Wanting to Modify a Mono Hull Yacht for Wheelchair Access

I know you said your marina doesn't have multihull facilities, but a Farrier trimaran will fold up to fit into a normal slip. More than once, I've found it's been the difference between getting into a marina or having to anchor out. The distance between the dock and the cockpit is what I've seen is the major obstacle to getting a paraplegic aboard a trimaran, and folding brings the main hull close to the dock.

But, given that you've said you want a monohull, are you sure a wheelchair is really compatible with the boat? I've had a lot of discussions with a friend who's a paraplegic (almost a quad) about sailboat access, and we've never seriously considered a wheelchair. We've kicked around a lot of ideas about how we might use something like a hang-glider harness to suspend him from a halyard. Or use the boom to lift and traverse him aboard. The harness could be transferred to a traveler car mounted on the underside of the cabin roof to allow him to move within the cabin.

We've never got to the point of actually implementing anything, though.

 

Seating a Wheelchair

Hi Tspeer

The wheelchair won't be used on board but I'll be swinging onto yacht in a harness on the boom. Then I'll have a GRP seat that will then swing into a crew or skipper location for sailing. To access the cabin, I'll again connect hoist onto boom and lower onto seat inside cabin.

A folding tri concept has been discussed with another boat designer but current costs and desire to Club Race has precluded that option at the moment.

 

wheelchair access

Hi Cool,

I've bought a Bavaria 38 and will modify her for a paraplegic sailor (me). It was interesting reading about your approaches. Have you been able to fit a lift? do you have a design for the gymballed seat?
thanks
Tony

 

A Bavaria 38, NICE...I'm jealous.

I've got the seat half made, chanfged my design from gimballing as I felt it may be unstable (not good for our balance) to one that can roll from side to side (leward or windward, depending on sailing conditions, and then with a swivel seat base attached to GRP seat shell at an angle to allow canting and facing forwards.

Yet to build frame to mount in yacht yet but that will happen soon. New design will be easier to adapt to existing yachts too, (I hope).

Swing in off boom topping lift and sliding track under boom allows sliding down boom into cabin. Use a portable electric hoist but you'd probably be fine with a set of blocks with cleat to lower.

Happy safe sailing.

Colin from Oz

 

one-of-kind wheelchair accessible yacht

I thought you might be interested to know about a one-of-kind wheelchair accessible yacht, called "Uri".

The Uri is a true blue-water motorsailer, uniquely designed to be operated and enjoyed by a wheelchair-bound paraplegic, and it was conceived and commissioned by a paraplegic.

For photo and more information about this state-of-the-art super-yacht please contact me or visit our website: http://wheelchairsailing.com/


Warm regards,

Michelle

 

Yacht modified ans sailing

Just thought I'd let you all know that my modifications are mostly done.

Seat design works well and I swing onto the boat, and into the rotated seat from a portable winch on the boom end. Seat pivots on the steering column and can be tacked to upwind or downwind. Seat also swivels with the swivel at an angle that gives a canting seat. So I can be seated on upwind side with seat canted to upright to counteract heel of sailing yacht. Works well but need to refine rope adjusting system so it is easier to trim and then I need a windy day to try the seat canted to give upright seat on heel.n

I have a high seated position so can easily see over cabin top and seat rotates right around rear deck and seats to allow easy drop into seat from boom end. Boom has a track underneath to allow me to slide forward in lifting sling to drop down into cabin too.

I've had hydraulic steering installed - great as it only requires a small wheel above my lap and is light yet gives feedback without dragging me around.

Diesel has been replaced by an electric 5Kw motor, so motoring in/out of pen is easy and no smelly diesel on board. Charging is via a wind gen or shore power.

I'll post some photos when I get the chance but the first shakedown sail was in very light winds that died out so motored back about 5km. Sails will need replacing but wasn't going to do that till I determined any changes I'd want to size and shape.

 

Google.... Shake A Leg, Newport RI. Its an organization specializing in what you need. A few years ago they ran a design competition.

Many innovative ideas. Worth a look. Also Worth contacting sailors affiliated with the organization for ideas.

 

Thanks Michael but I've talked with Shake a Leg for years now (now Sail to Prevail), along with many other sailors who have disabilities, and those with electric motors.

I've been working on this since 2008, from my own funds. I'm also an ex-International disabled sailing competitor and still a Member of the IFDS Technical Committee, of which I was Chairman from 2007 for a number of years.

"Sailability" and "Sail to Prevail" are excellent sources for disabled sailors who may read this thread though, so that is important.

 

Ive worked as a yacht captain for the past 40 years. Im sailing right now.

On this boat...a 75 footer I have serveral limited mobility guests each year.

On the boat its not a problem.

Getting on and off the boat is the issue.

A well thought out system is required.

At the dock I frequenty use the inflatable rib, then transport the guests to the nearest low floating pontoon, rather than a boarding plank from the yacht to the cement quay.


Much safer to fall into a rubber rib.

The swim platform and reboarding the yacht after a swim is also a challenge. I use a two meter long lightwieght plank. Inboard end hindged on the swim platform, with a rubber yacht fende runder the outboard end....a launching ramp. The guest loads onto the ramp...I hoist the ramp horizontal to the water with the mainhalyard and they shuffle along the horizontal plank untill they are on the swim platform.

Works OK

 

Thanks Michael

All great ideas and comments and relevant to those setting up programs.

My parameters were a manageable 25-30ft yacht (sails to big unless power furling over that size) that was affordable and I was willing to chop into if required (and have). I wanted a yacht I could skipper with one or two crew/family/friends, sail around, Club Race etc in protected waters (not ocean).

Because I was self funding also needed to be cheap - hasn't been as cheap as I'd have liked but hasn't broken me yet...

I started this thread for sailors wanting to modify their own yachts for access as we're all getting older, not JUST WHEELCHAIR users, to collect ideas, like you have presented to assist and I appreciate your input.

I wanted to move to a keelboat as I was tired of competing in a solo yacht and wanted a more substantial yacht to semi cruise in.