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Steve
 
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Default Converting boat for wheelchair access

Regardless of the boat size, I would recommend additional floatation on the
wheel chair if the person is belted in.. A personal life jacket wouldn't be
enough to support the wheel chair as well. Even if the person isn't belted
in, the floatation could save the wheel chair from being lost, seperate from
the person.

I agree with others that a 14' boat might be too small for the person in a
wheel chair. The boat thwarts would create a problem possition the chair.

You might consider taking this person, just as a passenger and rig one seat
that will properly support him/her. Leave the wheel chair on the dock or
back in the car.

Any one who has assisted a handicaped person in and out of a bath should
know how to do this well enough to work out a system for getting in and out
of a boat.

At my marina there is a an old 'tug' like boat, about 25 ft that used a
wheel chair ramp to get the owner onboard, however the slip fingers aren't
wide enough for the ramp so the crew motors the boat to another wide
visitors dock so they can use the ramp.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions