One of the biggest challenges of adaptive equipment for Adaptive rowing is that the adaptations are typically “custom” to specific boats. Different makes and formats (eg. 2x, 1x) come in a variety of sizes. Where the seats are concerned, typically the most important piece of adaptive equipment, it is their width that matters. One of the reasons why special “adaptive” models are made is to provide extra width to accommodate fixed seat rowing. If you make a custom seat for a single scull in order to adapt it to some impairment, then you will need to make another version, slightly larger, if that athlete wishes to row in a supported double.
Stratford-upon-Avon’s adaptive programme has finessed this issue by working with the charity Remap to design and make an adjustable width seat:
- “SUABC requested help from the Remap charity in developing a seat for one of my rowers Remap help individuals with an impairment by designing and producing bespoke engineering solutions to everyday issues.”
- “The rower has cerebral palsy. The spasticity in her muscles making it difficult to compress. The usual rowing solution is to increase the distance between seat height and heels. So by building up the seat or dropping the feet on the stretcher, or both.”
- “However, shells have different gauges between runners. In our boats, anywhere between 23 and 30 cm. So we have created several built-up seats but not one for all the variations we have. This means she cannot use all boats. We have not found anything to place on top of the seat that seems a reliable and usable solution for her.”
- “So we asked Remap to help. They have kindly produced a seat where we can change the gauge of the seat i.e. change the length of the axles. Pics are of the prototype. There will be some small changes to this (e.g. the protruding ends of the screws in the seat holes need a flat head).” – Mark Dewdney
