Pedal Paddling? | SouthernPaddler.com

Pedal Paddling?

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beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Thought I recalled Joey and/or Ron discussing "fast" in terms of 4 to 5 mph. for paddling?
Seems to be a popular idea, but will it really do 9 mph?

beekeeper
 
J

jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
JD, I can cruise in the pirogue about 3.6 mph and in the Swamper a bit over 4 mph for an hour or so. I can do about 5 mph in the Swamper without breathing really hard or cramping up. I would think 6 mph would be about tops for short sprints. 9 mph is world class, top of the heap two blade kayak paddling. On a water resistance graph, it starts going near vertical in any paddle craft after about 7 mph.

Pedal powered kayaks have the distinct advantage of having virtually no lag time between strokes. It's one continuous power stroke delivered by the more powerful leg muscles.

Joey
 
B

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Thanks Joey. So 9 mph is possable with peddals. I would not like sitting in the same position all day. Do you steer with a rudder.?
Who is "Wave Walker Guy"?

beekeeper
 
K

Kayak Jack

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2003
13,976
171
86
Okemos / East Lansing Michigan
I'd be highly suspicious of claims for 9 mph with that hull. As I remember, power has to go up as a square of the speed increase. If you double the speed, you have to put in four times as much power. And when a displacement hull hits a certain speed, it requires an even steeper increase. That's why come boats have a "step" to go up onto, and become a planing hull.

9 mph sounds a bit like "used car salesman" talk. If it was real, wouldn't racers be using it?
 
S

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
check out their website, it'll answer most of your questions


http://wavewalkermn.com/

"How fast does it go? At a cadence 30-35 rpm (pedaling revolutions per minute) you will cruise at about 4 to 4.5 mph. Top speed for a well conditioned cyclist is 9-10 mph."

"How deep should the water be before I lower the drive and rudder into the water? About two feet - deep enough so that the propeller and the rudder don't hit the bottom. Both the propeller and rudder are very durable. If a blade on the prop breakes off, you willl travel nearly as fast."

and it can be yours for a mere $3495 plus shipping
 
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jdupre'

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2007
2,327
40
South Louisiana
Jack, after paddling up to around 6mph myself, 9mph does seem to be stretching it for a top speed. But then again, I'm not a 20 year old, top-of-my-game athlete with legs of knotted steel. :( Hey, that's too much work for a geezer anyway. :roll:

Joey
 
B

beekeeper

Well-Known Member
Mar 4, 2009
1,917
59
Thanks seedtick. The link explains a lot.

Quote: "At a time when mankind is destroying many of the home sanctuaries for fauna and flora, I feel it is essential to get away from our man-made home sanctuaries and fuel-powered water recreational vehicles to spend time in nature's water sanctuaries to connect with our real home – planet Earth. The Wavewalker pedaling kayak can be your connection."

Don't pollute, buy my "plastic toy" and save "home sanctuaries for fauna and flora". Not to go on a rant, but give me a break. Must be a new kind of plastic that created no pollution to make. :roll:
The two pictures at the bottom of this page also say a lot (priorities). Look who is wearing the PFD.
http://wavewalkermn.com/FAQs.html

beekeeper
:? I thought "fauna and flora' were twins Jack used to date. :wink: :lol:
 
T

tx river rat

Well-Known Member
Feb 23, 2007
3,043
2
Waco Tx
Sheeeeze
These folks are crazy. Even there other boat made outlandish claims ,but I think this one tops them all. 9 to 10 miles an hour ,the boat is short fat both go against speed, they might be able to do it going downstream with a current and 50 mile tail wind. all I am saying is I would have to see it in person.
One of the biggest claims of the peddle power is you are using the biggest muscles in your body with your legs ,thats true but there is no rest for them so they tire much faster, with a two blade paddle you use back arms chest shoulders , also by adjusting paddle angle you can use different muscles and rest others.
Look at folks that do long distance races , nobody uses peddles , and believe me they would be if they were any better or faster.
Ron
 
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JEM

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2003
2,467
1
53
Greensboro, North Kacalacky
jemwatercraft.com
I can see the advantages too.

If you're fishing and want to move while casting or slow trolling, it's a good way to move about while having the fishing rod still in your hands.

Also, there's no paddle stroke to perfect. Just pump your legs and steer with your hand via the rudder control. A huge plus for a business that rents boats on a lake or river.
 
M

mosportsmen

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2005
299
0
Kirksville MO
mosportsmen.com
I got up to 11 mph in my racing TV on the Missouri this spring measured on GPS. High water good current, 25 - 30 mph tail wind, two paddlers.
Our typical GPS speed on flat water no current or wind is 4.0 to 4.5 mph on the gps.
The MR 340 is back on for this year Oct. 11th we will start the long run. There is a pedal power division, lots of debate about it on the rivermiles forum. Most of the true racers have beat the pedal power in the long run, theory is the big leg muscles burn too much energy in the long run, hard to beat in short distance though. There is an engineer that was building a secret pedal power design this summer that he was going to do the race in. I am not sure he is signed up to do the rescheduled race yet.

Tom
 
O

oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
The peddle system would not work down here for myself....... Some folks have built wooden boats and put that system in them for there use.

We have to many stumps , trees , blow downs , strainers and weeds in our water ways to have anything sticking out under the boat to work. "O" I almost forgot , skinny water and lots of sand bars to slide over.

It appears to be a recreational thing for deeper water and folks that like to go boating while reclined and wearing street shoes. Plus I'm not sure if he is the same Wavewalker that was on here a long time ago that I deleted because you could not believe a darn thing he said or did.

Chuck.
 
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JEM

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2003
2,467
1
53
Greensboro, North Kacalacky
jemwatercraft.com
oldsparkey said:
Plus I'm not sure if he is the same Wavewalker that was on here a long time ago that I deleted because you could not believe a darn thing he said or did.

Chuck.
Click to expand...

No that was a different guy with the funky shaped "pontoon" hull. I'd link to his site but I don't want to send any more traffic to him based on my personal interactions with him and his product. Others may have different experiences with him and his product.
 
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oldsparkey

Well-Known Member
Aug 25, 2003
10,479
123
Central , Florida
www.southernpaddler.com
JEM said:
No that was a different guy with the funky shaped "pontoon" hull. I'd link to his site but I don't want to send any more traffic to him
Click to expand...

Neither do I , that was what had me worried. Noticed the difference in the emails from the PM you sent , boy if I was this new guy I would of come up with a different name.

Chuck.
 
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dawallace45

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2003
1,067
1
67
Oakhurst , Queensland , Australia , 4650
We don't see those kayaks here but we do see the Hobbie kayaks a lot , some time back I paddled my 14' laker against a 12' Hobbie Outback and even with me paddling at top speed I couldn't keep up with him , later that day I borrowed a mates 18' sea kayak and tried that against the outback and could just keep up but the guy in the Outback didn't seem to be working as hard as me .

Got to admit that I'm impressed with them and if I had the money I'd have one in a shot , low wind resistance , and the ability to have the drive fins lay flat against the hull in shallow water is a big plus and the fact you can work a lure into the snags while still moving or the ability to maintain position in the current while working a rod are big things for me , there is also that even though my left shoulder is a lot better than it was two years ago it still stuffs up with amazing regularity

If I could sell enough bows I'd have one now

David
 
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