Help with water access for Handicapped divers

[mullannix930]

That's a good idea. I'll see if the head of tourism could make some calls about donations.

 

[TomZ]

Try checking with http://www.columbusscuba.com The shop dive club, Mid Ohio Divers, has funded a lift mechanism that will be installed at Gilboa Quarry Gilboa Quarry Scuba Diving in NE Ohio in the very near future. Additionally there will be an Adaptive Diver BBQ on August 24th at Gilboa Quarry, sponsored by the club. The event raises money to provide equipment for divers who need special facilities. In the past the Adaptive Diver BBQ has provided funding for ramps and docks at Portage Quarry. I believe this will be the 8th annual event. No sense reinventing the wheel, they can provide you with plenty of information.

 

[danvolker]

You might be able to get a dock supply place to donate an aluminum ramp if you let them put their name on it. They're used to get between a loading dock and the back of the truck and have very rough non-slip diamond-shaped cutouts. They're great for non-divers too. Much better than climbing out over slippery rocks.

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Other than that, I'm out of ideas.

flots

Take this loading ramp idea......make connections to attach 4 old BC's to the far end( out in the water), have one tank on the far end with a regulator that blows air into all 4 BC's at the same time.....accessable easily underwater as the diver swims up to the underwater portion of the ramp....they press the inflator and hang on, and the ramp goes from underwater at 45 degrees or more, to flat horizontal, with the diver now out of the water.....where they can pull themselves to the main dock, or a buddy can help them....BC's should be the large volume type with stupidly large bouyancy--normally a mistake, here ideal--4 with 80 to 100 pounds lift each would be great.....

When the diver is getting in to the water, they just push the deflate button while on the horizontal ramp--and the air is let out, and the ramp goes to 45 % or straight vertical, allowing the diver to swim away....Cost for something like this could be almost nothing, other than the ramp structure....old bc's, tank and reg could easily be donated from gear divers are not using.

 

[c5diver]

lift bags would would be better than old bc. but this gives me an idea