Human powered surfboard

[VladZenin]

Originally Posted by 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.

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:
You can do it in a better way ( MirageDrive ).

[DanishBagger]

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

[VladZenin]

Originally Posted by 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?

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.