Too easy ... just need to convert the peddling motion to "flipper power" at
the back of the boat. Maybe pick up a mannequin, lop off the top half (don't
throw it away just yet), mount the lower half through the stern (aka
sterndrive), and set up some peddles and chain drive to a wheel at the back
with pins each side to which the mannequin legs attach, As the wheel turns,
the legs that pivot midpoint between the wheel and the flippered feet, start
flipping. For extra speed (remember I said don't throw away the upper part),
attach the upper part of the mannequin to the hull such that the arms are in
the water. Another chain from the peddles to those arms such that they do a
crawling motion, et voila ... yer laughing ... you and everbody else :-)


"William R. Watt" wrote in message
...

Any opinions on the feasibility of foot-operated water jet propulson for a
small boat like a canoe or kayak? I was thinking of mounting twin water
pumps on the (out)sides of the hull to suck water in the front of the
pumps and squirt it out the back through a smaller diameter pipe to make a
jet stream. The water pumps would be foot operated through levers and a
pivot. Got the idea from reading a book on ancient Roman engineering.
Could the legs and water jets produce enough propulsion to move the boat
at, say, walking speed? I think a separate pump on each side, powered
independently by the two legs, would allow the operator to steer the boat
by pumping one harder than the other to turn.

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Somebody makes foot powered kayak. Looks dumb to me, but they claim it is
efficient.

Toller wrote:
Somebody makes foot powered kayak. Looks dumb to me, but they claim it is
efficient.

Hobie makes a foot powered boat, but I wouldn't call it a kayak.

I really would like to see this rig!
"Bowgus" wrote in message
...
Too easy ... just need to convert the peddling motion to "flipper power"
at
the back of the boat. Maybe pick up a mannequin, lop off the top half
(don't
throw it away just yet), mount the lower half through the stern (aka
sterndrive), and set up some peddles and chain drive to a wheel at the
back
with pins each side to which the mannequin legs attach, As the wheel
turns,
the legs that pivot midpoint between the wheel and the flippered feet,
start
flipping. For extra speed (remember I said don't throw away the upper
part),
attach the upper part of the mannequin to the hull such that the arms are
in
the water. Another chain from the peddles to those arms such that they do
a
crawling motion, et voila ... yer laughing ... you and everbody else :-)


"William R. Watt" wrote in message
...

Any opinions on the feasibility of foot-operated water jet propulson for
a
small boat like a canoe or kayak? I was thinking of mounting twin water
pumps on the (out)sides of the hull to suck water in the front of the
pumps and squirt it out the back through a smaller diameter pipe to make
a
jet stream. The water pumps would be foot operated through levers and a
pivot. Got the idea from reading a book on ancient Roman engineering.
Could the legs and water jets produce enough propulsion to move the boat
at, say, walking speed? I think a separate pump on each side, powered
independently by the two legs, would allow the operator to steer the
boat
by pumping one harder than the other to turn.

--

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community
network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's
returned

The design criteria that you describe has already been addressed in a
commercial product:

http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/index.html

These kayaks have been available for over 10 years I believe. They are
functional and reliable. They have rudders, but a paddle is still used for
tight maneuvering.

Cool project. I like the weird and impractical ideas just to see if it
can be done and to try and learn. 90% of building enjoyment is trying
things out. If I just wanted a boat I'd go buy one. Having said that;
I'd go with one pump and some sort of traditional rudder thing. If all
else fails try the manaquin. Good luck.





On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 20:02:03 -0400, "dbraun"
wrote:

The design criteria that you describe has already been addressed in a
commercial product:

http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/index.html

These kayaks have been available for over 10 years I believe. They are
functional and reliable. They have rudders, but a paddle is still used for
tight maneuvering.