The Open Waterbike Requirements
This is a startup set of architectural design requirements for the Open Waterbike. Please help us improving it.
Overview
The Open Waterbike Project is aimed at creating a family of high-performance human-powered watercrafts whose intended uses are similar to those of the bicycle on land:
- leisure, fitness and sports;
- tourism and commuting;
Racing is not the primary usage the Open Waterbike; anyway the boat and especially its components could be enhanced and used also for racing purposes.
The Open Waterbike is not a one-size-fits-all product; each Open Waterbike could be different, but uses available components (modules) that can easily be assembled, building therefore boats tailored to specific requirements.
Two architectures (catamaran, stabilized monohull) have been selected for the Open Waterbike family. The two architecture share most components (modules). Each module in turn can be adapted to special needs and improved leading to continuous innovation.Basic requirements
1. safety: the Open Waterbike should be as safe as a small human powered boat could be, even for unexperienced people.
She should be unsinkable if swamped. It is important to be able to release from clipless pedals (if used) easily when rolled. Reserve buoyancy should be around 100% of design displacement. (RW);
2. user-friendliness: the Open Waterbike should be so easy to use that anybody can ride it in calm waters without any training and without getting wet. The boat should also be reasonably easy and fast to transport and launch also from the beach;
The boat should not require assembly (RW) or be very easy to assemble without any tool.
Storage shoud be considered since it often restricts the length of boat thus limiting performance (RW).
3 speed: the Open Waterbike architecture should support a range of different high performance long-distance human-powered boats. Intended users range from amateurs to athletes (design total mechanical power output about 150 to 400 W and up to 1,000 W in sprints).
Particular users should be able to make good progress with as little as 50W (RW).
More about human power here.
Expected cruise speed 6 to 8 knots and over (about 3 to 4 m/s).
Extended requirements
While the maximum grade of safety is compulsory there could be a trade-off between user-friendliness and performances (speed in particular), since it is reasonable that a racing boat could be less easy-to-use than a leisure boat.
Tourism and commuting waterbikes should be capable of carrying a small dry cargo.
Specific versions for specific user's power output could be designed to optimize performances (e.g. for very low power output & low weight). (RW)
It would also be nice to have a version that can be placed in a suitcase for transport on planes. (RW)
The possibility of completing the waterbike with specific implements required by users, like for example instruments like GPS or speedometers, fishing equipment, camera supports should be taken into account; even auxiliary sails or solar-powered drive-units could be considered.
The modular components developed for the Open Waterbike should be used for single-seater (one person) and double-seater (two persons) boats.
As all the technical documents in The Open Waterbike Project this is a startup proposal; your opinion is very welcome.
Our boat is faster than mine