Adaptive Kayak Exit Hoist

Kayak Hoist Assistive Platform CAD

As part of my Segal Design Intern role, I designed a mechanism to assist residents of a senior living facility with exiting a kayak, as many did not have the individual strength to do so on their own.

Skills Strengthened:

  • User-Centered Design
  • Prototyping
  • CAD Modeling (SolidWorks)
  • Team Leadership

The Process

I led a team of 6 in designing a manual hoist mechanism to be built onto the dock seen to the right, allowing paddlers to raise themselves out of their kayak from a seated position. An enormous mechanical advantage is gained through the use of pulleys, a gear box, and a large wheel in order to reduce the required effort needed to lift a person to just a few pounds. As part of this internship, I was responsible for client communication, project management for this team, and procuring work instructions and a bill of materials to be delivered to the client.

Dock ramp with assistive rails