A Note About BikeBoats…
To the Editor of Bike Culture Quarterly:
I just saw the BikeBoats story in BCQ#8. It’s marvelous that you are so bold. I’ve never seen such coverage of the subject on the newstand before. But it’s such a likely subject after all, full of opportunity for innovation, versatility and elegant design.
Ah, but your writer missed the best and newest! Fortunately, anyone can catch right up…especially if they’re on the Internet.
The Kawak Drive Unit from Augustine Gast of Canada is an amazing solution. It’s a ten-pound pedal-driven prop unit that drops into most any solo boat hull, with shaft going thru a gasketed hole. It takes just minutes to install. You fly along at 5 knots without undue strain. It is faster and more efficient than paddling. Contact Bob Stuart at Kawak Drive, 1-604-598-7830. Pictures to be seen at http://www.ihpva.org/Water/
Steve Roberts, of $1million Behemoth Bike fame, is now working on his self-supporting hi-tech Microship. He started with a Kawak drive in a gorgeous live-aboard trihull and has had several amazing voyages already. Read up at http://microship.com/Microship/Microship_2.html.
Then there’s Steve Smith and Jason Lewis, the dynamic duo who pedaled across the Atlantic! –In a 8-meter prop-driven pedalcraft, at up to 4 knots. This with one peddler and much stuff. It’s part of Pedal for the Planet–the First Human Powered Round-the-World Expedition. Surf over to: http://www.tach.net/public/orgs/pedal/pedalplanet.html.
Your story showed fine old inventions, but neglected the folding boat tricycle that a ‘Mr. Terry’ used in about 1887 to ride the English countryside to the channel, then converted to a boat, crossed, then rode to Paris. (Story and art in Summer ’95 issue of The Folder, 1 lb., 19 W. Park Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7 7DB. No website that I can find!)
Finally, there must be work being done on a recumbent road bike that converts to a boat. It seems quite doable. Why, I myself drew a design the other day where a longish fullfairing bent simply has its wheels removed, velcro gaskets fitted over the wheelslots along with a Kawak Drive, and presto! –Fair for land and sea. You can view it at the homepage for my own bike culture (and other) magazine, Out Your Backdoor—http://www.brainlink.com/~glp/oyb.
Now you’re up to speed on BikeBoats!
Jeff Potter
[PS: I’ve since learned that the article did list Pedal for the Planet’s URL…oops!]
