Disabled Ribbing

brucehawsker · 20 September 2004, 18:47

Been chatting with a mate of mine who is in a wheel chair with MS. Used to do winsurfing, water and snow skiing to high level. Am thinking of inviting him to join me on the rib sometime over the winter. Am I mad? Is there any organisation which does this professionally. Any advice? Do I need to inform anyone of the trip?

Cheers

Bruce

DaggerUK · 20 September 2004, 18:58

No its a great idea.. I take a friend out with a similar condition. There are some difficulties.

1/ It's hard to get into and out of the boat. Depending on the condition the person may be able to help, otherwise you have to carry them which can be very difficult.

2/ The person may not be able to hold on very tightly. On a jockey especially although it supports the person well, they can fall out to the sides. Getting the leg over the jockey seat can also be interesting.

However its always very satisfying for all people involved.

brucehawsker · 20 September 2004, 19:00

He can haul himself into and out of his Golf and stow his wheel chair in the boot. He drives everywhere.

Challenge will be getting wheelchair down the pontoon to the ideal location then we will have fun getting him into the boat. Getting out when wet could be even more fun!!

The Jackeens · 20 September 2004, 19:03

What a great plan Bruce. Good for you and your mate.

If you want a buddy boat for extra reassurance, give us a shout.

missus

brucehawsker · 20 September 2004, 19:06

Buddy boat sounds great. Will let you know when we plan the trip.

I go to Fareham Wednesday to see 'Far Fetched' for the first time. Delivery / sea trial late next week. Counting the days.....

Cheers

Bruce

You don't happen to own one of those mini JCBs to act as a lift for my friend John

- although I doubt Lymington Harbour Master would approve of one on his pontoon!

The Jackeens · 20 September 2004, 19:10

I go to Fareham Wednesday to see 'Far Fetched' for the first time. Delivery / sea trial late next week. Counting the days

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Congratulations!!!! Give us a shout and we'll go along and admire the new baby...

As for your friend a few of us could get together and help.

missus

ashbypower · 20 September 2004, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

He can haul himself into and out of his Golf and stow his wheel chair in the boot. He drives everywhere.

Challenge will be getting wheelchair down the pontoon to the ideal location then we will have fun getting him into the boat. Getting out when wet could be even more fun!!

Hi, May I respectfully suggest that for the first time/roughish weather you choose somewhere with a sea wall i.e Lymington town quay /Christchurch quomps so that it's hard "Standing" then it's a matter of onto the wall from the chair then ito the boat.

Which ever way you go "Good on yer" go for it.

Regards

Brian

brucehawsker · 20 September 2004, 19:19

I have been challenged by the RYA Sailabilty concept which is great for a certain type of disabled person. But what about someone who was very active / wants to continue be very active, and finds the idea of Ribbing suitably exciting?

Could we not think about setting up something eqivalent but based on power not sail? There must be sponsorship / granting out there??

The Jackeens · 20 September 2004, 19:21

Talk to some of the Powerboat Schools Bruce. Some of them have ability / capability/expertise in this area...the forum instructors may have some ideas.
I really support what you're saying.

missus

brucehawsker · 20 September 2004, 19:24

Love to talk to them for their experience.

But they are commercial operations. Surely they would have to charge - and they are not cheap. Many of the disabled people we (my wife and I) come across are living essentially on benefit....

I envisage something very low priced indeed....

A pipe dream??

The Jackeens · 20 September 2004, 19:26

No I meant for advice...I didn't mean peeps should teach for free etc.

missus

Colin F · 20 September 2004, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Been chatting with a mate of mine who is in a wheel chair with MS. Used to do winsurfing, water and snow skiing to high level. Am thinking of inviting him to join me on the rib sometime over the winter. Am I mad? Is there any organisation which does this professionally. Any advice? Do I need to inform anyone of the trip?

Cheers

Bruce

Hi bruce,

as some people on here know, i'm a chair user (t12 incomplete para for anyone interested) and rib owner. my experience of using boats has taught me the hard way that ribs are the easiest boats to get into, either from the water or from a pontoon. I also have a lot of experience of working with people in chairs of varying disabilities (i was selling lightweight made to measure chairs for three years).

The best advice i can give you is to, if possible, use a marina pontoon to get him into the boat. he can transfer from chair onto floor. then, legs into boat and lift/slide forwards to sitting on a tube where there is a grab rail / seat back. From there it will depend on his balance. it is generally more comfortable and stable if he has either no leg strength, or poor leg strength/control if he sits on a bench seat. Below waist level, i only have the use of my hamstrings (10% of full strength) and very little else. I have sat on jockey seats before and you spend most of the time leaning on your arms for balance which gets tiring. If he has better leg strength/control, the less he will rely on arms for balance. Also the closer the seat is to the side of the boat the easier the transfer.

If you need anymore info pm me or i will give you my phone number if you want a chat. As a point of interest the guy who bought my avon about 4 weeks ago also had ms.

regards

colin

The Jackeens · 20 September 2004, 20:37

great post

missus

Bajan · 20 September 2004, 20:49

Bruce!
In this issue of RIB International, there is an interview with Mark Threadgold the blind ex-Service man who handles a RIB better than some drivers with perfect vision. He mentioned that St Dunstan's, the charity that assisted him, are looking into setting up a scheme like Sailability but for disabled powerboating. They put their contact details at the end of the article inviting anyone interested in helping to give them a call. It might be worth touching base with them.

Contact details as shown in the mag are:
Anna Robinson or Rebecca Shadwell at St Dunstans 020 7616 7963

Hope that's of some help to you.

Edit: I just had a look at their website and it seems that it is concentrated at ex-servicemen/women only, but it might be worth a call anyways.

All the best.

Sean

codprawn · 20 September 2004, 21:34

Brilliant idea - I find treating disabled people as normally as possible is the main thing!

My Aunt had her leg amputated when she was 79 and had to go into a nursing home - she was really dispondant but I insisted on taking her out and about as much as possible - at least twice a week. It made such a difference to her - she loved it when I had a fast car to take her out in - wouldn't bat an eyelid at 130!!!

Unfortunately she died in October last year but at least she had seen that her life could be realtively normal again despite her disability - I am sure if she had lived long enough she would have loved a go on a RIB!!!!

geoff · 20 September 2004, 22:50

You may be interested in Inventure. The only boat specificially designed to be crewed exclusively by severely disabled sailors. If you can operate a joy stick, then you can operate Inventure. The boat is currently operating as a motor yacht as it is without a sail at the moment and well worth looking into.
Have a look at www.inventuretrust.org or contact me. I am a trustee of the Inventure Trust.

PizzaPeetso · 21 September 2004, 00:57

Hey Bruce,
Good on you. Give it a try - I'm sure your mate would enjoy it (who wouldn't

).
Have a look at this site www.backuptrust.org.uk. It might give you some ideas.
Its an organisation for people who are paralysed through spinal cord injury and want to get some life back into their lives. You can see water skiing (there is a British Disabled Water Skiing Association), snow skiing, kayaking - all manner of crazy stuff. They run courses in all these and always need "buddies". You never know, you might end up giving your mate a tow as well as a ride!
I work a lot with people in wheelchairs, of all disabilities and abilities. Generally they don't want to be wrapped in any more cotton wool than anyone else. Hey here in NI we have a multi world-champion water skier - Janet Grey. She's blind. Now that's scary.
Cheers
Peetso

The Jackeens · 21 September 2004, 07:32

Fantastic advice...it's often the peeps around a disabled person who are 'disabled' by their lack of experience/understanding. I remember going up to a blind child once to help him with something and being gently told off by him because he was practising his independence in a new skill. And he was only 10.
I apologised for my ignorance.

missus

tim griffin · 21 September 2004, 08:14

Hi Bruce
good on you , i have several friends who are disabled, and they drive ribs best set up is a bench seat , some have lapstraps fitted to keep them more secure, how ever if you are taking your friend out on jockey style seat , then best place for them to be is with back against backrest and someone sitting in front so they can hang onto them , pick your weather and some where sheltered for your first couple of trips out and don't go fast just a nice gentle cruise. pontoons are the best way to access into a rib and normally they can get in themselves if bench styl seats jockey style not impossible just a little bit more planning, some sailing clubs are part of the sailability scheme details of these will be on RYA website if you contact the ones in your area i am sure they will let you use their hoist., it all depends on how restricted your friend is, and if you need a hoist . a buddy boat is a good idea for safety
just see how it goes , it will open up a whole new world for him, check out the Para olympics for inspiration i was jammy enough to be picked for the Admirals cup last year as am disabled and wow did i meet some courageous people that put the rest of us to shame am sure the RYA will be able to give you all the help advise you need and everyone else on here. good luck with it
if i can help in any way let me know no charge for thigs like this
regards Tim
www.griffmarineservices.co.uk

Mark Halliday · 21 September 2004, 09:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Challenge will be getting wheelchair down the pontoon to the ideal location then we will have fun getting him into the boat. Getting out when wet could be even more fun!!

I don't want to sound fliipant, but with a 4m tide range in the solent, pick a time around high tide, some pontoon ramps a very steep when the tide is out.