# Crossing the Channel on a bike?



## Jezston (16 Jul 2010)

Just had a rather silly conversation with a colleague, and it made me wonder - has anyone done this? And if not - could it be done?

Lets say we attach a couple of floats to the side of a bicycle for boyancy and balance purposes, and attach some waterwheel-esque flappy bits to the wheels, with calm weather would it be possible to 'ride' across the english channel?

I get the feeling it would be quite feasible - if my ropey theories are correct it would actually be quite easy compared to swimming as if you got tired you could easily rest. I'd imagine you'd need pretty mild weather do be able to do it so you don't just get blown the wrong way.

Had a google about and the only similar attempt I could find was someone attempting such a crossing in a pedal-powered airship, which they failed due to the wind.

Surely someone has attempted what I've suggested before, and if they haven't - any reason *I* couldn't?


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## andym (16 Jul 2010)

Jezston said:


> Just had a rather silly conversation with a colleague, and it made me wonder - has anyone done this? And if not - could it be done?
> 
> Lets say we attach a couple of floats to the side of a bicycle for boyancy and balance purposes, and attach some waterwheel-esque flappy bits to the wheels, with calm weather would it be possible to 'ride' across the english channel?
> 
> ...




Have search around on this forum - there was a thread on here a while ago. Let's just say the issue of who made the first crossing is a wee bit controversial.


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## Wobbly John (16 Jul 2010)

I'm pretty sure it was done,just as you say, with an adapted bike with floats, back in the 1890's or early 1900's. I remember reading an article in New Cyclist magazine.

It was done in a pedal boat in about 2002. 

If you tried lashing some floats on your bike and riding it across in these days of elf & safety, you'll probably attract the attention of the coastguard and men in white coats.


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## Brains (16 Jul 2010)

Such "vessels" do exist, as the Scouts water activity base at Marlowe has one, but realistically it's "range" is the width of the Thames at that point (about 50m!)
I seem to remember you have to pedal like mad to get sufficient paddle speed to move forward and the steering is at the wrong end (the rudder is on the end of the forks)

There is a reason why most HPV's (Human Powered Vessels) are based on the Pedalo design. It works.


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## numbnuts (16 Jul 2010)




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## Arch (16 Jul 2010)

Channel? Pah. These guys are going for the Atlantic...

http://www.torpedalo.com/

I expect it could be done on a bike with floats (the channel, not the Atlantic), but it would be hard work. Paddle wheels are not efficient, they spend at least half their time out of the water. A propellor is better.

And the CoG is quite high - I reckon it would be easy to get tipped over in any swell. A recumbent postion would be better.

There are a few designs to be seen in my Cycling the Medina report for Velo Vision.

http://www.velovision.co.uk/cgi-bin/show_comments.pl?storynum=740

Of those, the ones I'd think most likely to make it across the channel are the recumbent catameran, and possibly my Ratty, on a very calm day.


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## vernon (16 Jul 2010)

Jezston said:


> Surely someone has attempted what I've suggested before, and if they haven't - any reason *I* couldn't?



Yes it has been done. A disgruntled chap who claimed to be the first has a web site somewhere outlining his ride and how it was not deemed to be a legitimate crossing. I think he posted about the crossing here and the CTC forums.


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## andym (16 Jul 2010)

vernon said:


> Yes it has been done. A disgruntled chap who claimed to be the first has a web site somewhere outlining his ride and how it was not deemed to be a legitimate crossing. I think he posted about the crossing here and the CTC forums.



Yep, and if I remember rightly the grounds for saying he hadn't made the first crossing weere that he had crossed from Normandy to the South Coast rather than from Calais to Dover. I think he had every right to feel aggrieved: imagine if someone were to claim that Hilary and Tensing weren't the first to climb Everest because the Guinness Book of Records hadn't been there to make it official.


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## ufkacbln (16 Jul 2010)

numbnuts said:


>




I remember that crossing the Solent for the Folding Conference at Ventnor


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## Crankarm (16 Jul 2010)

numbnuts said:


>



Numbnuts! She is not wearing a recognised bouyancy aid, although she might not ......... 

Or a helmet .......


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## andrew_s (16 Jul 2010)

Numbnuts image is of the Shuttle Bike Kit
IIRC there was an Audax UK member resident in Guernsey who had one - he got a better workout on the water than doing laps of the island.

If you want one you've probably got to go direct to the company in Italy: http://www.shuttlebike.com/
Site with video of crossing the Straits of Gibraltar here: http://www.sbkkit.com/index.php. As stated, the Channel has been done, as has the Straits of Messina (Italy to Sicily)


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## slowmotion (17 Jul 2010)

Paddle wheels are bad news as regards the physics. You need a slim-hulled craft. Maybe a converted canoe with an outrigger to keep you upright. I suspect that a drive chain running a propellor would be a whole lot better than some paddle steamer.


TM slowmotion, but not yet patented....


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## PaulSB (17 Jul 2010)

Jezston said:


> Surely someone has attempted what I've suggested before, and if they haven't - any reason *I* couldn't?



I don't know about the Channel but I lived in York between 1976 - 80 and we always entered a team in the annual River Ouse Raft Race. Our design included two bikes mounted on two floats to drive a propellor located between the floats. As I recall we won one year and sank another, so yes it's been done a long time ago.


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## Hilldodger (17 Jul 2010)

The first crossing of the English Channel by a pedal powered craft was done before 1890 and there were several others before 1914. These were between Dover and Calais. I'd have to dig through my notes to fine the details given to me by the CCA and Dover Museum Service

In 2003 a 59 year old chap used one of our Nauticraft Escapades to do the crossing there and back in a day. This was recognised as a record by the Channel Crossing Association and Guinness.

The American/Canadian man who crossed the Western Channel complained to everyone including Guinness for not recognising his crossing even though he hadn't crossed the channel at a point recognised by the CCA and Guinness.

He then became very abusive to everyone including me for something Nauticraft wrote, quiet correctly, on their website claiming a Guinness World Record.


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## ufkacbln (17 Jul 2010)

slowmotion said:


> Paddle wheels are bad news as regards the physics. You need a slim-hulled craft. Maybe a converted canoe with an outrigger to keep you upright. I suspect that a drive chain running a propellor would be a whole lot better than some paddle steamer.
> 
> 
> TM slowmotion, but not yet patented....



... and I give you "Decavitator"






in 1991 it held the world record at 18.5 knots


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## Hover Fly (17 Jul 2010)

And don't forget
Gen_GossamerAlbatross_lg.jpg


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## slowmotion (17 Jul 2010)

Cunobelin said:


> ... and I give you "Decavitator"
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Oh bugger! No chance of a patent then.... 


Edit: Has anybody tried a propellor in the water? That's got to be a serious proposition as regards the transfer of energy into forward motion. TM slowmotion, patent pending.


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## smeg (18 Jul 2010)

Crankarm said:


> Numbnuts! She is not wearing a recognised bouyancy aid, although she might not .........
> 
> Or a helmet .......



She's got 2 airbags at the front, although they might need closer inspection to make sure they're seaworthy?


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