KAYAK MODIFICATIONS FOR THE DISABLED

MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE SEVERE LOWER BODY DISABILITIES. THESE PEOPLE ARE CUT OFF FROM MANYOF THE ACTIVITIES OF SOCIETY. IN NO AREA IS THIS MORE TRUETHAN IN THE AREA OF PHUSICAL RECREATION. THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED ARE LIMITED, AND WITH FEW EXCEPTION IS KAYAKING. AS AN UPPER BODY SPORT, IT OFFERS THOSE WITH LOWER BODY INJURIES NOT ONLY A CHANCE TO PARTICI-PATE, BUT A CHANCE TO PARCIPATE WITH THE ABLE-BODIED, AND PERHAPS THE POSSIBILITY OF COMPETING WITH THE NON-DISABLED HOWEVER, THE EQUIPMENT TO ALLOW THIS IS NOT AVAILABLE. SPEC-IALIZED SEATING AND BRACING IS NEEDED, BUT HAS YET TO BE DEVELOPED. THEREFORE, WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP BOLT-IN SEATINGRETROFITS FOR COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE KAYAKS. THESE RETRO- FITS WILL BE DESIGNED TO SIMULATE THE UPPER-BODY-TO-KAYAK RELATIONSHIP THAT EXISTS FOR THE ABLE-BODIED. THE FEASIBILITY OF THE CONCEPT WILL BE DEMONSTRATED DURING PHASE I BY DESIGNING, FABRICATING, AND TESTING A PROTOTYPE RETROFIT FOR ONE DISABILITY. IN PHASE II WE WILL DEVELOP RETROFITS FOR A WIDER RANGE OF LOWER BIDY DISABILITIES, AND DEVELOP SUITABLE MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE. WE ANTICIPATE THAT BOAT MANUFAC- ING RETROFITS WITH THEIR LINE OF KAYAKS.