Engineering:Hydrocycle

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Water velocipede, c. 1877
Man operating water tricycle, probably early 20th Century
A Hydrobike brand hydrocycle
Modern pedal catamaran with propeller drive (Germany, 1999).

A hydrocycle is a bicycle-like watercraft. The concept was known in the 1870s as a water velocipede[1] and the name was in use by the late 1890s.[2]

Power is collected from the rider via a crank with pedals, as on a bicycle, and delivered to the water or the air via a propeller.[3] Seating may be upright or recumbent, and multiple riders may be accommodated in tandem or side-by-side.[4]

Buoyancy is provided by two or more pontoons or a single surfboard,[citation needed] and some have hydrofoils that can lift the flotation devices out of the water.[5][6][7]

Brands include Seacycle, Hydrobike, Water Bike, Seahorse (Cross Trek)[8] and itBike. Kits exist to temporarily convert an existing bicycle into a hydrocycle.[9]

See also

References

  1. Edward H. Knight, Knight's American mechanical dictionary ... (New York : Hurd and Houghton, 1877), vol. 3, p. 2698
  2. Oxford English Dictionary. "hydrocycle n. [cycle n. 11] a velocipede adapted for propulsion on the surface of water. 1898 River & Coast 9 July 13/1 One of the most interesting items was the Hydrocycle versus Skiff Race." 
  3. "Decavitator Human-Powered Hydrofoil". Massachusetts Institute of Technology. http://lancet.mit.edu/decavitator/. 
  4. Alana Dixon (2011-07-02). "Upon the seat of a water-bicycle built for two". Fairfax New Zealand Limited. http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5222801/Upon-the-seat-of-a-water-bicycle-built-for-two/. 
  5. "Wetwing". Human Powered Hydrofoils. http://www.human-powered-hydrofoils.com/hydrofoils/wetwing/. 
  6. "Muskelbetriebene Tragflächenboote". FreakSport. http://www.freaksport.com/de/sports/hph.html. 
  7. Leo de Vries (21–22 July 2001). "Human Powered Boats World Championship in Eutin". World of Waterbiking. http://www.waterbike.eu/Articles/WKEutin2001/WKEutin2001.html. 
  8. "Seahorse Bike Powered Airboat". http://www.seahorsefun.com/. 
  9. Mike Hanlon (June 4, 2004). "Shuttle-Bike - convert a bike to a pedal-power boat". GizMag. http://newatlas.com/go/2505/.