RESOURCES
Access these and other water trail resources at
www.AmericanTrails.org/ resources/water.
Then add the depth of the deck plus the distance down to the kayak seat in the bottom of the floating kayak. That is the total distance a person will have to transfer down into their boat and on the return that person to move themselves back up that same distance into the seat of their wheelchair.
Docks and facilities
When you see commercial products for kayak or canoe launch site docks advertised as “ADA compliant,” or “Accessible,” keep in mind there are no accessibility standards for those water entry points. That rating is simply that company’s perspective. You need to be sure whether there are barriers with any dock system that might prevent some people from being able to launch their boats.
Railings and bars of any height often block access for those with wheel- chairs, walkers, or visual limitations. Transfer benches that are built into a dock system are only helpful for those who have a strong upper body and good balance. A transfer bench as well as steps can also block direct transfer from wheelchair, walker, or crutches into a carry-down watercraft. Chutes of various types require a companion with a strong back, or the paddler has to be able to get out and pull up their own boat. Caution: any
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devices with moving parts installed at a launch site need to always be main- tained and staffed.
So plan ahead, think broadly about the potential use of the launch site by a wide range of boaters or all ages and abilities. Good planning and design opens opportunities for all people to fully enjoy the environment from the water level.
Iowa Water Trails Toolkit: Practical guidance and with templates for planning, launch site design, sig- nage construction and more used on the Iowa Water Trails system. This excellent and practical resource is available online. It also includes clear, illustrated explanations concerning how best to situate a launch/landing area, especially where there are strong currents, risk of flooding and so forth.
NPS Prepare to Launch: An online guidebook for assessing, designing, and building carry-down watercraft launch sites.
Access Board’s Accessible Boating Facilities: An online technical assistance how-to guide for applying the accessible boat- ing facilities requirements.
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