Here is my wheelchair accessible fishing machine..!!

[handi2]

Hello,

I have been a paraplegic since an accident in 1988. Before the accident I was heavily involved in scuba diving, fishing, and of course reel service and repair. In the 80's I was doing reel service for some of our local charter boats here in the Pensacola area.

After the injury I stuck to fishing but always had to modify boats for me to operate while seated in my chair. It wasn't always the "safe" thing to do but I'm still here..! I also had to have people around to lift me in and out.

In 2009 I had this boat built by Ocean Master boats in Jupiter, FL. The boat is mostly their basic boat but a side door was added for my to enter and exit while the boat was in the lift. With a remote controlled lift I can actually get in, drop the boat and take off. But that's never done.

The helm seating is electric/hydraulic adjustable up and down, forward and aft. The are folding grab bars under the tower that I can fold down, grab on to and lift myself in and out of the helm seat. The pictures don't show the new tower and upper station now installed.

You can see all the pictures here at www.oceanmasterboats.com under the 31' section. They use my boat as their 31' "show boat".
http://www.oceanmasterboats.com/31centerconsole/31cc_main.htm


Keith Rawson

[handi2]

More pictures if it works..!

[Dominick]

Very cool boat.  Good luck with it.  Dominick

[Bryan Young]

Sweet ride.  I love that side door.  Makes bringing in that tuna so much easier from the side than over the gunnels.

[raumati01]

Good to see you can still get out on the water mate, nice boat.

[Keta]

Nice!

[Alto Mare]

This is nice to see, thanks for sharing.
Sal
Enjoy that boat!....

[handi2]

Thanks Guy's..!!

We have caught plenty of big fish over the last 4 years with this boat. It's in the shop now getting new Yamaha F300's. No more 2 strokes even though they have ben fine. The Etec's have 376 hours on them when I sold them a month ago. The Gulf oil spill kept us from fishing one year.

Ocean Master showed the door as a Tuna door but it's 28" wide. Just right for my wheelchair.

[floating doc]

That's a great boat; I'm glad to see you're getting out. Really a creative idea of using the tuna door for wheelchair access.

I fish out of Destin every year or two (when I can get up there for a visit), so I can sure appreciate those beautiful red snapper.

Thanks for sharing.

[harryk3616]

congrats, my hat off to you, i use a electric scooter to get around, i use to fish almost 7 days a week years ago, but haven't wet a line off of a boat in 12 years, i'm elated to see what you did, beautiful, excellent.  i do the next best thing i work on and repair reels for a hobby now.  my best to you.   harryk

[wallacewt]

good stuff,love it,tight lines

[broadway]

   Great to see nothings gonna stop you from fishing and with that boat you shouldn't have a hard time mustering up a crew either
Always loved O.M. boats for their unbelievable capability to run in rough seas (like 8-10'ers) ...just wish they had a wider beam for the drift.
Enjoy that beauty and tight lines to ya!
Thanks
Dom

[alantani]

as impressive as it is humbling.  sir, you honor us with your presence here.

[erikpowell]

Way to go Keith ! and that's a fine boat you've got there.
Cheers mate!

[handi2]

Thank's guys and have a wonderful Merry Christmas..! The beam is 10' 3" and fits on a trailer. Easy to get out of the way of hurricanes.