoardSafe Docks is to make adaptive kayak launches available to the widest range of users. The purpose of the launch is to include all paddlers — abled users and differently-abled — so they can enjoy the freedom and pleasures that being out on the water brings.
BoardSafe’s feedback from adaptive paddling groups reveals that although some launches call themselves “accessible” and are promoted as such, some launch designs have barriers that exclude users with higher needs of accommodation.
The features of the BoardSafe Launch can accommodate persons with limited mobility who depend on wheelchairs and other accessibility aids, such as crutches, braces, and prosthetics. There is ample room on the floating dock portion of the launch to move safely from chair to bench. Users can also safely store the wheelchair out of the way of incoming and outgoing paddlers during high usage times. Additionally, the spacious area surrounding the launch (including the small floating dock across the launch area proper with the underwater straddles) provides room for multiple persons to assist the adaptive paddler to enter and exit their boat. The decking of the launch is made from a variety of materials, from synthetic lumber to concrete to grated fiberglass, and all substrates are textured to provide non-slip footing.
The BoardSafe adaptive launch is great for more independent paddlers who may be hampered by arthritis, balance limitations, or cognitive delays, as well as beginners, children, and seniors. The chute and saddle provide stability that holds the vessel in place, and offer an overhead grab bar, optional hand straps, and pull bars, that are appropriately placed to provide a smooth entry into and exit from the water.
The saddle is designed to accept kayaks, and the loading area is wide enough and long enough to accommodate most canoes, allowing for the paddler’s choice of vessels.
The launch was redesigned in 2021 with a new, standard feature: the saddle of the launch.
The saddle now contains a center void to accommodate where the paddle board will sit in the saddle. Since Stand-Up Paddle Boards (SUP) are manufactured with a center rudder, the improved saddle allows SUP users to place their paddle board into the saddle like a kayak and canoe, offering the stability needed to launch the SUP from the same chute. This new enhanced design makes the launch even more appealing and versatile for paddlers who want to get outside and onto the water with their SUP.
BoardSafe Docks is the trusted designer, engineer, and manufacturer of aluminum floating docks, adaptive kayak launches and fishing piers, gangways, and pedestrian bridges. BoardSafe is also a recognized and respected designer and manufacturer of rowing centers for top national rowing teams. The sales team at BoardSafe Docks is always available for questions, consultation, and to assist you in finding your optimal waterfront solution and talking you through your challenges.
Click here to begin a tour of our adaptive products. Check out our website at BoardSafeDocks.com or give the sales and design team a call at 1-610- 899-0286.
You Need to Know This Before Purchasing an Adaptive Kayak Launch
It’s admirable when a community or organization recognizes the need to install an accessible kayak launch with adaptive features. However, there are many questions that need to be answered before the project can move forward. Funds for these types of projects are often hard to come by, so it’s critical to make sure your launch system meets the needs of everyone in your community who wishes to use it.
Kayaking has increased in popularity over the last several years, especially since the onset of COVID. Kayaking allows paddlers to enjoy the great outdoors and be together in a group while maintaining social and safe distancing. Adaptive athletes desire to be on the water with their able-bodied friends and family members. Kayaking has proved beneficial for an adaptive athlete’s physical and mental wellbeing and makes them feel included. It offers a sense of freedom they may not experience on land or in their wheelchair. The same challenges that exist for them on land also exist for them when trying to get into their kayak and out onto the water. A BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch with specific adaptive features offers park systems and communities the opportunity to shape the future of outdoor spaces, lifestyles, and quality of life for an adaptive paddler — and not just check off an “ADA Accessible” box.
A kayak launch is a big investment in your town, your lake, and your park system. This investment in your community should be inclusive of ALL paddlers. Over the years, the feedback we’ve received from adaptive paddlers is that there's nothing more disheartening than to travel to a site that promotes its facilities as “accessible,” yet is only accessible for some of the users and not inclusive of everyone who wishes to use the launch system.
While it’s encouraging to see so many leaders across many industries in the private and public sectors strive to create a more inclusive society, it’s paramount that the accessible products they select benefit the greatest number of users possible.
BoardSafe Docks is here for our customers and available to address the many different aspects of your project. We excel in finding solutions for your water entry challenges.
To ensure your launch system is truly accessible, we’ll work with you to design the specific adaptive features necessary for your launch. Our launches are not one-size-fits-all (which limits who can truly access the launch) but customized to fit your waterway.
BoardSafe’s Adaptive Kayak Launch Custom Features
- BoardSafe Docks will guide you with the length of your gangway to ensure it’s ADA compliant and no greater than a 1/12 pitch.
- We’ll help you decide if a kayak chute is necessary.
- The adaptive features of our adaptive kayak launch that are necessary for an adaptive paddler to enter and exit their vessel and the water are:
- gangway, chute and saddle launch that are customized to fit your point of entry into the water
- a protective toe kick that prohibits the wheelchair from accidentally sliding into the water
- a tiered boarding bench with pullout seat
- roll cage with overhead grab bar and optional hand straps
- pull bars located on both sides of the kayak saddle
- Construction using one or multiple floating dock sections
- BoardSafeDocks will assist you to find the best location for your adaptive kayak launch, whether it's on a lake, river, or waterway affected by tidal fluctuations and changing weather conditions.
- BoardSafe Docks can also evaluate an existing mounting location, such as a wooden pier or concrete foundation, and provide guidance if there’s no current infrastructure in place.
Over the years, BoardSafe has developed expertise in building adaptive kayak launches because it seeks the input of adaptive paddlers. From Day One, BoardSafe has engaged a focus group of spinal cord rehabilitation members, a local nonprofit for independent living, amputee groups, and other outdoor adaptive athletes. BoardSafe includes ideas and feedback from other adaptive paddler groups in order to improve the kayak launch product to meet all needs in the disability community. BoardSafe recommends that all prospects and clients desiring to offer an adaptive kayak launch in their community engage with local adaptive recreation groups and solicit their input to create the most equitable application for all.
Everyone should be aware that obtaining permits and approvals is usually necessary prior to installing a BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch. These may involve local, state, and federal (ACOE- Army Corps of Engineers) agencies.
BoardSafe Docks is the trusted designer, engineer, and manufacturer of aluminum floating docks, as well as the premier designer and manufacturer of rowing centers for top national rowing teams. Their sales team is always available for questions, consultation, and to assist you in finding your optimal waterfront solution.
Learn more about our projects at our website, BoardSafeDocks.com, or by calling us at 610-899-0286.
BoardSafe Adaptive Fishing Dock & Kayak Launch—McNeely Lake Park, Louisville, KY
McNeely Lake Park, Louisville, Kentucky, one of the largest in the Metro Parks system, features a scenic 46-acre fishing lake with an accessible pier and boat ramp that are owned by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Korean War Memorial is also in the park.
BoardSafe Docks recently installed an adaptive fishing dock and kayak launch to make this popular lake accessible to all.
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