Towing boats on a bike trailer

[hubgearfreak]

that's brilliant john. out of interest, could you possibly estimate the distance it might travel for the equivalent cycling effort incurred in a 50 mile ride on a mediumweight bicycle?

 

[Mycroft]

I tow my boat, but it's only an 8 footer:

It's pedal powered BTW:

do want!!

DROOL

more info please

 

[CopperBrompton]

Oooh, that's cute. What is it?

 

[Wobbly John]

It is indeed an Atkins Mouse.

More details of my boat on my website - pedalmouse
and the trailer is the Adaptable trailer.

 

[Wobbly John]

that's brilliant john. out of interest, could you possibly estimate the distance it might travel for the equivalent cycling effort incurred in a 50 mile ride on a mediumweight bicycle?

I would guess 10-12 miles.

I think it's more tiring than a bike because there is no change in position and no constant steering to keep balance. You would probably travel further with company - it's the boredom rather than the effort that is the limiting factor.

 

[Wobbly John]

BTW, Arch built the 'Flat Rat' version of the boat. We both had them at one of Hilldodger's events in Leicester in 2005:

 

[nigelb]

Towing a boat like a laser youmight also consider the wind - any form of side wind, gusts etc could leave you in big trouble?

(Just thinking of the way my Volvo estate gets thrown around when towing)

Nige

 

[CopperBrompton]

Thanks for the details - lovely-looking craft.

 

[Arch]

BTW, Arch built the 'Flat Rat' version of the boat. We both had them at one of Hilldodger's events in Leicester in 2005:

There was a chap at the Rally asking about boats - we pointed him to your website....

I forget, sometimes, that I own a boat. I assume it's still at Cyclemagic!

 

[Mycroft]

is anyone else having trouble opening those links? or is it just me.


had a search the other night after posting and found a few sites on building the mouse, but couldnt find any plans on building the pedal version.

I live beside a river and have for a few years dreamed of a boat to go to town in and do the shopping, however it gets quite shallow in places so the idea stalled, flat bottomed small boat might do it though, and this has sparked my interest again, so thanks

my original idea was to get an electric outboard/battery and slap as large a PV solar array on as possible.

have been out on the water with an electric motor before and while initially sceptical the silence was amazing!

adding in pedal power when my legs are already there seems a good idea

I also have a neighbour that might turn a shade of green.. not that that is a motivation though as id be all for sharing the idea of alternative transport.

if those links worked, Id be grateful. as it is though, the pictures have made my week


LINK prob solved, just an extra http.

those are some of the webpages i was looking at, as i said no plans for fitting the drive mech. and prop.

 

[hubgearfreak]

found this and thought of you..........


http://bikerodnkustom5.homestead.com/pedal_boat.html

 

[Arch]

Mycroft: The drive unit John and I used was a commercial unit, from a thing called a surfbike - it was a plastic housing which had the cranks at one end, and a prop at the other, and a machine chain connecting them, that simply twisted through 90 degrees from chainring to sprocket. Our units were spares from Cyclemagic. I'd have thought something similar could be made up without the moulded plastic bits.

The unit slotted through a hole cut in the bottom of the boat, with a box built up around it to contain the displaced water and stop the boat flooding. So the propellor was amidships, so to speak, directly under the pedals - it did increase the draught a bit, to a few inches, since my Ratty was only drawing an inch or two floating normally.

I have a Powerpoint I put together, of the construction - if you PM me an email address, I could send it to you.

 

[RedBike]

I love this post.

I'm just looking into going sailing. Not only do i HAVE to join the local sailing club before I'm aload to put a boat on the water I will get charge a launch fee everytime I take my car down to the lake.

I couldn't help but think how much cheaper things would be if I could pedal my boat to the lake, ride across the lake, then skip off home before anyone noticed.