Paddlesports Launch Site Access - Abbreviated

Paddlesports Launch Site Access Legal Compliance and Beyond

Goals of this Clinic

* Appreciate need for paddlesport launch site accessibility * Appreciate challenges of making paddlesport launch sites accessible * Learn a basic framework for decision making, planning and design to make paddlesport launch sites accessible.

What’s a Paddlesport Launch Site?

* Paddlecraft = canoes, kayaks, SUPs, rafts, inner tubes, bellyaks… others? * Paddlecraft water access points:

* * * * *

Carry-down launch-sites Boat ramps Floating Docks Shorelines & Beaches Others?

Why do we care?

Everyone deserves access to adventure

* 57 million Americans with disabilities by 2010 census * Largest minority in the country (if counted) * Roughly ½ have physical disabilities & mobility impairments.

Freedom to Roam

Paddling offers many disabled individuals opportunity to move around as fast & gracefully as others with whom they are traveling

5 of these 11 paddlers have a significant physical disability: Can you tell which ones?

Laws set Minimal Standards necessary to avoid Civil Rights infringement

* Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA)

* “Facilities designed, built, altered, or leased with funds supplied by the [US] Federal Government be accessible to the public.”

* Sect. 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

* “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability… shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency or by the [USPS].”

* Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

* Programs & facilities must not exclude a qualified person because they have a disability. * Applies to state & local governments (title 2), & any entity open to public (title 3).

The accessible design laws get us close to water’s edge…

* ADA Standards for Accessible Design (ADASAD) & ABA Accessibility Standards DO apply to new or altered: • • • • • • •

Parking lots Restrooms Walkways from parking lot & within recreation areas Fishing piers & platforms Boat slips (marinas) Floating gangways & transitions at boat slips (dockage at marinas) Boarding piers at boat ramps (fixed or floating dock next to ramp)

But, the laws usually stop short of launching a paddlecraft !!

* ADA Standards for Accessible Design & ABA Regulations are silent about required physical design characteristics of water entry points at boat ramps, beach water-access, carry-down sites & other paddlesport launches.

Boat Ramps: No Legal Requirement for accessible design

But… boat ramps are usually reasonably accessible paddlesport launch sites…

Public Beaches: Design standards stop just short of launching access

Expensive (and wonderful) Solution’s exist… for the lucky few

As do less expensive options: that work for most

Often unaltered shorelines & beaches can be accessible launch sites (for some).

Without design standards, are any launch sites required to be accessible ? * Programs must be accessible ! * Under ADA, ABA & Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act, access to all programs (including those that don’t depend on constructed facilities) are required to provide equal opportunity to all. * Qualified people with disabilities may not be denied opportunity to participate in a program if their participation doesn’t “fundamentally alter the program.”

“Programs” Include:

* On-water cultural or natural history interpretation programs * Recreational paddlesport instruction or guided trips * Paddlesport races, competitions & festivals * Self guided water-trails

Therefore, a watersports “program” launch site must be accessible Even in absence of legal requirements for physical launch site design, paddlesport launch sites must nonetheless be accessible wherever “programs” are run.

Many (if not most) launch sites are used for programming of some sort.

Remember…

* Legal requirement is the bare-minimum to avoid civil rights violation. * We hope to achieve much more than this bare minimum standard.

Paddlesport Launch Site Evaluation Criteria

* * * *

Degree of Safety ?

Degree of Independence Afforded & for How Many ?

Degree of Dignity Preservation & for How Many ?

Degree of Ease of use & for How Many ?

Accessibility Factors Determine how well a site meets Evaluation Criteria on last slide * * * *

Surfacing & slope Space to move around on 4 wheels Space & aids to transfer in & out of boat Proximity: parking, bathrooms & other

Can someone get OUT ? * Launching is not enough… You must also be able to get out…

Independence? Dignity?

Safe? Easy? Back PAIN !!

Fixed docks can work, but only if built low to the water and water level remains consistent

Floating Docks ?

Essential in tidal / salt marsh zones Must be able to “self transfer” to use standard floating docks

“Self Transfer” you say?

What’s that mean?

Full Assisted Transfer

Self Transfer: Upper body strength

Complex floating dock solutions Complexity is not always better… just more expensive

A simple floating dock solution that works for many…

Easy to use? For how Many?

Have you ever tried pulling yourself up one of these?

Space to move around and transfer?

If there’s space for an assisted transfer, then there’s space for self transfer

Slope?

1:12 or less is ideal Alternatively expressed as = or < 8.33%

2:12 Slope is a wheelchair waterpark splash zone

Stairs to deal with slope ?

Remember goal is maximize # of users. Difficult choices will often have to be made. Stairs can be designed to be useful for some… but (like everything else) will never be accessible to all.

Surfacing?

Remember these pictures from earlier slides ?

Boat ramps are often accessible launch sites because they generally have a hard surface, gradual slope and the space to move Portable and fixed surfacing improvements around and transfer into boat. can open areas to many, many more users.

-- Not good in tidal salt marsh zones

Remember: accessible surfacing, appropriate slope & space to transfer often occur naturally

And… in many places altering the naturally occurring environment is the wrong balance of values: many people with disabilities also need wilderness & adventure

Field session: Explore local launch sites & apply Evaluation Criteria while experiencing accessibility challenges first hand * * * *

Degree of Safety ?

Degree of Independence Afforded & for How Many ?

Degree of Dignity Preservation & for How Many ?

Degree of Ease of use & for How Many ?

As determined by:

* * * *

Surfacing & Slope Space to move around on 4 wheels Space & Aids to Transfer In & Out of Boat Proximity: parking, bathrooms & other