Mobility impaired cat choices

[Pilot90442]

This is a take off of the hull slap thread. In it I list a bit about ourselves. I will flesh out my wife's mobility issue here and give our thoughts on design aspects of different cats.

Her issue is with ruptured disk at L5 S1 and several bulges in disks between her shoulder blades. Sciatic nerve flare ups. Shoulder problems and carpal tunnel problems. She can go days with no real problems and doing the most normal thing something will flare up! It never comes with a warning.

We like the forward door of the new Leopards. I know it's a hot button issue among some. For a person with mobility issues it seems to me to be a better way to go forward on the boat then down the side deck. I dont like all the square corners inside regardless of manufacturer. I do like island births- easier for her to get in bed. Don't like wide mesh tramps and wide gaps between the edge of the tramp and the deck. Don't like exposed anchor chain- trip hazard. Like wide steps/platforms on the stern scoops. Don't like small shower stalls as in charter versions- her balance in the shower. Don't like a flybridge too many steps to climb. DO like plenty of electric wenches for her. Don't like sheets running to multiple locations. DO like U snapped galley. Don't like an oven above counter height-really who thought up that one!!!! To big we can't afford it too small ....you get the idea. I'm sure I could go on.

We are going to the boat show">Annapolis boat show this fall provided our first grandbaby arrives as scheduled Oct 17. We will be looking them all over with mobility in mind. Any thoughts but more importantly any experience with these things would be appreciated. Feel free to make suggestions. We aren't independently wealthy. 40 to 45 foot range or so new or late model used.

[UNCIVILIZED]

For the sheeting issue, it's relatively easy to configure most boats so that the jib sheet & main sheet wind up in the same location. If you look at the options at the bottom of the Harken page, you can see a couple of examples which would allow you to lead most any main sheet to the same area as the jib sheet. Cick the link for said examples --> Harken Sailboat Hardware and Accessories
And much the same can be done with most lines onboard, meaning leading them to a key location or three, wherever best suits you, onboardd.

Shower wise, on boats, in some respects smaller is better. As you can brace yourself against the wall & not have to worry about maintaining your balance when the boat is bouncing around. And a lot of showers in boats have flip down, or fixed seats, which also make showering easier, especially underway.

On anchor chain, some boats are designed so that the chain & windlass are at the base of the mast, with the anchor(s) just forward of this, including their rollers. So that the chain is never on "deck". Meaning on the trampolines, or forward crossbeam. There are drawbacks to this, but it's an option.

[smj]

I have close to the same problem. The disk between L5 S1 is nonexistent, and the rest of my disks up to my neck are in various stages of disintegration so my mobility and balance has become compromised.
One of the most important aspects of sailing with mobility and balance problems is boat motion, and generally speaking the more waterline the less motion. This of course doesn't always hold true.
We have owned quite a few cats over the last 25 years and our favorite so far has been the Seawind 1000xl. Somehow the design hit a sweet spot when it comes to motion, and having the cockpit integrated with the salon makes for a large one level area. Check out their 1160 and 1250, the same concept as the 1000 just larger.

[PaulinOz]

Article about a guy in a wheel chair setting up, then heading off on a catamaran adventure.

Lagoon 42 modified for quadriplegic sailor

[rallyman1122]

This is an interesting topic for me as well as I have had a stroke and some days balance is an issue. I am okay if I can brace myself but being over tired can be a real issue. Hence a catamaran for me

[Cadence]

I'll follow intently. Sorry to hear I'm not alone in falling apart.

[rallyman1122]

Ideally I would like a St Francis 50 but that stretches the budget severely. I do like the Leopard 48 but don't like the galley area. Maybe a Lagoon 450S but I looked at one and I didn't feel and passion for it. It is excellent example of a boat fitting into the charter market and adaptable to private crusing for a couple. But it leaves me cold. Same with the Helia 44. So not sure where I am going next.

Time the bigger issue will be safety. MOB recovery systems and the stability of working on a catamarans foredeck. (In comparison to accept mono. I know when the crap hits the fan and seas are bad all bets are off regardless of what boat you are in.)

I plan on making sure there are lots of grab rails and handholds to help me with the balance issue.

[BURMABOB]

Originally Posted by smj

I have close to the same problem. The disk between L5 S1 is nonexistent, and the rest of my disks up to my neck are in various stages of disintegration so my mobility and balance has become compromised.
One of the most important aspects of sailing with mobility and balance problems is boat motion, and generally speaking the more waterline the less motion. This of course doesn't always hold true.
We have owned quite a few cats over the last 25 years and our favorite so far has been the Seawind 1000xl. Somehow the design hit a sweet spot when it comes to motion, and having the cockpit integrated with the salon makes for a large one level area. Check out their 1160 and 1250, the same concept as the 1000 just larger.

I also have mobility problems with surgery on lower back L5...Trouble climbing around on 22 foot sailboat at my freedom boat club...I am in the market for a Mobility Kind Cat...I appreciate your suggestion for a Seawind 1000xl...This may very well be a sweetspot for me...Thanks Sir

[Thuid]

Definitely will be following this thread.

The wife and I are investigating for similar reasons. But for her it is failing knees due to arthritis. Went to the 2017 spring Annapolis boat show and checked out the cats there and got a chance to meet and talk to a lot of retired couples about what recommendations they had after being on their cats for some time. A lot of them recommended something which we hadn't really put much thought into, as I had initially considered a galley down for the stability of the person being able to wedge in so to speak. But they seem to prefer the galley up due to the natural motion of the cat bobbing as well as less trips up and down the couple of steps during the days activities.
Not sure if this is an issue any more, as most new cats seem to be built with galley up anyways.

We also were not a big fan of the "squared corner" design all the manufactures seem to be turning to now. But we were interested in the Seawind cats layout, it gave a very open feeling compared to some of the other manufacturers of similar sizes.

[meatservo]

I think Dazcat, A British manufacturer built a wheelchair accessible cat...

They have a youtube video on their website, I'm too stupid to post the video or a link. They are more geared to the performance point of the triangle though.


meatservo

[jdazey]

A reduced mobility sailor and his wife came through Hampton Roads a month or so ago on a Tag TS42, Moea, that had been heavily modified by the factory. There is a long article about it in the July/August 2017 issue of Multihulls World. There are a lot of innovative solutions for dealing with mobility issues.