From: "Richard Frost" <maloneme_at_gwi.net> > >From what little I have seen, these are much more than a fad. I have frequently > thought about designing one myself, but I doubt I'll get to it this decade > anyway. Combining a comfortable pedaling position with an efficient prop shaft > angle always leads me to raising the pedalers center of gravity to the point > where a kayak form is too unstable in wavy water. I feel the really successful > pedal powered boat will have outriggers or be a catamaran type of craft. Is > anybody doing that yet? > > Richard Frost I would have thought the same thing, but never underestimate the power of ingenuity. Have you seen this "Wavebike" thing? http://www.wavebike.com/specs.htm These guys have taken an inherently unstable streamlined monohull and dynamically stabilized it using the principles of hydrodynamics with a centrally mounted handlebar operated canard rudder. It uses deployable outriggers for stationary stability when stopped. Their original prototype was built from a length of sewer pipe! They have very credible movies of it operating in surf, and claim it can sprint to 15 mph/100 yds, with 5.7 mph cruising speed for a 15 mile course. The bad news is it requires almost 2 foot of water for the vertical fin and 18" prop. This seems the most interesting of a very innovative family of watercraft visible from http://www.watercycling.org/ (found in the US News and World Report article). A great invention results when an apparent weakness is embraced and turned into a strength. What a concept... Texas Tommy *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced/forwarded outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Aug 30 2000 - 21:04:05 PDT
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