Pumpabike

Juniper Foo | Jun 27, 2006

Hie, ho, Silver, away! This watercraft reminds one of the water strider, a bug with long slender legs that it uses to skim the surface of the water. Probably drawing on the same idea, Zimbabwean inventor Mike Puzey equips this human-powered hydrofoil with an elegant aluminum and fiberglass frame that somehow defies the laws of gravity and walks water. Oddly, the way to fuel this aquatic skipper is to hop (gently) up and down. This then lifts the hydrofoil to skim across any water surface at up to 30kmh. Which also makes for one heck of a cardiac workout.

See bike close up | closed | see also Transparent hybrid kayak/canoe

Via Gizmag

Price: US$499.95 at HS, US$1,000 at Pumpabike
Availability: Sold as Hydrofoil Water Scooter under Hammacher Schlemmer , and Pumpabike under Puzey's site
Device: Water sport device
Basic specs: 14kg, takes up to 110kg, up to 30kmh, no moving parts or noisy engines, rear wing at 7ft, 15kg, 667 x 813 x 673mm

Filed under: Gadgets
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