
Adaptive Canoe
Purpose
The Adaptive Canoe project was brought to Enabling Engineering by Access Sports America, a foundation dedicated to adapting sports to users with disabilities. The goal of the project was to design back support on an outrigger canoe for a user with spina bifida. The design needed to be lightweight, comfortable, and could not hinder the safety or movement of the user. The primary challenge of this project was the limited access we had to the actual canoe. Because we were unsure of all of the dimensions, it was important that our design be flexible for installation, but sturdy once fastened in place.

Design
Once we found a seat back that fit the size and shape of the canoe, we trimmed the seat to the right height. We secured the seat to the canoe using wooden blocks. We also supported the seat with metal 3D-printed parts pinned to a telescoping pole. The length and angle of the pole was adjustable so that we could mount the support on the flat of the back of the canoe even though we didn't have exact dimension.




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"The rig worked just right. The paddler wasn't pushed forward and steering was better. Plus the support was great!"
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- Ross Lilley, Founder of Access Sports America