one-hand kayak paddle

hi, i am a left arm amputee. does anyone know of a one-hand kayak paddle or other adaptive equipment? thanks.

one hand
Have you looked at the Hobie Mirage pedal-powered kayak?



I have seen a one-hand paddle that used a handgrip and a forearm brace, but it looked like it would only allow paddling on one side. If you had a straight-tracking boat with a rudder it might work well enough for low-key paddling.



The ACA might have some info:

http://www.acanet.org/sei-outreach.htm

Leftyy, try doing a search.
Go up to the top of this board and do a “Search Archive”. Type in “adaptive” and search the messages that have been posted on this board. You’ll find some folks that specialize in adaptive paddling. Perhaps you could send an e-mail to one of more of them.



Good luck!

lefty
i met a one armed paddler- well, 1 and a half, he was missing from below the elbow- at a restaurant outside dingwall NS.



i asked him about his beautiful boreal ellesmere, but didn’t ask how he paddled. figured he was probably sick of being asked that.



i’m sure though that i’ve seen an adaptive device. it’s a bar that sticks up from the cockpit with a “U” at the top in which the paddle rests. theory being you do a normal “pull” on the side with the arm and a “push” to move the blade through the water on the opposite side.



good luck.



and check out hutchinson’s “beyond the cockpit” video. he demonstrates a few one arm braced turns and one arm sculling. neat stuff, plus the moves look pretty cool for when you want to show off.

Discovery Channel
I saw an episode a few months ago about a guy that lost his arm during a hippo attack while guiding a group tour in Africa. I think he is from Michigan and still paddles regularly as it showed him in action during the show. You may be able to get some info from them on who he is.

Good luck and I admire your spunk to try to keep getting on the water

check this out
http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=12&q=http://mielsvr2.ecs.umass.edu/at/projects/MIE%2520497A_2001/5/5.pdf&e=7418



i think you might have to copy and paste that whole mess in your url field.