Hydrocycle

{{Short description|Bicycle-like watercraft}} thumb|right|Water velocipede, c. 1877 thumb|right|Man operating water tricycle, probably early 20th Century thumb|right|A Hydrobike brand hydrocycle thumb|Modern pedal catamaran with propeller drive (Germany, 1999).  A '''hydrocycle''' is a bicycle-like watercraft. The concept was known in the 1870s as a '''water velocipede'''<ref>Edward H. Knight, ''Knight's American mechanical dictionary ...'' (New York : Hurd and Houghton, 1877), vol. 3, p. 2698</ref> and the name was in use by the late 1890s.<ref>{{cite book | title = Oxford English Dictionary | quote = hydrocycle n. [cycle n. 11] a velocipede adapted for propulsion on the surface of water. 1898 ''River & Coast'' 9 July 13/1 One of the most interesting items was the Hydrocycle versus Skiff Race.}}</ref>

Power is collected from the rider via a crank with pedals, as on a bicycle, and delivered to the water or the air via a propeller.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://lancet.mit.edu/decavitator/ | title = Decavitator Human-Powered Hydrofoil | publisher = Massachusetts Institute of Technology | access-date = 2011-07-22}}</ref> Seating may be upright or recumbent, and multiple riders may be accommodated in tandem or side-by-side.<ref>{{cite news | title = Upon the seat of a water-bicycle built for two | url = http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/5222801/Upon-the-seat-of-a-water-bicycle-built-for-two/ | publisher = Fairfax New Zealand Limited | author = Alana Dixon | date = 2011-07-02 | access-date = 2011-07-22}}</ref>

Buoyancy is provided by two or more pontoons or a single surfboard,{{Citation needed|date=October 2015}} and some have hydrofoils that can lift the flotation devices out of the water.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.human-powered-hydrofoils.com/hydrofoils/wetwing/ | title = Wetwing | publisher = Human Powered Hydrofoils | access-date = 2011-07-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freaksport.com/de/sports/hph.html |title=Muskelbetriebene Tragflächenboote |publisher=FreakSport |access-date=2011-07-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117102012/http://www.freaksport.com/de/sports/hph.html |archive-date=2011-11-17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.waterbike.eu/Articles/WKEutin2001/WKEutin2001.html |title=Human Powered Boats World Championship in Eutin |date=21–22 July 2001 |author=Leo de Vries |publisher=World of Waterbiking |access-date=2011-07-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328033649/http://www.waterbike.eu/Articles/WKEutin2001/WKEutin2001.html |archive-date=28 March 2012 }}</ref>

Brands include Seacycle, Hydrobike, Water Bike, Seahorse (Cross Trek)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seahorsefun.com/ |title= Seahorse Bike Powered Airboat}}</ref>, and itBike. Kits exist to temporarily convert an existing bicycle into a hydrocycle.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://newatlas.com/go/2505/ | title = Shuttle-Bike - convert a bike to a pedal-power boat | author = Mike Hanlon | date = June 4, 2004 | publisher = GizMag | access-date = 2011-06-24}}</ref>

==References== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist}}

Category:Human-powered vehicles Category:Boat types Category:Cycle types