Pete,

See if you can find a copy of CANOEING AND KAYAKING FOR PERSONS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, published by American Canoe Association, 8580 Cinderbed Road, Suite 1900, PO Box 1190, Newinigton, VA 22122-1190. Phone: 703-550-7495.

They show several paddle/grip adaptations for people with upper limb-hand(s) impairment. These include attaching velcro to the shaft and to a glove on the affected hand, a strap loop attached to the shaft into which the paddler puts her/his hand, modifying a glove or mitten such that it velcros around the shaft, and using Hardbody's¨ "Firm Fist Grips".

If you would like, let me know off-list, and I can send you copies of relevant pages of this book.

Ken Sarkozy
Kalamazoo, MI

I have a friend who would like very much to try kayaking. She is young and in
: good physical condition, but has one problem that has me asking for help.

: Born with a birth defect, she has the first joint of the right thumb, and the
: first joint of the right pinkie, but no other fingers on the right hand.
: The palm is otherwise normal, and there is no atrophy of the arm muscles.
: She is strong enough to paddle, but gripping the paddle is the issue. The
: digits are not long enough to touch in opposition. Furthermore, she
: doesn't want to invest in a paddle unless she can actually use it, so
: permanent modifications are problematic.

: I was thinking about a pogie or something like it, or a glove with velcro on
: the palm and temporarily attached to the paddle. Any other ideas?