In response to a dramatic increase in canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards on the NYS Canal System, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has published the New York State Canal System Hand-Launch Facility Design Guide.
The free guide shares best practices for communities, businesses, and organizations looking to install or improve hand-launch facilities for paddlers.
The guide specifically addresses the uniqueness of the NYS Canal System, accounting for its structures, bank and channel features, and hydrological characteristics. The guide includes diagrams and photos, permitting information, reference materials, checklists and more for a potential launch project. A range of options is presented, from minimum standards to universal design.
The new guide builds on efforts undertaken by the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the NYS Canal Corporation to attract a greater diversity of recreational users to the canals. The NYS Canalway Water Trail Guidebook, published by Erie Canalway in 2019, the NYS Canal Corporation’s On the Canals program, along with a variety of paddling events have introduced a growing number of paddlers to the waterway.
The New York State Canal System Hand-Launch Facility Design Guide is available for free download online.
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