Disability Board Advice

[surfingperson123]

Hi everyone,
For my school project, I have decided to make a specially designed board for my disabled brother who suffers from haempledga. It would be greatly appreciated if you could fill my survey on how I should design the board as I want feedback from surfers so that I can make sure the board would be as effective as possible.
Thanks,
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxqiYffqx7mjL8KqaZ4QVz-P_C8cS3uMd4ntMic0ITtCJEQA/viewform?usp=sf_link

[jaffa1949]

This is a challenging reply and I have answered the survey I really think you need some serious advice for what you are undertaking on your brothers’ behalf.
You are looking for a suitably adapted body board for hemiplegia, which you describe well.

With both leg and arm paralysis or severe weakness, some things to consider beyond grip.
Paddling out, what are your ideas there, as the parachute device would not work going out!
Secondly would your brother be able to swim in after a wipeout and loosing the board?
His unaffected side could hold the board with a handle and could support a body board leash, but I would have serious concerns over any strapping or leashing of the weakened arm as the force of a wipeout could cause injury.

The propulsion by the parachute idea, with the wave force inflating it, but if the rider wished to pull off the normal wave force would be greatly magnified and may be too much to overcome to pull off. Control of pullouts is necessary for collision avoidance, even in small surf.

i would seriously hope that your brother’s surfing time is a shared time with you assisting as depending on the level of his hemiplegia he may not be able to achieve surf self sufficiency.

Designs suitable may also be available through the programs like Surfing for the Disabled and Adaptive Surfing organizations.
But a simple design idea if you or a friend are assisting your brother, a larger bodyboard or some of the soft beater boards of suitable length with a balance handle place in the center forward position, for good sided hand to hold this also act as point on which leverage can be used to,steer.
A leash mounted forward as normal for a body board as board recovery.

Takeoff on wave really should be helper assisted, the parachute idea worries me.

Important questions come my mind too, Do you surf and at what level if you do? What sort of surf do you and your brother wish to take on?
I hope other forumites post too as there is much than my answer to be offered.
Why I am not just answering the survey, is because this may also help other surfers to be in this situation and there has been much good work already done by Surfing for the disabled, and Adaptive Surfing.

Your brother deserves lots more feedback to,get him in the water!

There are no limitations one arm can paddle adequately and use a body board, so all is not lost, Bethany Hamilton at a high level.
One leg kicking to would be enough to catch waves t