wheelchair friendly models

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JerryTx
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wheelchair friendly models

#1 Post by JerryTx » Wed Jun 02, 2021 6:46 am

Howdy Folks,

If you saw my welcome post, you know I'm in a wheelchair and doing some research on good floorplans for me. We will also be building a boathouse on our lot, so I have to plan for docking ideas too. So far, all my research has just been online, so don't have any Dealer specific info, kinda hoping to buy used, but open for ideas if I could get the "perfect" boat.

First off, my plan is to get in/out from the port side gate, I think this gives me the best option for docking in the most places. I've seen the big loading ramps that you use from the front, both boat mounted and dock mounted, but I believe that limits me way too much. Here is the idea for the side gate ramp:

https://handiramp.com/sidekickramp.htm

It would be nice to find something similar and cheaper, but if any of y'all have had to deal with handicap specific items, you know they are always expensive. But if this ramp really works, and it looks like it would, then I will pay it, mobility ain't cheap. I would have to do something to make it look better when folded up, have a wheelchair skier or something painted on the bottom. This ramp also seems like it would be kind of "forgiving" for height differences on different docks, it can lay down, flat, or up a little, offering a better chance of docking at a restaurant or bar, and my sisters dock, besides just my own. I am a little confused on their measurements, looks backwards to me, more like 36" wide and 30" deep. I'll have to verify with them.

So, we get to my questions;

1. Do y'all know of any makes or models that have a 36" wide gate normally? Or is that always a special order.
2. What is your boats measurement from top of deck to water? Don't know if there is a term for this. I'm wondering how much variance there is between boats. I know there will be some difference by log dimensions but that should be pretty small.

This is just the start of my thoughts, got plenty to go yet...thanks

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Rick McC.
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#2 Post by Rick McC. » Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:09 pm

The front gate on the Bentley ‘toon we had was extra wide, though the side doors were plenty wide, too. I recall saying when we got it that “this thing’s pretty much ADA compliant!”
Rick

Sights are for the unenlightened.

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NonHyphenAmerican
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#3 Post by NonHyphenAmerican » Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:04 pm

Our 22' G3 SunCatcher is wheelchair friendly and the port side gate is wheelchair friendly.
We've actually utilized that feature.

It'd be fairly easy to remove the Captains Chair so you'd have access to the helm.

Ours is a 2013, so you'd have to check on newer models, but I'd bet they're wheelchair friendly as a "Standard".
[color=#FF0000][b]22' G3 SunCatcher V22F
Yamaha F-90
Tooning on El Dorado Reservoir[/b][/color]

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steve1313
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#4 Post by steve1313 » Fri Jun 04, 2021 4:34 am

My only concern about that ramp would be how you get it back up once you're in the boat. It looks like someone would have to lift it up from the shore, which might be problematic.

If it was me, I'd engineer a linear actuator that could raise and lower it at the touch of a button.
Steve
"Serendipity" - 2017 Sweetwater 2286 WB Tritoon w/ 150HP Yamaha
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bansil
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#5 Post by bansil » Sun Jun 06, 2021 7:57 am

Why not mount a wheelchair lift/crane on boat? I have seen a couple, basically it lifts chair and then swivels to dock, etc. All by a remote/pendant, Goodluck, hope to see on water pics :smoke
Check out "Dudes" site www.whereisdude.com

JerryTx
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Location: Dallas area

Re: wheelchair friendly models

#6 Post by JerryTx » Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:47 am

Thanks Everyone,

We were in Houston for a few days, had to do final cleanout of m-i-l's house, she passed awhile back, and it's been tough to get down there. We got done with everything we needed to do, and my sister and family came from Louisiana to pick up things we have no need of. So we got to visit with them too, made for a fun weekend. Just letting y'all know why my responses are delayed.

Rick McC - I had not looked at Bentley's, not sure how I missed them, thought I'd seen 'em all. Their fishing series looks pretty interesting, lots of room around the captains chair, the side gate looks close to wide enough. I added them to my list of possibles. Thanks

NonHyphenAmerican - yeah the SunCatchers look to be pretty darn accessible from the get-go. I'll have to find out the side gate widths. Thanks

Steve1313 - Yeah you're right, I'll have to add a cable attached to almost top edge, that way there'll be a "lanyard" that we can pull it back up, from inside the boat. Not sure I'm up for doing some ingenuity engineering, think I'll go old school. :) Thanks

Bansil - Partly for aesthetics and partly for simplicity. I had a big ol' lift for our pool to get in/out, it was battery powered, so take the battery pack off and recharge in the house. Problem was with the electronics that stayed outside, it started to deteriorate, lost a left/right motor, then the up motor, then the battery contacts rusted off and opened the casing to intrusion. I was done with repairing things.

That lift was in my wife's view of backyard for years, she'd probably kill me if I put one on the boat. :biggrin2 Thanks

I will definitely do some pics when I get it all together. But remember, that's probably a year from now....

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bansil
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#7 Post by bansil » Wed Jun 09, 2021 5:46 pm

It was kinda like this but range of vertical travel was different, it was taller and mounted on boat
Wheel up to boat, transfer to seat (not sure of your upper body strength) and onto boat and then transfer back to chair.
Then it folded down under side panels out of sight. He had multiple chairs, he would leave one on boat at times and other times they'd put it on boat for him.
Just ideas brother [https://medmartonline.com/aqua-creek-ra ... 1-EALw_wcB]
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JerryTx
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#8 Post by JerryTx » Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:31 am

Does anyone know their deck->water measurement?

Gotta start thinking about pier and boathouse ideas. My bulkhead will be about 36" above the water, I am going to tie into an existing one that goes about 8' into my lot and that is it's height. So my pier walkway will be about that high starting out.

Hah, just found this writeup on the Benninton site:

https://www.benningtonmarine.com/en-us/ ... toon-boat/

It says 13-18" above the water, for stationary docks like I'll have. Saw another post where the guy said his boat was 21" at front, 19" at side gate, and 13" by the engine. I wasn't expecting an 8" delta from front to back.

---------------------
I have a GCW 2574 with 50 gal fuel tank, Yamaha 250 and ESP. The front is 21", gate is 19" and the rear deck is 13".
---------------------

Since I'm planning on side gate loading, think I'll plan on about an 18" high walkway for the boathouse.

JerryTx
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Location: Dallas area

Re: wheelchair friendly models

#9 Post by JerryTx » Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:40 am

Bansil - finished my post before I saw yours, had my edit window open for quite awhile.

If there was a big elevation change, like the dock was already there and now it's a foot or more difference, then something like that lift would be handy and useful. I have good upper strength, my break is at T10, so bellybutton on down is dead. I have a couple manual chairs and one power chair, it's my off-roader, got soft wide tires, but it still fits in tight spots. But my plan is to keep the captain chair and transfer into it, and lash my manual chair to the side gate. I haven't seen any captain chairs that are easily removable, they are all bolted down, I want my wife and others to be able to drive too, so can't just remove for good.

It will be interesting when I get it going, and try pulling into other docks, if their heights are way different, could be an issue for my current plan.

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bansil
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#10 Post by bansil » Fri Jun 11, 2021 2:01 pm

So I will throw this out, don't take it wrong :mrgreen:

You are the primary captain, so make it fit you so you can enjoy it by yourself if you want personal time, a couple chair cleats like vans have to lock chair in at helm...you are gtg.

Now we use all foldong camp chairs for everyone else.

So that is an option, someone whips out a chair unfolds it and drives...nothing permanent.

I love your strong feelings to get out on the water :drunks
Check out "Dudes" site www.whereisdude.com

JerryTx
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Location: Dallas area

Re: wheelchair friendly models

#11 Post by JerryTx » Sat Jun 12, 2021 5:49 pm

Take you wrong? Hell, I like the way you think! :biggrin2

Has anybody tried tweaking with chair mounts? There's all these other chairs, fishing etc, that are removable, how hard would it be to make a captains chair removable? I would think the down-posts are probably the same width as the removable chairs, so if you could put an inset receiver in the place of the hard mount for the captains chair, waalaa!

Yeah, our bass boat was a whole lotta fun, so looking forward to getting out on water again. I grew up with a family runabout 16ft 75hp boat that we used the crap out of, when it was warm enough. I grew up near Cleveland, Oh, and remember "pushing the envelope" getting back out skiing on the black river where it met Lake Erie, we'd jump out and get up as quick as possible, and then ski til you were dead cuz you knew it was gonna hurt getting back in the water. By the time the boat whipped around and got us out, our lips were blue, going on purple. You only skied once. :scared

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bansil
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#12 Post by bansil » Sun Jun 13, 2021 6:23 am

The mounts are out there for sure, worst case is find a seat the is comfy for butt, grab a mount, hand both to a fab guy and say I want it this high, saw, weld done.
[https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/tempres ... lsrc=aw.ds]
Like this but i would prefer stainless or at least steel....for the extra torsion flex from mounting 30in or so, aluminum would work though
Check out "Dudes" site www.whereisdude.com

JerryTx
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#13 Post by JerryTx » Sun Jun 13, 2021 1:44 pm

Hmm, good to know there are mounts out there. I agree with you, definitely would want preferably an SS mount.

I have found a pitfall in my idea, and it was right there in my face the whole time. It has to do with the fact that pontoons have a sag from front to rear, I even posted one guy who measured his boat at 3 spots. But it took a visual to kick me in the head, picture 3 of 12 in this listing, shows a nice fishing pontoon(gate's too small, but great space on deck), and the pic lets you see how it sits in comparison to the dock.

https://boats-from-usa.com/not-specifie ... 5-f4-89567

So, if I was to mount that ramp I listed in post 1, it will fall and only hit the dock on one edge due to the for->aft list, putting big time stress on the mounting screws/bolts that go into the deck or even on the hinge itself. Won't take too many times of my fat butt rolling out the ramp would start doing some damage. :censored

I guess across the 30-36" it won't be too big a number, 1/2-3/4" maybe, possibly I could attach some type of hard-ish foam on the lip so it can absorb the force of me rolling and still keep the ramp level. Argggh, it's never easy.

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TWB
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#14 Post by TWB » Mon Jun 14, 2021 5:50 am

The first thing that came to mind was this flush mount - BUT - it is designed for tables and probably would not hold the weight of a chair and person. The chair post would also likely have to be changed to a straight pipe. A lot of potential modifications, but Bansil may be right - the right fabricator might be able to knock it out. :donno I ain't no engineer.

https://www.pontoonstuff.com/collection ... able-mount

:2cents
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JerryTx
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Re: wheelchair friendly models

#15 Post by JerryTx » Mon Jun 14, 2021 11:41 am

Thanks TWB, I bookmarked that mount, it could be a starting point.

Does anybody know how deep the mounts are for removable fishing chairs? Just wondering if they actually have to cut a hole in the log to get a deep enough recess to handle the stress.

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