Upon recommendation, Berthon Boat Company in Lymington called us with a very specialist problem. Their client, who was an enthusiastic sailing boat owner, sadly had an accident and had been left paralyzed. To allow him to enjoy his boat to its full extent they needed to install a specialist boat lift that would allow their client to get from the deck to the cabin below.
The challenge of the project was to design and fit a specialist boat lift in such a narrow gap as well as keeping all the remaining features intact so both the client and his family could use the boat without any obstacles. The client had two beautiful wooden doors that he wanted to remain in place and so Berthon Boat Company removed 75mm of the fibreglass deck so we could fit our lifting system. We installed a bespoke scissor jack system with a platform to accommodate the wheelchair - the control system and small hydraulic pump were placed inside a cupboard that was easily accessible. The platform was fitted with the same carpet as the lower deck's flooring so that when the lift was not in use you wouldn't know it was there! A small set of temporary steps were then put into place so the rest of the family could easily access the lower deck.
The lift allowed the client to get back onto his boat and enjoy sailing in the Solent and further afield once again. To see more of our work for disabled access on boats click here
Boat Lift for Disabled Sailor
Location: Hampshire
Status: Complete
Year Completed: 2011