Thanks everyone for the advice. I will seek out some clubs and adaptive groups around me. I am in SE Florida and am very new here. I love the water and want to help the girls experience it as well.
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I wonder if 2 tandems, connected with a tow line, would be an option. It would be easier to transport than 1 giant craft, and also easier to find them to purchase. The 2 in back would have the option of paddling themselves, but if they decided to give up on it they would still be getting towed. In calm, shallow, warm water (you mentioned mangroves so Iâm assuming warm water), near shore, with PFDs, the risks could be minimal.
One able bodied paddler towing a boat with two in it - two of the three are older teenagers that are likely the size of mom - plus paddling their own tandem without help? Which is what the Oper seems to be suggesting would actually occur.
Not unless mom is first cousin to Schwarzenager
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You still have the most import thing to consider, and thatâs rescue situation.
Best idea above is join a club and enjoy some training and partners to assist.
Whenâs the last time you bought a new car?
Sorry⌠someone replied like I didâŚ#
35k car with a big down payment is still 650
Kayak or any craft where re-entry is difficult may be beyond the kidsâ ability. I assume you look to go out in calm water with no large currents.
Can the kids swim enough to swim for fun? A large inflatable SUP may be an option. They have family size iSUP. It will be a barge with just one person propelling, but they are good swimming platforms and easiest for re-entry. And they can move around. You can add kayak seats for sitting. inflatable means easy to transport, and they are easy to get in and out from a beach or pier.
Well, you never know, maybe she is 
They wonât win any speed records but if the idea is to have some fun outdoors on the water without worrying that the daughtersâ boat will drift away if they decide to stop paddling, it seemed like an option. I towed 2 kayaks (with adults in them) rafted together during a rescue skills class, it was completely doable. Anyway, maybe not an option, what do I know.
What about a SUP? There are many options for multi-person SUPs, some of which are inflatable, so that would make transporting easier. Not sure if the daughtersâ specific disabilities would make balancing on a SUP difficult. [Edit: I see LurkingPedal just mentioned this as wellâŚ]
A helpful club would be great, but probably hard to find, and I canât see that leading to anything beyond 1 or 2 sessions with others helping out. I doubt it would lead to anything long-term.
I have no experience, but an example the Megaladon is 45" wide for the âsmallerâ one. the larger is 56" wide. And one can sit and lay on it if things get shaky. So it should be the most stable craft besides going to a real large boat. It also has handles all around for easier re-entry.
If OPer had not mentioned wanting relatively low weight for the boatâŚ
Yeah, SUP interesting idea.
I go back to a post from the OPer somewhere in this indicating it is questionable whether two of the daughters would paddle at all. Or would disappear.
Not sure it is really a plan for this family grouping to try it all together to start. Until they know who really wants to be there.
OMG âŚ
I remember when we would budget $100/month on a 36mo loan for a nice carâŚ
A long time ago I guessâŚ
There are some sailing programs in SE Florida especially for the handicapped. This may get you on the water in a more secure way.
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Again, thanks everyone for the suggestions and thoughts and concerns. You have given me much to think about. my 17 and 12 yr. olds have down syndrome and love the water. They would happily try and paddle and then theyâd probably rather just sit back and ride. There is no forcing the stubbornness out them!! My 11 yr old is unable to use her arms or legs at all to help propel. But she also loves the water and looking for fish and other creatures. There is some small inlets nearby along with mangroves where the water is consistently shallow (<5â) where there are small shark, rays, lots of fish and I was just looking to spend a few hours a couple times a week paddling around seeing what we can find. My only needs were that it safely fit us all and I would have the capability to paddle us - even slowly - back to our start point.
I gotta add my voice to the make new friends crowd. Additional skilled adults will seriously reduce risk. I have tipped with a kid (5 or 6 at the time) and she came right up to the surface, but she was useless for coming back to me or getting back on the sit on top kayak we had. Kid was a good swimmer, and no special needs that impacted that.
We got a 17â aluminum canoe for 2 adults and a 13yo. 2 paddle, one rides, thereâs room for another to ride. We can each paddle alone when the others ride if necessary, though the kid gets whiney about it (fair).
Itâs heavy and hard to handle out of the water. But thereâs space for another friend, and if we tip we just all get wet.
Getting your kids on the water is awesome, Iâm sure you can find a safer way to do it.
Best to find a way that works without friend. That way also can be used with a friend. If you find a way that only works with friend, you will be stuck home many times since scheduling outings with a busy friend can be hard. It is also hard to make a new friend, arrange a time, and then BTW, its gonna be very limiting for everyone with 3 special needs kids. That friend may not want to go out a second time
We better focus to give advice based on what OP asked for: a way to boat safely without additional help. Obviously the OP has to decide, but an iSUP could work on her own, but also could work with a friend.
A large Jon boat would accomplish the goal of getting the kids on the water. Obviously not a paddle craft and would require a motor.
I donât think an ISUP would work for the OP. One large enough for 4 would be little more than a raft, and the slightest breeze would overcome a single paddler.
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That will be a problem with any craft large enough to hold 4, but only 1 paddler. I think OP is aware that this is for calm days only and not to win races.
We know nothing about OPâs transport options. Iâd fist determine what car/roofrack etc. is an option before even considering any solid-craft. If transport or storage of a solid craft isnât an option, it will have to be inflatable. And an iSUP will be less susceptible to wind than an IK. Everyone has their preferences, but there is a reason the number of SUP is increasing among recreational paddlers.
I think it is funny OP asks about an inexpensive and easy to transport paddle craft, and someone suggests an expensive large aluminum motor boat. Like on a bicycle forum someone asking for a specific bike, and someone suggesting to buy a car.
When all things are considered, âinexpensive and easy to transport paddle craftâ and a lone paddler with 3 passengers is basically an impossibility, so perhaps other suggestions that allow the OP to enjoy the water with her daughters have validity.
As far as SUPs are concerned because youâre standing the impact of wind is huge, and unlike an IK you canât use and have the advantages of a double-bladed paddle. The only way I could see a large ISUP being used successfully in the OPâs situation is if the water is shallow enough to allow poling.
A lot of rental places seem to have those big multi-person SUPs. Maybe the OP could try renting one first and see how it goes? The fact that rental places tend to have them (and often market them to families with kids and dogs) would seem to indicate that they are stable, easy for someone with little experience to use, and possible for 1 paddler to maneuver with extra people/animals on it.