Human powered surfboard

[VladZenin]

Surfing is a very popular recreational activity and sport in which individuals are propelled through the water by the force of waves, whilst standing on boards. Unfortunately for many people these recreational activity and sport are just a dream despite the fact that they live not far from water like lakes, rivers and seas where there are no waves the same as on the ocean beaches. Furthermore, sometimes (it happens quite often) surfers wait for waves on the ocean beaches for hours staying still in water.
My invention provides a surfboard with a human powered propulsion device. This device comprises a foot platform mounted on top side of the surfboard and two pair of elastic flippers mounted on the underside surface. Standing on the foot platform rider shifts one’s weight from the front of the platform to the rear and then from rear to front, repeats this simple swinging action generating the platform’s seesaw movement and making up and down flippers strokes. At the start of each stroke, the elastic flippers twist and flex under water in such a way that they assume the shape of a propeller blade and propel the surfboard forward. Now you can go surfing without the need for waves as well as to ride waves.
Here is a direction How to Ride:
1. Put a surfboard on water and stand on it holding a balance.
2. Put your front foot on the front part of the foot platform above the front flippers.
3. Put your back foot on the foot platform over the back flippers. Use front leash to steady yourself in the beginning.
4. Push down on the front of the foot platform and then rear of the foot platform to get the surfboard swimming.
5. Once your flippers are flapping and surfboard is already swimming you can shift your weight from foot to foot to build up speed.
6. The faster you shift from one foot to the other the faster it swims.
7. To kick turn surfboard, lift your front foot until the front part of the surfboard comes off the water. Keeping your front foot on the foot platform, swing your front leg in the direction you want to turn the surfboard.

http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/aub/pdf/nps/2007/0531/2007100053B4/2007100053.pdf

[Pericles]

Looks ingenious. I hope you've patented it.

http://www.proboat-digital.com/proboat/20071201/ Page 118. Essential reading right this minute. You might want to delete this thread afterwards.

http://www.hobiecat.com/kayaking/miragedrive.html

Good luck

Pericles

[alexlebrit]

Interesting, I hope you don't mind I linked to this post from the IHPVA Human Powered Boats' mailing list, no doubt they'll be full of questions.

http://ihpva.org/mailman/listinfo/hpv-boats_ihpva.org

[VladZenin]

Looks ingenious. I hope you've patented it.



Yes, I've already patented it. See http://pericles.ipaustralia.gov.au/aub/pdf/nps/2007/0531/2007100053B4/2007100053.pdf

[Guest625101138]

Looks very energetic. I imagine it is not intended to do more then a few hundred metres at a time but probably more practical than the trampfoil as it at least allows deep water starts.

Rick W.

[VladZenin]

My surfboard does not submerge under a rider weight. With patented propulsion device you can use Windsurfing Boards like http://www.swan.ac.uk/mateng/pre/case/surf.htm or Stand up Boards like http://www.realkiteboarding.com/index.cfm?page=newsitem&id=1275

[alexlebrit]

I'm interested in the drive side of your design particulalry, although I'll admit that wobbling on a surfboard doesn't really appeal as much.

Would the fin propulsion be suitable for other forms of watercraft? I think it's got great advantages over more conventional propeller based systems as it allows a much shallower draft for launching, and I imagine would be perfectly possible to be "faired in" to the bottom of a boat a bit so that it wouldn't get damaged when portaging.

I'd love to know more about it.

[DanishBagger]

But wouldn't that system have a rather huge drag when you actually surf?

[VladZenin]

I'm interested in the drive side of your design particulalry, although I'll admit that wobbling on a surfboard doesn't really appeal as much.
Would the fin propulsion be suitable for other forms of watercraft? I think it's got great advantages over more conventional propeller based systems as it allows a much shallower draft for launching, and I imagine would be perfectly possible to be "faired in" to the bottom of a boat a bit so that it wouldn't get damaged when portaging.
I'd love to know more about it.
You see on the picture below this design is not suitable for a boat. It is made for riding a surf board upright. It is really got advantages over conventional propeller based systems.
To learn more about flapping hydrofoils propulsion see my threads: Briefly about flapping hydrofoil propulsion http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=8335 and You can do it in a better way ( MirageDrive ) http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13212.

[VladZenin]

But wouldn't that system have a rather huge drag when you actually surf?
The system have no a huge drag because when you shift your weight from the front of the platform to the rear and then from rear to front you push flippers, not a board.

[DanishBagger]

I didn't mean what you pushed when moving from rear to front or vice versa. I meant, when the boat is in use as an ordinary surfboat on the waves. Or even if the system is used on a windsurfer. THose appendages must have some drag when "sailing" (i.e. gliding down a wave or using the wind as propulsion).

[nordvindcrew]

How fast is the board traveling in that picture you posted? by the wake, it looks to be really moving. Was it attaining that speed just from the propulsion system or in combination with surfing a small wave? Why wouldn't the system work in a boat, if the seating was recumbant, it seems that it would work.

[Chris Ostlind]

Cool potential, there, Vlad.

I would drop the two outer fins from the thruster setup, get the boxes plugged and go to a slightly deeper single foil down the centerline. You'll see better directional control while "flapping" and less drag as well.

Have you shot any video of the rig in use?

I don't believe you suggested that the board, as rigged, would be suitable for surfing. Perhaps that application is moot, but I agree with DB's question about excess drag for straight surfing use. Also, there would be a continuous, angle of attack, drag issue for the board itself while engaging the propulsion mechanism, wouldn't there?

[VladZenin]

I didn't mean...
I am sorry for misunderstanding. This propulsion device is made for calm water. It needs to be adapted to other use. For example if the connecting rods would be telescopic the flippers could be "tucked up" against the board’s bottom and strengthened for serfing. It is very difficult to foreknow all sportsmen’s wishes. This design is just a beginning. You can develop it yourself.

[DanishBagger]

Oh, like that. But I wonder why one would trample along in calm water? I just don't get this invention. It seems like a solution looking for a problem. Or if looked at as postively as I am capable of, it solves one problem, but creates another. I simply do not get it: If someone wants a simple water vehicle, I'm willing to bet that there is much more simple out there.

When would you use that thing? In flat calm water – where's the fun in that on a surf board?

I guess, though, that one _could_ use it for windsurfing, if they somehow could be hid when actually surfing, but then again - in a flat calm? Can you give some examples as to when this would be practical?

[VladZenin]

How fast is the board traveling in that picture you posted? by the wake, it looks to be really moving. Was it attaining that speed just from the propulsion system or in combination with surfing a small wave? Why wouldn't the system work in a boat, if the seating was recumbant, it seems that it would work.
On this picture the rider tries to catch a small wave and his speed is in combination with surfing this wave.
The system is good for a boat if you replace the foot platform by pedals:
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13212.

[DanishBagger]

Some of that "wave" will also come from banging the underside of the board up and down on the surface, I recon.

[VladZenin]

Oh, like that. But I wonder why one would trample along in calm water? I just don't get this invention. It seems like a solution looking for a problem. Or if looked at as postively as I am capable of, it solves one problem, but creates another. I simply do not get it: If someone wants a simple water vehicle, I'm willing to bet that there is much more simple out there.

When would you use that thing? In flat calm water – where's the fun in that on a surf board?

I guess, though, that one _could_ use it for windsurfing, if they somehow could be hid when actually surfing, but then again - in a flat calm? Can you give some examples as to when this would be practical?
In the early fifties, when the surfing craze was in full swing, that people realized skate board could recreate the feeling of riding a wave, skateboarding was born. This connection with surfing gave new sport a direction that would influence everything to come, from maneuvers and style, to terrain, fashion and attitude. A 2002 report by American Sports Data found that there were 12.5 million skateboarders in the world. Skateboarding now can be an art, hobby, sport or even a method of transportation.
I hope something like that will happen with my surfboard. It really recreates the feeling of riding a wave.

[DanishBagger]

Yup, but unlike skateboards, surfboards are rather limited as to what tricks can be achieved in calm water (compared to asphalt, of course). Skateboarding becomes rather boring, if all you can do is push.

But, I'm not a surfer, so I hope you achieve your goals, even though I am one of the people that tends to want a purpose. And if the purpose is "having fun", so be it, but I can't see this as a transportation device (you'd be out of wind in no time, I reacon - because of the drag/medium, you can't take a surf board under your arm and shop around, take the board as transportation to school, a party or anything else), nor as toy (you can't do much with it), and I can't even imagine but a few tricks (surfing a bit on your nose etc. with that thing in calm water).

I think the system would stand a bigger chance in a smal dinghy – with pedals, as you metioned.

[VladZenin]

It is your opinion. OK.

[DanishBagger]

Yup, it is.