Re: [Paddlewise] PaddleWise V1 #562

The boat was a Sea Saber, at one time the fastest human powered single. I
wasn't using it much and it was taking up space in my basement so I sold it.
Wish I hadn't. It weighed 50 pounds, was 21' long, 11" wide and sported a
long thin outrigger 8' out to one side for stability. Bicycle pedals and
crank operated from a recumbent seat turned an 18" screw propeller.  I once
witnessed a Sea Saber beat two top oarsmen in a double racing scull by over
a dozen lengths at the end of a 1000 meter race on calm water. In rougher
water where rowing craft have difficulty returning their oars for another
stroke without snagging them on a wave (known as "catching a crab"), the Sea
Saber had a much bigger advantage. A Sea Saber beat all of the several
hundred other craft in each of the three years it competed in Seattle's
Cross Sound Race (for human powered watercraft). The pedaler on the Sea
Saber faced forward like a canoe or kayak paddler. The main disadvantage of
the Sea Saber (beside the fact that it is no longer made) is the propeller.
It required water at least two feet deep (and a lot deeper if you wanted to
operate it at speed and not risk breaking the prop). Another disadvantage of
the prop was that it fouled in weeds that were floating or growing near the
surface. A solo peddler had to dismount (into the water) in order to clear a
fouled propeller. Because the Sea Saber lacked oars or paddles, and its
propulsion all came from the one propeller near the stern, very little
control was possible without forward speed to operate the rudder. This made
maneuvering in tight places and holding position, such as when waiting for
the start of a race, very difficult. Landing or embarking from a dock was
easy, but beaches required wading in thigh deep water. The pontoon like hull
of the Sea Saber (or of a narrow racing scull) makes gear storage room
Spartan at best and as a result they are best suited to racing and exercise
rather than touring.
The only human powered watercraft faster than a Sea Saber (that I'm aware
of) are hydrofoil craft, such as the Flying Fish. They are very fast if
pedaled hard enough to keep them flying on their foils. The Flying Fish is
like a bicycle mounted above a long thin wing-like foil for lift with a
smaller canard wing out front to control pitch (sort of an underwater high
aspect version of the Wright brother's earliest airplanes). At first it was
launched down a ramp to get it up to "flying" speed (more shades of the
Wright brothers). Later it was mounted with two pontoons to allow water
starts, landings, and slow speed operation without sinking. Its top speed
with one person were nearly as fast as the fastest eight oared shells.

Those interested in this sort of thing should check out
http://www.trampofoil.se/ and http://www.ihpva.org/

-----Original Message-----
From: E. Sullivan <sullivaned_at_pop.mts.kpnw.org>
To: PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net <PaddleWise_at_lists.intelenet.net>;
mkayaks_at_oz.net <mkayaks_at_oz.net>
Date: Thursday, June 03, 1999 8:18 AM
Subject: Re: PaddleWise V1 #562


>Of course you yourself would have trouble keeping up with Greg Barton in
his
>kayak as well (and I used to own a pedal boat that could stomp double
sculls
>by a dozen boat lenghts in a 1000 meter race)

'Used to'? I don't think I would care to part with a such a boat. Tell me
more. That Hobie thang?


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