Alternate Propulsion

Post questions & answers about; paddle selection, building and maintenance; paddling techniques; boat transportation, storage & maintenance.
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TexasWoody
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:53 pm

Alternate Propulsion

Post by TexasWoody »

I can't imagine I'm the first person in this community of boat enthusiast/builders of wooded boats to see the product made by Ron Rantilla and seen on www.frontrower.com. I am really enthused about the prospect of having this being my means of converting effort into forwrd motion.
Some facts/background....
- I'm an old man - 65th year.
- Need to do a daily better job of exercise, and believe that doing in on water is the BEST!
- been doin wood things for many years. Quit the high tech (high bs and stress) world ten years ago and started the second career with wood (furniture, cabinets, trim carpenter, antique repair.etc). Four years ago moved out of city house with detached three car garage where I did my shop work into a smaller log house in the country. No shop then ,but there was a big concrete slab (2000 SF) where my shop is built now. The working part of the shop is built on 2x6 with OSB decking. I have two table saws (wanna buy one?), 6" jointer. 12 plane, Band Saw, Drill Press, Shop Smith, 12" sliding mitre saw (the money machine) Sanders, routers, drills many pneumatic nailers (23 ga thru framing). He who dies with the most tools wins!
- Found this web page yesterday (have owned Canoe Craft for at tleast two years), and have spent way much time here (its over 100 outside right now - can't be out there when I can get eductated here)
- don't want to build a plywood boat and so need some suggestions from this community of builders/ users or a recommeded craft where I can use the front rower.
THANKS!! This is a GREAT place to spend time and expand the dream.
Dick :big grin
Texaswoody
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Woodchuck
Posts: 140
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 7:56 am
Location: Garden City, MI

Post by Woodchuck »

Hey Dick...
WELCOME to the board...
First off, I'm old too but really a young 67, way over weight but very good looking and am in the process of building a Nomad 17. I selected it because of my size and the displacement of the canoe.
For some reason, I got the bug to add stability to a canoe in the form of an Ama but there are others out there that use dual outriggers, sailing rigs, motorized propulsion and the majority, nothing at all.
It's all about the love of the canoe so jump in and build one and then worry about alternative propulsion. That can be added if you want to laler...
There is a vast amount of talent on this board and any problem can be overcome with a few questions... ENJOY
CYA, Joe
:applause
Joe "Woodchuck" Gledhill
Garden City, MI
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Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

First of all, Joe, I believe you had asked me about obtaining a framed drawing of the Nomad, well if you go through the order section you will find that this can be ordered.

Second, Dick, by looking at the publicity on that website it seems this product is largely used on canoes. I saw one of those contraptions at the Canadian Canoe Museum so it isn't a new idea but it does look like an interesting concept.
TexasWoody
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 6:53 pm

Post by TexasWoody »

Joe/Glen,
Thanks for the response.
I'd think that any of the 17' or bigger canoe's could work with the front rower. I'd just have to move some of the center support structure around. Gotta sleep on it a littel more....spend more time on this forum and decide which plan to order.
Although my address is Texas we do have a fair amount of water (usually) here. Mostly lakes - less than 10 miles and only one stop sign between my house and a swell lake (Lake Georgetown)..Then we have a lakes than starts in Austin and go way back into the Texas hill country. Boating here over 9 months of the year, By our Northern neighbors standard we have 12 months of boating. Four season however - November, December, January and Summer.
Thes is a WOW web place and a LOT of great help already. Good job ALL..
:applause
Texaswoody
AlanWS
Posts: 209
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:30 pm
Location: Shorewood, WI

Post by AlanWS »

If you are considering other ways to propel your boat besides paddles, take a look at this site:
http://www.humanpoweredboats.com/

Some of the pedal-powered propellor driven kayaks are pretty cool: propellors are enormously more efficient than oars. This photo of a human powered kayak, from that site, is allegedly not doctored:
Image

I've heard of heavyset guys who have built propellor driven kayaks pedalling easily past olympic caliber athletes paddling as fast as they can.
Alan
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Woodchuck
Posts: 140
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 7:56 am
Location: Garden City, MI

Electric...

Post by Woodchuck »

Hey Alan...

If you look close, the skier is not on plane and probably never will be so I expect the "paddler" will tire very, very quickly. Maybe not doctored but surely short duration.

As far as the efficiency goes, a paddler has "strokes" that have acceleration and deacleration phases as opposed to a biker that has much more even power stroke. If you are a professional biker and use clip on shoes or straps, you can apply power on the "up stroke" as well as the "down stroke" which, in theory, can give you power 360 degrees around a prop. It has to be faster than paddling...

For my money, if you want alternative propulsion, go with a trolling motor... quite and very efficient and proably cheaper than a cobbled up rig like a push rower... IMHO

CYA.Joe
Joe "Woodchuck" Gledhill
Garden City, MI
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Bryan Hansel
Posts: 678
Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Grand Marais, MN
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

The picture is interesting in that the flag on the kayak isn't flying. And it doesn't really look to be generating any waves.
MikeWatt
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:19 am

Paddlemotion

Post by MikeWatt »

OK this has finally forced me to pull my finger out and register on this forum.
I know I'm coming in late on this but I have been watching this discussion (and others on other forums) for quite some time.
Take a look at this. Seeing this reminded me about this thread on the forum.

www.paddlemotion.com

I'm quite impressed with it as it uses canoe paddles to kind of do the same thing as a feathering paddlewheel but without the complexity of said paddlewheel.

I can see that it complements using paddles on an open canoe, and will help shorten the time it takes to get to those special locations. Based on what I've read, once you get to that location, take the paddles off and go back to manual paddling just for the pleasure of wanting to paddle.

Apparently it's not mass produced yet but the website is worth looking up from time to time to check progress/availability.

Now lets see what discussion cometh?

Mike
:thinking
canoeblderinmt
Posts: 415
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 12:04 pm
Location: Butte, MT

Post by canoeblderinmt »

Mike, That's pretty wild, and VERY ingenious! :applause

I love paddling too much to probably ever own one of those, but I have to applaud the engineering!

Greg
" Choose to chance the rapids, Dare to dance the tide..."
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