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As if we needed an excuse to get into a wetsuit, summer’s here (for us northern hemisphere types) and that means beaches and surfing. Bring it on!

We’ve talked about disabled surfing before, but not really got into the equipment problems facing people in wheelchairs looking to catch the big one. The surfboard is a pretty simple piece of equipment, but adapting it so a para, and even a quad, can hit the surf has been a problem for a few years. Different people come up with different solutions, which is the way it needs to be really as everyone in a wheelchair has different capabilities and requirements.

The basic adaptions need two things. Some way to help the disabled surfer stay on the board without sliding off too much, and some way to control the direction of the board. 

Controlling the direction is can be done my adding handles of some kind to the front of the board that the surfer holds while lying flat on the board, allowing them to steer.

These can be wooden handles (as seen to the left) drilled into the board and fixed tight with resin, loops of rope and even relocated foot stirrups that make great hand holds. Obviously some disabled surfers dont add any handles at all and simply hold the sides of the board itself, it’s all dependent on preference, comfort and ability.

If you’re just starting and haven’t surfed before then dont go out, buy a shiny new stick and start drilling holes in it. To learn surfing you can just borrow of hire a board with no adaptions or modifications at all and still have a good time. You’ll be spending most of your time trying to head straight for shore rather than cutting lines so grabbing the side of the board should work out fine.

Making sure your lower body stays put on the back of the surfboard when you dont have control over your legs can be tricky. Again, if you’re just starting and not going to be getting into anything too gnarly then it shouldn’t be a problem. Some disabled surfers like to fix velcro strips onto their knees and the surfboard to help stop their legs sliding off when cutting lines and getting through choppy stuff. The most important thing is that you’re never, ever strapped to, or fixed to the surfboard in anyway that would mean you’re not being able to free yourself if it tips over. Drowning really isn’t cool.

Among the more popular ways of keeping legs from straying off the back are; good old fashioned grip pads on the board that create friction between the board and the wetsuit to keep legs from sliding off, blocks or pegs that sit on, or slot into the side of the board and keep legs from falling off. See pictures below.

Above: Surfboard fitted with friction pads and relocated foot stirrups to act as handles for steering.

Above: Surfboard fitted with hand loops, friction pad and upright slots at the rear to keep legs in place.

Above: Digging in to the wave, hand loops for the upper body and friction mat for the lower body.

If you’re in the USA then get in touch with the Life Rolls On foundation who, headed by surf addict Jesse Billauer, run lessons, camps and have all the information you might need to know.

But if you’ve got a couple friends, a surfboard and some waves then you already have everything you need to get out and let it rip. let us know how you get on.

Life Rolls On