Elanso

While it may not be anything new, designs and concepts are ever-changing in the genre of extreme water sports for waterbiking, water bikes, Hydro-bikes or WaterCycles — pedal powered ‘boats.’ Designs and concepts are merely limited by the inventor’s imagination or foolio as they ‘walk on water.’

Human Powered Boats — HPB’s — can however, refer to row boats, paddle boats, pedal boats, canoes, kayaks, surf skis or even rowing shells.

Bizarre Water Bikes in HPB Competition

Trampofoil

Known as the Pumpabike, Trampofoil and AquaSkipper

Trampofoil — also known as Hydro-bike, HydroSlide, Hydrothopter or Aquaskipper — is a light, one-person, human-powered hydrofoil. It’s propelled by hopping up and down like a pogo stick with both feet together on a footboard, and kept afloat on a centrally-placed wing once the correct speed is achieved. Another wing in the front maintains a constant height of the Trampofoil in the water.

It’s started and landed from the shore, or preferably from a jetty, and requires a bit of experience. When the Trampofoil is moving too slowly, it will sink. The unit travels anywhere from 5 to 12 knots, depending upon the manufacturer.

AquaSkipper User Help

AquaSkipper Not as Simple as it Appears

Scafo

Silver Swan

Silver Swan

Super Phoenix

Wet Wing Piloted by Ernst Eschbach. Human Powered Boats World Championship at Eutin Lake near Lubek, Germany , July 21-22 2001. Photo Ó Paul Eschbach

Pogo Foil

The Pogo Foil is a human-powered hydrofoil boat with a flapping wing propulsion system, weighs about 50 pounds, and travels over 11mph.

The boat rests on pontoons at the start, and then the rider begins hopping up and down — hence the “pogo.” The vertical motion causes the main hydrofoil below the pilot to start to make thrust. This main wing is made of a carbon/epoxy composite, is about 2 m in span, uses a NACA 4415 airfoil section, and pivots just ahead of the quarter chord. The pivoting is controlled by a lever arm to a nonlinear spring aboveboard. The springiness controls how much thrust you get.

As you gain speed the front, smaller foil pushes the nose of the boat up. When ‘flying’ the depth of the front foil is controlled by a small spatula on a lever arm which rides along the surface of the water and actuates the elevator flat on the front foil. The front foil is steered by the handlebars, and when you are flying you balance the craft just like a bike. As you gain speed you lean forward, and then in a magical and difficult-to-master moment the craft rotates up, the hulls pull clear of the water, and you are flying!

Free Enterprises

Free Enterprises

Ironbutterfly / Free Enterprises

Air America / Free Enterprises

All carbon fiber, pedal it like a bike, or fly it like a plane . . . Free Enterprises began their research in 1982, and currently builds and sells them, and supplies parts. The company manufactures and designs pedal drive units, boat hulls, hydrofoil drive units and components and any kind of custom composite part

Flyak by Foil Kayak

Flyak Foil by Foil Kayak

When paddling at speeds less than 10 km/h (2.8 m/s), the Flyak behaves just like a stable, conventional kayak. When the speed increases to just under take-off speed, the front foil first lifts until it is about one chord length under the surface, and the Flyak is tilted about 1 degree backwards.

When the speed is about 25% higher than the take-off speed, the hull is lifted out of the water. Top Speed can be more than 50% higher than “take-off” speed. At top speed, both foils are less than one chord length under the surface.

There are no flaps or any other mechanisms that sense the surface to keep the Flyak level. About one chord length under the surface, the lifting ability of a hydrofoil decreases, so the Flyak is kept level by simply ‘leaning’ the foils up against the surface. The foil winglets give added lift and directional stability.

To fully enjoy hydrofoil paddling, you will need flat water and a nice tail wind. The Flyak is all about speed — kayakers who are able to paddle 500 meters in 2 minutes or less are fit enough to ‘fly.’ At longer distances, slow paddling in a normal racing kayak is more efficient than hydrofoil kayaking.

Decavitator / MIT

On 27 October 1991, Mark Drela pedaled the human-powered hydrofoil, Decavitator , to a world-record speed of 18.5 knots (9.53 meters/second) over a 100 meter race course on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts.

In the spring of 1993 the Decavitator team was awarded the DuPont prize for the fastest human-powered water craft. This prize was to be awarded to the first team to break 20 knots over a 100 meter course, or to the team with the fastest speed on record as of 31 December 1992.

Sea Jogger

Addressing the latest trend in fitness and recreation, revolutionary Sea Jogger , allows the user to exercise and relax at the same time. This unique and easy to use personal water propulsion system provides no-impact exercise by converting the destructive energy of impact into exercise. Sea Jogger is portable and lightweight. It utilizes a unique, quiet and effective fin propulsion system, which allows you to glide effortlessly on water.

HydroBike

The HydroBike achieves incredible “human powered” speed, utilizing their state-of the art propeller and impulsion system, with claims to be the fastest and most efficient water bike in the world.

The HydroBike is allegedly virtually impossible to tip over, and can even be used as a dive platform. The water bike handles well in shallow water to get in close to shore. The near silent to operation makes it great for trolling. It’s lightweight and easily assembled or disassembled. You can easily transport this waterbike on a car top carrier or larger bed pickup truck.

Barracuda from Dockaccents

Ergonomically designed, the Barracudas incorporate a human-powered motor design with a roto-molded hull, making them comfortable, durable and fast — up to 6 mph. The folding propeller reduces resistance for a smooth gliding action, making this innovative water bike one of the coolest rides on the water.

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