2371 - ALL Aboard - Universal Access for Small Ferries and Tour Boats

Abstract

The US Census American Community Survey defines Ambulatory Disabled as those people over the age of five who have serious difficulties walking or climbing stairs. The 2010 census estimates there are approximately 30.6 million Americans with Ambulatory Disabilities. The Center for Disease Control estimates 2.2 million wheelchair users in the US, leaving 28.4 million Americans who are Ambulatory Disabled, but don’t use a wheelchair. I recently became a member of this group after a stroke impaired my left side. After a year of rehabilitation, I can walk with the assistance of a single cane, but have less utility of my left arm. Six months ago, I had recovered enough mobility to travel. One activity my wife and I enjoy is environmental tourism observing rare and unique species of flora and fauna. This has included whale, dolphin, and bird watching tours. The tours themselves were enjoyable, educational, and generally not too strenuous for the mobility impaired. One problem common to all of these tours was difficulty boarding and disembarking the boats used in the tours or small ferries used to get to the tour destination. Embarkation gangways for small tour boats and ferries often consist of portable or permanent stairways that take the passenger up or down to a level that they can step across on or off the boat. Some adjustment may be needed for changes in water level or height above water of the entryway. The stairway may have two, more often one, or no railings. The ADA standards for large passenger ships do not apply to smaller tour or recreational boats. It often requires the physical assistance of one or two crew members to assist ambulatory disabled or elderly passengers on or off the boat. This not only can add trauma to an otherwise pleasant experience, but significantly slow the boarding and disembarkation times, as well as increase liability for the operator. There is a need for an affordable universal boarding system for small tour boats, recreation boats, and ferries. It should be modular, portable, and adjustable to adapt to varying tides, water levels, dock or pier heights, boat freeboard, and berth location. It should have rails on each side that extend out over the boat deck, and a transition plate to bridge the gap from the gangway to the boat.