Tu-Fin: Nordic Walking on Water
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03.23.07
We love carbon-free travel and human-powered transport. There are few forms of exercise that are more efficient and work more muscles than cross-country skiing. Designers I.Kiryakov, S.Ballmeier, K.Eichelberg & M.Dressler appear to have mounted a nordic-trak exercise machine onto a racing canoe hull to create an 8 metre (26') craft that can go 6.5 knots. The cross-country action is converted to forward motion by a rear flipper. The rear is low and flat as a swim platform, the front thin and long for sunbathing. Of course one of the best summer exercises is rowing and a good sculler can go at 9 knots with a lot less technology, but hey, scullers can't see where they are going. ::tu-fin via ::yanko
Update: article in Speigel online. It appears that this design was part of a student competition.
the flippers seem inefficient for converting fore-aft human body motion. essentially the person is acting like a piston, so a flywheel and propeller is probably more efficient.
LOL - she is going so fast that she has absolutely no wake. And the baby duck just swims right up to her. Come on -- if your product is so bad that you don't even want to put it in the water for a real picture - then who are they trying to kid?
"if your product is so bad that you don't even want to put it in the water for a real picture - then who are they trying to kid?"
I think a lot of companies without too much publicity budget do things like that.. Shooting on location is hard and expensive.
LA: It also may be possible that the designers have rendered an idea (rather well, I think) but have not built a working prototype. TreeHugger often promotes unbuilt ideas that have interest or merit.
That looks fun bet there are more traditional ways to move a boat that involve the whole body.
Take a look at a japanese sculling oar (http://www.woodenboat-digital.com/woodenboat/20060910/?pg=560) with instructions on how to build several types here: http://www.amateurboatbuilding.com/articles/howto/sculling_oar/
These are less complicated and can be built with wood and hand tools. No fancy gearing required. If you insist on machinery Hobie has kayaks with a fin driven drive that you pedal that is proven to be more powerful than paddling. Here's one that's installed in a home built boat. http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/03/r/projects/mirage/index.htm
Have fun.
LA: I am actually writing about the hobie drive tomorrow.