Learn to kayak in a wheelchair

Sat, Apr 5, 2008 -

The snow is melting, and as much as we hate to see that glorious white stuff disappearing, it can only mean one thing, more water to kayak. So what are the options for someone in a wheelchair to go kayaking. As an outdoor sport, kayaking is hugely accessible to people in wheelchairs. Hey, any sport that requires you be in a sitting position to take part is pretty accessible right.

From riding in single boats to getting a group together for a river expedition in rafts, kayaking can be as relaxed or as extreme as you want it to be. Whitewater, flatwater, lakes, rivers or on the sea, getting into a kayak and having a paddle is a great way to explore and have fun. Strap your wheelchair to the back of your boat, go on a river camping expedition and you will find places that otherwise you would never set eyes on.

Here is our beginners guide to kayaking and how to get started.

Work out what is best for you:

You’re probably going to need some adaptions to be comfortable on the water. At the very least this will mean some kind of seat padding and protection for your ass. Other than that no other adaptations are really needed for the average paraplegic. Quadriplegics can easily kayak with a few more adaptions. There are seating solutions to help support your upper body, and even assisted paddling devices if you have trouble with arm or hand strength. If you dont feel comfortable with balancing on the water then you can easily add floats to the side of the boat to make it near impossible to capsize at all.

If you feel like you may need some extra adaptions to your kayak to help you out then check out Disabled Adventures for tips and designs.

You dont have to be alone in the kayak either, remember that tandem boats are a great way to share kayaking with a friend, and you can always get them to paddle when you feel a little lazy.

Learn The Basics:

Disabled kayak lessons for paraplegics and people in wheelchairs

Hunt down your local kayak club. If you live near to any kind of water then there will be some kind of kayak or canoe club holding regular introductions and classes on the basics. Get in touch with them, even if they have never had any experience of wheelchair users, they will be more than happy to help you out and get you in a boat with certified instructors for the first time. Dont feel that you have to hunt down a dedicated kayak program for people with disabilities, if you can then do it, but if not just meet the local paddle addicts and explain that you want some of the stuff that has them grinning so much.

Most clubs, schools and swimming pools have regular, year-round classes in the basics held at indoor swimming pools. This is a great way to work out the kinks and get your confidence in monitored environment.
One of the first hurdles you will need to overcome is how to actually get in and out of the kayak. You should make sure you are comfortable with chair to floor transfers, either by yourself or with people lifting you out of the wheelchair. Then you can just spend the time getting comfortable being in the water and learning the basics before hitting the real world. Take as long as you want, attend weekly classes and decide if this is the sport for you.

If you are with instructors who have never dealt with someone in a wheelchair, then dont worry. The kayaking community is huge, and they will know someone who has had experience who can give them advice and tips. Tell them what you want to do, explain what you cant do and together you will work out the best methods. They will be completely stoked to help you out and get you on the water.

Get out of the pool:

So there is more to this kayaking business the floating about in a swimming pool you know. Get out on the real water and explore a little. Lakes are waiting for you. You dont have to learn in the pool, plenty of clubs and schools will take you straight out onto flat bodies of water to get you started.

Whether you want to just spend a couple hours paddling as part of a fitness program, spend a day out on the lake fishing or exploring, or are looking to make a multi-day camping expedition, you aren’t going to find it in the pool. You will easily get bored after being in the pool more than a couple times and maybe decide that you dont want to carry on with the sport. Make sure you take the first opportunity to get onto real water that you have, being outdoors and free from the wheelchair for a few hours will have you falling in love with the paddle straight away.

Dont rush it:

If you’re an adrenaline head, then dont expect to jump straight into whitewater. If that’s your goal then fine, but you are going to have to build up to that. It will take time and be a gradual process, building up from flat water to slow moving rivers and beyond. If you want to do whitewater, then you are going to have to learn how to eskimo-roll. An eskimo-roll is the name of the technique used to self right yourself if you capsize, without getting out of the kayak. If you want to cruise rivers and camp overnight on longer expeditions, aim for that but learn the basics first. Sea kayaking is a great way to explore, but unless you are with experienced paddlers, or have a good knowledge of tides and currents then dont even think about just heading out and expecting everything to go well.

It’s more than possible to just go and buy all the equipment you need and head out to some water by yourself, without ever taking lessons. If you just want to paddle around flat water inland then go for it, make sure you have all the right equipment, buoyancy aids are a must, and take a friend or two to help you out and enjoy the sport.

But sea and whitewater paddling require not just advanced skills, but a knowledge and understanding of how the water is behaving and how it will effect you in your tiny little boat. Make sure you learn properly.

Go on a course:

If you want an more in-depth or intensive introduction to kayaking or canoeing then look into booking a place on a course with operators that will take you away for a week or so and leave you with a great foundation to build on. Once you have learnt the basics and built up your confidence then you will soon want to learn new skills and go further afield. Taking specialized courses can help your general paddling skills and introduce you to new area’s.

Dont treat one of these course as a holiday, consider it an investment in your training. If you want to go away and spend just one week a year in a kayak then thats fine. But if you use the course as a foundation to build on, and carry on leaving the wheelchair for the kayak then before you know it you will be an expert and be able to enjoy the sport much more, with greater confidence and knowledge. Dont do it for a week, do it for life!

Buy a boat:

Borrowing a club’s kayak or canoe for lessons and the odd day on the lake is fine, but at some point you will want to get your own. Once you spend time on the water you will know what type of kayak you’re looking for and should be able to find a perfect solution. Inflatable kayaks and canoes are a great solution for most needs, and make transporting much easier, especially via wheelchair. You should take into account what type of water you want to be paddling on, whether you want to strap your wheelchair to the back of the boat or leave it at the put-in. Once you buy your own kayak you will find it much easier to make time to just head off for a days paddling when ever you want.

Go on holiday:

Once you get a good foundation and confidence on the water you will be able to travel anywhere in the world knowing that when you arrive you can go kayaking. Plan full on expedition, or just add a couple days of paddling to the annual family holiday. Rentals are never to hard to find at most tourist destinations, and once you know what adaptions you need, you only need to take them with you, instead of lugging a kayak through departures.