All About Canoe and Kayak Launches
This area contains almost everything we think you should know about developing a canoe and kayak launch site—from a simple diagram to recommendations for the not-so-simple task of finding funding for your project.
Launch Design
Canoe and kayak launches needn’t be expensive, high-maintenance facilities. In fact, with a little bit of determination and access to the right information (provided here), launch site design and construction can remain a relatively straightforward, easy, and inexpensive proposition.
A stable riverbank or shoreline is an adequate launch site for many paddlers. To make them safely accessible to the general public, launches for canoes and other open boats require only minimal intervention, such as a path that’s flat and hard enough to carry boats without difficulty. We’ve provided a simple canoe and kayak launch diagram for just such a scenario.
Launch Diagram
This simple earthen canoe launch (12’ wide at the water line, tapered to 9’ wide at the top, and 15’ long) was constructed of native soil material, with sand and gravel added to improve drainage and control erosion. The banks have been graded to a 3:1 slope.
Recommended Launch Features
Although not every canoe and kayak launch will have all of the following features, these are good to keep in mind when planning and designing a new site:
Launch Costs
Land acquisition, driveways, and parking usually make up the most expensive aspects of a fully developed canoe and kayak launch. But access to the water can be simple and basic—a stable riverbank or shoreline provides a secure and functional beginning and/or ending to many water trail trips.
Launches for People with Disabilities
According to the Recommendations for Accessibility Guidelines: Recreational Facilities and Outdoor Developed Areas, access for people with disabilities may not be appropriate at every canoe and kayak launch site or on every water trail. However, it is highly desirable that our regional water trail system provides a wide cross section of experiences for people with disabilities.
Launch Funding
The Boat Access Area Development Program of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) specifically targets boat access projects at Illinois lakes and waterways, covering up to 90% of land acquisition costs and 100% of access development costs. Limited to $50,000 for non-motorized access and $200,000 for motorized access (which can have a non-motorized access component), the grants require recipients to maintain funded improvements.
Launch Permits
Various federal, state, or even local permits may be required to construct a boat launch facility. The conditions necessary to satisfy various permits should be ascertained early in your plan and kept in mind during the site evaluation and facility design processes. Also, the responsibility for meeting permit requirements should be assigned early in the project.
