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Disabled Kayak Paddler Launch Method for Artificial Hip Gail E. Ferris www.nkhorizons.com/DisabledKayakLaunch.htm
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The
beginning of this page is about my method of launching and the latter part is
a series of photos illustrating exactly stage by stage how Lars Jensen who
has an artificial hip in Kullorsuaq Greenland launches his kayak. I was
informed following my hip replacement that a kayak paddler with an artificial
hip cannot sustain any independent twisting on his legs during getting in or
out of his kayak. Such twisting will
possibly cause subluxation or displacement thereby rendering permanent damage
to the hip joint. The moment of
launching is the easiest time for this to happen. |
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I have
very faithfully utilized this basic method of launching from the beach since
my hip was replaced. I align my kayak
parallel with the beach with the hull fully afloat under my full body
weight. I place the paddle behind me
across the lip of the cockpit on the stern deck. I sit on the paddle shaft firmly grasping
the paddle shaft and the stern cockpit lip simultaneously. I lean toward the beach so that my kayak
paddle is solidly resting on the beach throughout the period of launch
instability. I pick up one leg
outboard from the beach and slide my leg into the cockpit fully
extended. Next I pick the other leg
and slide it into the cockpit fully extended. |
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I slide
my body down into the seat and bring my paddle forward in front of me ready
to paddle. This
method can be altered for launching from rocks and docks. The most important aspect of this launching
method is that my legs have to be inserted into the cockpit with no independent
twisting of my legs during launching. |
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When I
had my hip replaced the surgeon told me that the most dangerous activity I
could engage in would be to paddle a kayak.
Lars Jensen a Greenlander also has an artificial hip yet he goes out
hunting Narwhal in his kayak. He uses
this same launching technique. |
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I had a
situation where the only place I could make a landing was on rocks in large
swells. I had to disembark I found one of my legs caught in the cockpit. I allowed myself to fall into the water. From the water I was able to free my
entangled foot and rescue myself |
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Lars Jensen preparing to launch
in Kullorsuaq, he has an artificial hip.
Lars kayak is on the flat smooth
granite he is just stepping into the cockpit note his paddle is on the rock
to stabilize and across the bow deck note the position of his hands and that
he is leaning on his paddle just as he is stepping off the rock. The kayak is not quite floating. |
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You can see that Lars is just
transferring his weight from his left foot to his right foot in the cockpit
but his weight is distributed as a tripod over his arms to his paddle on the
deck. |
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Now Lars is lifting his left leg
up over the cockpit lip while maintaining his stability through his two arms
pushing down with his hands firmly holding his paddle and his third point of
his stance is through his right leg he is standing on. |
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Note Lars has placed his right
foot and is bringing beside it his left foot he is actually distributing his
balance over his arms not over his right leg where you can see his knee is
slightly bent. He is keeping the kayak
level by using his arms. His right leg
is just placed in the cockpit on his seat.
All this time his body weight is fully over his hands. |
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Now you see that Lars is
starting to slide his left leg forward and his right leg is crossed being in
the center of the seat over the keel. |
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Here Lars is bending his right
leg on the far side and is slipping his left leg farther forward as he is
starting to lower himself. |
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Now you see that on the far side
Lars right leg is bent more than 90 degrees and his left leg is straight out
in front of him. I would guess that he
has a prosthetic left hip. |
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Lars weight is now on the rear
deck and cockpit lip. He has enough room
to start extending right leg. His left
knee is rubbing on the edge of the cockpit.
His weight is completely on the rear deck. |
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Both legs are straightened out
and he is wriggling his forward body into the cockpit. |
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Lars is wriggling into the cockpit
shifting his weight forward onto his arms off his buttocks. |
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Lars body is wriggling from side
to side as he is shifting downward into the cockpit. |
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Lars is fully in the
cockpit. He is sitting on a piece of
caribou fir as his seat which only slightly elevates him off the hull bottom
and keel about half to three quarters of an inch.. |
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Now Lars is launching off the
rock floating the hull by leaning his body weight aft and pushing off the
rock with his paddle. He is using just
a gentle push so as to not mar the hull skin. |
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Lars kayak is now fully
afloat. Note the shape and length of
this paddle. This is the long fan
shaped paddle common to northern Upernavik Commune, Tasiusaq and Kullorsuaq. |
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Kaalaraq Bech
getting into his kayak note his hand is on rock he is in a |
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Gail Ferris preparing to launch
from Upernavik in 1993. |
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Gail Ferris www.nkhorizons.com/DisabledKayakLaunch.htm |
