Waveski Launcher Group W05

Описание: Mark Thorton was an active duty in the US Army from September 1983 to June 1991, serving in the Fort Campbell 101st air-assault and the Alaskan E troop 1st Air Cavalry as a power plant repairman. After getting out of service in 1991, Mr. Thorton was severely injured in an explosion while working as a civilian contractor defueling a five-thousand-gallon gas tanker. This has left Mr. Thorton paraplegic and unable to walk. Despite this major accident, Mr. Thorton has still remained physically active, especially when it comes to being out in the ocean and surfing. He has experimented with several different ways to surf, finding that using a waveski is the easiest for him. The challenge for Mr. Thorton comes when launching his waveski into the water. The waveski itself weighs a considerable amount and along with disability, makes it difficult to get into the water.

After finishing his military service in 1991, Mr. Throton was severely injured in an accident while working as a civilian contractor, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Despite this, Mr. Thorton has still remained physically active, especially when it comes to being out in the ocean and surfing on his waveski. To make his surfing experience easier and more enjoyable, our team has been tasked to design, analyze and manufacture a waveski launching device which will allow Mr. Thorton to enter and exit the ocean more independently, making his surf sessions easier, less complicated and more efficient. The waveski launcher will also be compatible with the motorized waveski being built for Mr. Thorton by another senior design team.


Our team has been tasked to design, analyze, prototype, and manufacture a waveski launching device that will allow our paraplegic challenger, Mr. Mark Thorton, to launch his waveski into the ocean and to land at the beach while remaining seated in order to make surf sessions easier, less complicated and more efficient.

Our project is sponsored by the Quality of Life + Organization (QL+) whose mission is to foster and generate innovations that aid and improve the quality of life for those who have served our country.