Home / Wheelchair Halloween costumes for adults / Ghost Ship
Ghost Ship Wheelchair Costume: How to Build It
- Time 2 to 3 hours
- Help needed Cutting the hull
- Best for Best for a porch
A ghost ship is a ship that should have sunk long ago, and a chair is a good hull for one. The sides are cardboard painted to look like old wood, the sails are torn fabric and a glowing lantern on the bow gives the look. Keep the mast short, and everything else follows.
What you will need
- Cardboard sheets (large boxes or appliance cardboard)
- Brown, gray and black paint, or a sponge and brown paint for a wood grain
- Gray fabric (an old sheet, curtain or cheesecloth), torn into strips
- A short dowel or PVC pipe for the mast
- Hook-and-loop strips or removable ties
- A battery LED lantern
- A captain's coat and hat, or a dark coat and a tricorn hat
- Polyester fiber fill or cotton batting for fog
Step by step
- Cut two hull panels from cardboard: a curved shape with a pointed bow, about as long as your chair. Cut round portholes along the sides.
- Paint them like old wood: brown base, then dry-brush with gray and black. Dab on white streaks for salt stains. Leave to dry.
- Attach the panels to the frame or armrest sides at a height above the wheels, with hook-and-loop strips or removable ties. Keep the bottom edge well clear of the wheels and hand rims.
- Build the mast: attach a short dowel to the back of the chair, no taller than your doorway, and brace it to the frame with ties. Do not put it where it blocks your push handles or controls.
- Tear the gray fabric into ragged strips and hang them from a crossbar. Keep every hem well above the wheels.
- Place a battery lantern on the front panel or lap as the ghost light.
- Stretch polyester fiber fill along the base of the hull to look like mist. Put on a coat and hat, and add a few paper-cutout seagulls.
Before you roll
Check. Measure your door width and the mast against the top of the frame before going out. Fabric should never hang lower than the top of the wheel. Check that you can still reach your brakes and push rims without touching the hull.
Mistakes to avoid
- A mast that is too tall and catches on doorways or branches. Keep it below the top of your head if you can.
- Sail fabric that drifts toward the wheels in the wind. Tie it up or shorten it.
- Hull panels attached to the wheel guard or brake. Attach to the frame only.
Make it better
Add a skeleton hand clutching the wheel guard of the hull (attached to the panel, not the wheel), or a small speaker playing wave sounds tucked inside the hull.
Where to buy
Amazon links; check the product page against the notes before you order.
- Removable mounting tape (a removable version, not industrial strength)
- Reflective tape (a small roll is enough)
- Black foam board (check the pack size and thickness)
Safety for every build
- Nothing may block, touch or catch in the wheels, hand rims, brakes or controls. Keep fabric above the wheels and make every attachment quick to remove.
- On a power chair, also keep clear of the joystick, cables, battery and vents.
- Keep tall pieces light and low on the chair so they do not change your balance.
- Check that the finished build fits through a standard door.
- Add reflective tape or a battery LED so you are visible in low light.