Need input - canoe/kayak launch

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backinthemangle
Posts: 48
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:42 am

Re: Need input - canoe/kayak launch

Post by backinthemangle »

Being handicapped, the biggest problem for me is handicapped parking for my trailer. Between being able to
simply roll my Tarpon off the back of my trailer, and having a cart, I can get it to the water and back OK. But
if I then have to drive uphill to a distant parking area and walk back, and then walk all the way back to my truck
to retrieve it at days end, I'm out of luck. I simply can't make it that far.

The City Hall ramp in Dunnellon has one very wide handicapped trailer slot right by the water, an MOST of us
local gimps are pretty good about sharing it (first guy there backs in way over to one side, and thus another guy
can squeeze in there, too). But, invariably, several days a week, some yahoo parks smack dab in the middle of
it, and the next guy is out of luck. (And this area is not JUST used by handicapped kayakers, the handicapped
powerboat guys use it, too.)

Having handicapped parking areas is useless if (a) there aren't enough of them, or (b) they're so far away from
the water that handicapped people can't hack the trip.

Same goes for the handicapped trailer parking at Lake Hernando. Plenty of it there, but then you've got a
long and relatively steep walk through soft sand just to get to the water's edge. I suppose it's too much to
think we'll ever get across to the people who DESIGN these things that, kayaks or not, trailers or not,
many handicapped people actually (gasp!) HAVE TROUBLE WALKING LONG DISTANCES.

And, just so you know, I'm not a "scooter fattie", I just don't have enough unscarred hide left to make a
decent wallet.

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

I'd also like to throw in a separate two-cents-worth here:

To Rik, and all the people like him who put in a lot of their valuable and irreplacable time doing things like this:
THANK YOU, brother!

To the folks at FWC: Thanks for being there. Thanks for listening. No matter what you do, somebody will be
pissed off about it, that's just the nature of society. But most of us DO appreciate you being there.
mauso1
Supporter 2007 - 2013
Posts: 5390
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm
Location: whoo hoo back on the water

Re: Need input - canoe/kayak launch

Post by mauso1 »

Fresh water rinse is nice if they want to go to the expence...

Back it up and put it in is the best way to launch ie Emerson Point or Bishops.

MarkM wrote:
I just don't understand the floating dock thing, unless it's for power boats.
I never did get that either. Weedon and UTB Park are classic examples that don't work well.

Oh wait I already put my 2 cents in.... :lol:
Senior Exalted Pro Staff Member of the Paddle-Fishing.com Kayak & Canoe Anglers Club
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