S. Tabone Construction laborers work on a Handicaptain boat access set for the Dunkirk Pier, with Andy Bohn, engineering technician and Vince DeJoy, director of planning and development for the City of Dunkirk, watching.

The city of Dunkirk prepared for the installation of a Handicaptain Personal Boat Access System on the Dunkirk Pier on Wednesday by installing concrete footings. The footings will support the framework of a sturdy, aluminum structure that’s set to go in on Tuesday.

The Handicaptain will be installed on the east side of the Dunkirk Pier, where boats can tie up temporarily for passenger transfers. The concrete work is being performed by S. Tabone Construction Company.

The Handicaptain lift system is designed for marina and harbor use. It is engineered to carry passengers who weigh up to 350 pounds and deliver them up to a distance of 4.5 feet from the edge of a marina or harbor wall that has been properly prepared, per specifications provided by the Handicaptain’s engineering firm, Trison Engineering of Traverse City, Mich.

The Handicaptain will allow people with mobility challenges entering or disembarking from a boat, a means to safely access the boat – to enjoy the experience of being on a boat, whether for fishing or for pleasure-boating purposes.

The costs for the Handicaptain have been provided to the City of Dunkirk through generous donations made through Revitalize Dunkirk, with funding also coming from Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation.