2022 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2023)

11B-1003 Recreational boating facilities

11B-1003.1 General.

Recreational boating facilities shall comply with Section 11B-1003.

11B-1003.2 Accessible routes.

Accessible routes serving recreational boating facilities, including gangways and floating piers, shall comply with Division 4 except as modified by the exceptions in Section 11B-1003.2.

11B-1003.2.1 Boat slips.

Accessible routes serving boat slips shall be permitted to use the exceptions in Section 11B-1003.2.1.

Exceptions:

1. Where an existing gangway or series of gangways is replaced or altered, an increase in the length of the gangway shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-1003.2 unless required by Section 11B-202.4.

2. Gangways shall not be required to comply with the maximum rise specified in Section 11B-405.6.

3. Where the total length of a gangway or series of gangways serving as part of a required accessible route is 80 feet (24384 mm) minimum, gangways shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-405.2.

Advisory 11B-1003.2.1 Boat slips Exception 3. The following example shows how exception 3 would be applied: A gangway is provided to a floating pier which is required to be on an accessible route. The vertical distance is 10 feet (3050 mm) between the elevation where the gangway departs the landside connection and the elevation of the pier surface at the lowest water level. Exception 3 permits the gangway to be 80 feet (24 m) long. Another design solution would be to have two 40 foot (12 m) plus continuous gangways joined together at a float, where the float (as the water level falls) will stop dropping at an elevation five feet below the landside connection. The length of transition plates would not be included in determining if the gangway(s) meet the requirements of the exception. ◼

4. Where facilities contain fewer than 25 boat slips and the total length of the gangway or series of gangways serving as part of a required accessible route is 30 feet (9144 mm) minimum, gangways shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-405.2.

5. Where gangways connect to transition plates, landings specified by Section 11B-405.7 shall not be required.

6. Where gangways and transition plates connect and are required to have handrails, handrail extensions shall not be required. Where handrail extensions are provided on gangways or transition plates, the handrail extensions shall not be required to be parallel with the ground or floor surface.

7. The cross slope specified in Sections 11B-403.3 and 11B-405.3 for gangways, transition plates, and floating piers that are part of accessible routes shall be measured in the static position.

8. Changes in level complying with Sections 11B-303.3 and 11B-303.4 shall be permitted on the surfaces of gangways and boat launch ramps.

11B-1003.2.2 Boarding piers at boat launch ramps.

Accessible routes serving boarding piers at boat launch ramps shall be permitted to use the exceptions in Section 11B-1003.2.2.

Exceptions:

1. Accessible routes serving floating boarding piers shall be permitted to use Exceptions 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 in Section 11B-1003.2.1.
2. Where the total length of the gangway or series of gangways serving as part of a required accessible route is 30 feet (9144 mm) minimum, gangways shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-405.2.
3. Where the accessible route serving a floating boarding pier or skid pier is located within a boat launch ramp, the portion of the accessible route located within the boat launch ramp shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-405.

11B-1003.3 Clearances.

Clearances at boat slips and on boarding piers at boat launch ramps shall comply with Section 11B-1003.3.

Advisory 11B-1003.3 Clearances. Although the minimum width of the clear pier space is 60 inches (1525 mm), it is recommended that piers be wider than 60 inches (1525 mm) to improve the safety for persons with disabilities, particularly on floating piers. ◼

11B-1003.3.1 Boat slip clearance.

Boat slips shall provide clear pier space 60 inches (1524 mm) wide minimum and at least as long as the boat slips. Each 10 feet (3048 mm) maximum of linear pier edge serving boat slips shall contain at least one continuous clear opening 60 inches (1524 mm) wide minimum.

Exceptions:

1. Clear pier space shall be permitted to be 36 inches (914 mm) wide minimum for a length of 24 inches (610 mm) maximum, provided that multiple 36 inch (914 mm) wide segments are separated by segments that are 60 inches (1524 mm) wide minimum and 60 inches (1524 mm) long minimum.
2. Edge protection shall be permitted at the continuous clear openings, provided that it is 4 inches (102 mm) high maximum and 2 inches (51 mm) wide maximum.
3. In existing piers, clear pier space shall be permitted to be located perpendicular to the boat slip and shall extend the width of the boat slip, where the facility has at least one boat slip complying with Section 11B-1003.3, and further compliance with Section 11B-1003.3 would result in a reduction in the number of boat slips available or result in a reduction of the widths of existing slips.

Advisory 11B-1003.3.1 Boat slip clearance Exception 3. Where the conditions in exception 3 are satisfied, existing facilities are only required to have one accessible boat slip with a pier clearance which runs the length of the slip. All other accessible slips are allowed to have the required pier clearance at the head of the slip. Under this exception, at piers with perpendicular boat slips, the width of most "finger piers" will remain unchanged. However, where mooring systems for floating piers are replaced as part of pier alteration projects, an opportunity may exist for increasing accessibility. Piers may be reconfigured to allow an increase in the number of wider finger piers, and serve as accessible boat slips. ◼

FIGURE 11B-1003.3.1 BOAT SLIP CLEARANCE

FIGURE 11B-1003.3.1 (EXCEPTION 1) CLEAR PIER SPACE REDUCTION AT BOAT SLIPS

FIGURE 11B-1003.3.1 (EXCEPTION 2) EDGE PROTECTION AT BOAT SLIPS

11B-1003.3.2 Boarding pier clearances.

Boarding piers at boat launch ramps shall provide clear pier space 60 inches (1524 mm) wide minimum and shall extend the full length of the boarding pier. Every 10 feet (3048 mm) maximum of linear pier edge shall contain at least one continuous clear opening 60 inches (1524 mm) wide minimum.

Exceptions:

1. The clear pier space shall be permitted to be 36 inches (914 mm) wide minimum for a length of 24 inches (610 mm) maximum provided that multiple 36 inch (914 mm) wide segments are separated by segments that are 60 inches (1524 mm) wide minimum and 60 inches (1524 mm) long minimum.
2. Edge protection shall be permitted at the continuous clear openings provided that it is 4 inches (102 mm) high maximum and 2 inches (51 mm) wide maximum.

Advisory 11B-1003.3.2 Boarding pier clearances. These requirements do not establish a minimum length for accessible boarding piers at boat launch ramps. The accessible boarding pier should have a length at least equal to that of other boarding piers provided at the facility. If no other boarding pier is provided, the pier would have a length equal to what would have been provided if no access requirements applied. The entire length of accessible boarding piers would be required to comply with the same technical provisions that apply to accessible boat slips. For example, at a launch ramp, if a 20 foot (6100 mm) long accessible boarding pier is provided, the entire 20 feet (6100 mm) must comply with the pier clearance requirements in Section 11B-1003.3. Likewise, if a 60 foot (18 m) long accessible boarding pier is provided, the pier clearance requirements in Section 11B-1003.3 would apply to the entire 60 feet (18 m).

The following example applies to a boat launch ramp boarding pier: A chain of floats is provided on a launch ramp to be used as a boarding pier which is required to be accessible by Section 11B-1003.3.2. At high water, the entire chain is floating and a transition plate connects the first float to the surface of the launch ramp. As the water level decreases, segments of the chain end up resting on the launch ramp surface, matching the slope of the launch ramp. ◼

FIGURE 11B-1003.3.2 BOARDING PIER CLEARANCE

FIGURE 11B-1003.3.2 (EXCEPTION 1) CLEAR PIER SPACE REDUCTION AT BOARDING PIERS

FIGURE 11B-1003.3.2 (EXCEPTION 2) EDGE PROTECTION AT BOARDING PIERS