Sick of big fuel bills on your boat?

[LittleSister]

a reasonable sustained output by ahuman being i 125Watts (e.g. cyclist. . . .


Without losses in transmission or propeller..


A much better system would be a pedal crank or a whipstaff.

I remember seeeing some film years ago of a canoe or kayak that had pedals connected to a propellor (presumably by some sort of bevel gear), which seemed to move with impressive ease and speed. (Of course, it looses the canoe/kayak advantage of ultra-shallow draft and being able to slide over rocks and shoals, and you'd still need paddles if you wanted to be able to eskimo roll.)

Wouldn't a whipstaff just be a stern scull (or the hi-tech version, the yuloh)?

 

[Rivers & creeks]

What you could do to improve it would be to get a petrol strimmer and connect it up to the crank handle, then you'd have a petrol driven version with much more power

 

[Hydrozoan]

For those wishing to replace a Seagull (unfathomably, of course) and therefore requiring a vintage hand-cranked outboard, the Ropellor is a candidate: http://www.icollector.com/Vintage-Hand-Crank-Outboard-ROPELLER-Boat-Troller_i12245183

 

[ghostlymoron]

I was surprised at the speed he was able to achieve. It looked an awkward action though, nothing like my elegant rowing which I can maintain comfortably for half an hour or so.

 

[thinwater]

Actually, the Hobie Mirage system works pretty well for kayaks.

But yeah, completely silly. A single scull is faster and more ergonomic (looks like a back twister to me). And if it is for kids... I would rather they learned how oars, paddles, and sculling work.

 

[Tranona]

What you could do to improve it would be to get a petrol strimmer and connect it up to the crank handle, then you'd have a petrol driven version with much more power

You mean like the Atco Impeller from the 1930's.

 

[Hydrozoan]

You mean like the Atco Impeller from the 1930's.

Though not I think connected to the prop via a cranked handle?

Here's a conversion kit in Australia: http://www.aaametalsuppliers.com.au/stainless_marine_fittings/stainless_whippella.html

 

[prv]

Though not I think connected to the prop via a cranked handle?

Here's a conversion kit in Australia: http://www.aaametalsuppliers.com.au/stainless_marine_fittings/stainless_whippella.html

I love the fact they also advertise it for mixing paint

Pete

 

[Hydrozoan]

I love the fact they also advertise it for mixing paint

Pete

Yes, it seems rather complicated for that purpose compared with the usual helical paddles - which I presume are not very good for propulsion! But if you are keen to multi-purpose your brush cutter ...