Solar-Power Boat Supplemented With Pedal-Power
by Andrew Posner, Providence, Rhode Island 
on 03.28.08
We've seen solar-powered boats, and we've also seen bicycle powered supercomputers, lawnmowers, water purifiers and blenders. So wouldn't it make perfect sense to design a boat that has solar panels and enables passengers to power it by pedaling? Alright, perhaps that's not the most obvious use of either technology, but that doesn't mean the concept isn't interesting! And while the design will probably never make it to production (it isn't exactly practical) here's how it would work: "The boat features a center cockpit where up to four passengers can sit, alternating pedaling duties in two-person shifts. When you get tired (which should be after only a few minutes), switching to solar power can help lighten the load."
See a video of the boat after the fold.
Via: ::Gizmodo
See Also: ::Wayback Machine: Rocket Powered Bicycle, ::Pedal Powered Prime Mover--DIY Electricity, ::TreeHugger Picks: Human-Powered Bicycle Alternatives, ::Design that Matters: Bike Powered Projector, ::Bike Powered Notebook Computer, ::Solar Powered Electric Bicycle. Now We're Talking and ::Solar Powered Clothing on the Rack Soon
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Yep, sail with pv and battery backup could work great. People don't care.
If the flat panel were made tiltable and rotatable it could serve as a sail to both save power and be a fun sport. The designer needs to 'think outside the box' on this one.
Paddles are not a very efficeint means of transmitting mechanical energy. It needs a good screw-propeller.
re-inventing the wheel.
People used boats way before the internal conbustion engine...
I used the pedal powered kayak from Hobie Cat before. That thing worked awesome. It used a fish flipper kind of design.
You know, I hear that back in the day, there used to be these things called "sails". They used solar power indirectly by harnessing winds created by temperature differences in the atmosphere due to solar heating.
And I'd be willing to bet any amount that a sailboat of similar size can go faster than this thing. Especially if it also relies on pedal power. Please.
Solar is a great way to power all the gadgets on the boat, and maybe a motor, but pedaling is entirely impractical. That's for paddle boats at fun parks and for exercise. Hoist a sail or grab some oars instead.
I'll bet you couldn't run a lightbulb and radio off of that PV setup, let alone generate the horsepower needed to propel that boat at a snail's pace.
I think people are now looking too hard to find things to make "green". How much pollution does all the world personal boats emit each year? Answer: Not enough to care. And if it isn't cheaper, I'm sure no one else is going to either.
well, this design have a lot of failures, a very poor and small solar panel, and the paddles used as impellers. The thing is: not everyone can manage with a sail boat, that´s why auto-propelled boats were made, and, in another way, it´s not about pollution: it´s about fuel consumption, and about what most fuel engines drop into the water.