Patent ID: 6595813
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: B63B,B63H

Abstract:
A feet-propelled water vehicle for allowing an intended user having a pair of feet to travel across the surface of a body of water, each of said feet being able to transmit a user force emanating from said user, said vehicle comprising:a buoyant body, said body defining a body first end and a generally opposed body second end; a first propelling paddle and a second propelling paddle both operatively coupled to said buoyant body for movement relative thereto; each of said first and second propelling paddles defining a corresponding effectuating section and a corresponding blade section, said effectuating sections allowing the transformation of said user force into a paddle movement of said propelling paddles relative to said buoyant body, said blade sections allowing the transformation of said paddle movement into a vehicle propelling force for propelling said vehicle when said blade sections are in contact with said body of water; said buoyant body including a generally rigid peripheral frame and a generally flexible user-supporting platform attached to said peripheral frame, said user-supporting platform being able to deform under the action of said user force so as to transmit said user force to said first propelling paddles; said user-supporting platform defining a foot contacting region for contacting at least one of said feet and wherein said vehicle further comprises a force transmitting component positioned intermediate each of said first and second propelling paddles and said user-supporting platform, each of said force transmitting components including a spacing section attached to said first or second propelling paddles and a foot contacting section attached to said spacing section, said foot contacting sections being configured, sized and positioned so as to be able to contact said user-supporting platform adjacent said foot contacting region, said force transmitting component maintaining at least a section of said user-supporting platform and said first and second propelling paddles in a spaced relationship relative to each other while allowing the transmission of said user force from said user-supporting platform to said first propelling paddle; said force transmitting component being an elongated plate, said elongated plate having a substantially semi-elliptical shape defining two opposed longitudinal ends thereof and a central apex region therebetween, said two longitudinal ends forming said spacing section and said apex region forming said foot contacting section, said force transmitting component being provided with a semi-elliptical shape adjusting means for allowing adjustment of the semi-elliptical shape of said elongated plate so as to adjust said spaced relationship between said first and second propelling paddles and said user-supporting platform.