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The One-Armed Freedom Paddle & Paddlesports for All!

By Bruce Steinberg

07/08/2020

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Paddlesports for All

By Cindy Dillenschneider and Jason Maloney

Contibrutors Jason Malony & Cindy Dillenschneider

Editor’s Note: Cindy Dillenschneider and husband Jason Maloney (Major USA, Army Reserve, Ret’d) are intrepid explorers via canoe. Cindy’s 27 years as an Outdoor Education Professor at Northern College, and Jason, a licensed educator in Wisconsin since 1983, have a history of public service to those in need. She has designed and created, and they have promoted, their patented One-Arm Freedom Canoe Paddle that welcomes many disabled folks comfortably and safely into our world of paddling silent sports. After reading the facts about the disabled and access to our world of silent sports, you can go to SilentSportsMagazine.com and find videos of their One-Arm Freedom Canoe Paddle to see for yourself not only how it works, but also the smiles it puts on its users’ faces.

For decades, people with disabilities have been almost invisible within the paddlesports community. An estimated 3.8 million people in Canada and 56.7 million people in the U.S. have disabilities. It is likely that many are currently sitting on the sidelines wondering how they can get involved in paddlesports. Fortunately, determined individuals with disabilities and changes in attitudes throughout society have opened the door to paddlesports participation for all.

[Editor’s Note: Please enjoy what the One-Arm Freedom Paddle can do fo disabled persons. More videos at end of story!]

Inclusive paddlesports opportunities have grown over the years as people with disabilities and their supporters prepared the way. A few noteworthy firsts in the U.S. include: a descent of the Grand Canyon by blind, whitewater kayakers (2014); a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters that included people who were deaf and people who used wheelchairs (1977); a month-long sea kayak expedition in Prince William Sound by three people with paraplegia and 4 able-bodied friends (1984); and teams of athletes with disabilities competing in Outrigger (2004) and Dragon Boat (2013) races. These accomplishments and the pioneering individuals behind them were among those who helped promote inclusion in paddlesports and transformed organizations and programs.

Adaptive Paddling, bringing equipment and accessibility to help people move beyond limitations, into the world of silent sports. Photo courtesy of Adaptive Expeditions.

Organizations such as Wilderness Inquiry, Disabled Sports USA, Adaptive Adventures, and Adaptive Expeditions provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities to participate in community-based programs and international paddling experiences. The American Canoe Association, the U.S. Canoe Association, and Canoe Kayak Canada have worked tirelessly to improve recreation, instruction, and competition opportunities for people with differences in physical, sensory, cognitive, and emotional ability. Most recently, world-governing bodies have sanctioned para-paddling divisions within Dragon Boat, Outrigger Canoeing, and the Paralympics.

Through the efforts of many, more people with disabilities are getting access to paddlesports and have transitioned from spectator or passenger to crew. They paddle in local lakes with family, adventure into wildernesses, and compete in world class events. Their efforts are assisted through the use of adaptive equipment and assistive technology to accommodate personal differences such as mobility, strength, and absence of limbs or sight.

Although most of us can buy almost every type of outdoor gear in our favorite color or with our most desired features, you will be hard-pressed to find adaptive outdoor equipment fully suitable for people with disabilities who wish to participate in paddlesports. For years, programs have made on-the-fly adaptations with duct tape, bicycle inner tubes, and closed-cell foam. These adaptations have their place. However, a few manufacturers are creating high-quality, esthetically-pleasing adaptive paddlesports equipment that provides functionally superior performance and can be purchased off-the-shelf.

Joyal’s Outrigger. Today’s disabled paddlesports athletes are using high quality adaptive equipment to facilitate their participation in regional, national and international competitions. Photo courtesy of Jessica Joyal.

For the past 16 years, Kevin Carr of Creating Ability has been in the business of making paddling accessible to all. One product Kevin produces is the Universal Paddling Seat that adjusts to provide as much or as little support as needed by the individual: from pelvic stabilization to torso and upper back support. This seat is exceptional for kayaking, and has also proven its worth in canoeing and seated paddleboarding. While it can be easy for people with some lower body impairments to jump in almost any kayak and paddle away, combining the universal seat with a kayak outfitted with seat cushioning, stabilizing outriggers, and paddle supports facilitates independent paddling by people who experience high-level quadriplegia and other complex body-wide impairments. Other products by Creating Ability assist paddlers in kayaking independently, regardless of upper-body strength, endurance, grip, or limb difference. Check out their full range of products at www.creatingability.com.

Angle Oar has developed a kayak paddle with a center hinge and kayak paddle mounts that support the weight of standard double-blade paddles, as well as their own angled design. By supporting the weight of the paddle, their system assists people with upper limb weakness and limited range of motion to achieve independence in recreational flatwater kayaking. Their products can be used in decked or sit-on-top kayaks in flatwater environments. See www.angleoar.com.

Those more interested in flatwater canoeing, Dillenschneider Designs LLC produces the One-Arm Freedom® canoe paddle. This paddle facilitates full participation in flatwater canoeing by people with upper-limb impairments. It is well-suited for beginners through experts who wish to engage in wilderness canoeing, Dragon Boating, Outrigger Canoeing, and recreational family day-trips. While this is solely a paddle for unobstructed flatwater canoeing, the paddle opens a wide range of paddlesports to full participation by people who, in the past, have been limited by typical two-hand use canoe paddles. You can find information about this one-hand use paddle at www.dillenschneiderdesigns.com.

Shanaia paddling, from spectator to passenger to crew. A desire to paddle combined with the right equipment and competent instruction makes paddlesports accessible to everyone. Photo courtesy of Adaptive Expeditions.