Can Hydrofoils Be Attached to a Kayak?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of attaching hydrofoils to a kayak, exploring the potential for elevating the kayak and paddler above the water. Participants consider the implications of weight, speed, and existing designs like the Flyak.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether a single human can generate enough speed for hydrofoils to be effective on a kayak.
  • Another participant mentions the existence of the Flyak, which has already been patented, indicating that the concept is not new.
  • There is a suggestion that a lightweight and strong paddler might make the idea of hydrofoils on a kayak more feasible.
  • Discussion includes a comparison of hydrofoil designs, specifically questioning the choice of T-foils over V-foils for optimal lift-to-drag ratios at certain speeds.
  • One participant reflects on past ideas of using hydrofoils with boogie boards, citing practical concerns about damage and usability.
  • Another participant expresses curiosity about the performance of the Flyak and speculates on the potential for increased speed with pedal power.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of curiosity and skepticism regarding the feasibility of hydrofoils on kayaks, with no consensus reached on the practicality or effectiveness of the idea.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various design considerations and performance factors, such as weight, speed, and the specific hydrofoil configurations, without resolving the implications of these factors.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in kayaking, hydrofoil technology, or innovative watercraft designs may find this discussion relevant.

bomba923
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Hey, would it be possible to attach hydrofoils onto a kayak---to have the padder row about a foot or more above the water level? Or have the entire kayak elevated above the water level?

Then again, would the weight of the kayak and the paddler be too difficult to offset? (Though, I currently can't imagine how a heavy person/weak paddler might offset his/her weight...but if it was a strong and lightweight paddler, would my idea work?)
 
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I believe a single human cannot generate enough speed to make a hydrofoil useful... but i may be wrong.
 
:frown: Darn...
looks like the hydrofoil kayak has already been invented/patened!

See The "Flyak"
(click the link)
 
haha well if you make it that bare-bones, i suppose you can.
 
Okay here's one for you. I used to know an engineer who talked about gyros and how you could put them on a bicycle, and that if done right you would have so much stability control that you could actually ride horizontally on a vertical surface, for a short time.
 
Flyak?

That Flyak is pretty amazing. With just upper body strength, the guy has it going almost 17 mph! I wonder how much faster it could go if you had peddels? Maybe you can patent the Flyped! :smile:
 
Well, back in middle school, I thought of attaching hydrofoils to boogie boards. I dumped the idea, b/c hydrofoils would get scraped/damaged/broken when the boards rides to the beach. Also, they would get the rider stuck!

I looked at the videos on Flyak performance...it seems as though the oars barely touch the water. Of course they come "in contact" with the water, but the paddles don't get "submerged"...just skimp on the water throughout the ride.

Pengwuino said:
haha well if you make it that bare-bones, i suppose you can.

Bare-bones? I do notice that some Flyaks lack fuselages as large as those on regular kayaks. Sometimes it's just one or two boards!

(Anyhow, I want a Flyak right now!)
 
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Speaking of which...is there any particular reason why the Flyak designers chose T-foils (for the hydrofoils), as opposed to V-foils?

Specifically, does 180° (as the angle between two foils) produce the optimal L/D ratio for the Flyak's foils at speeds around 20kts ? Why not use dihedral, or anhedral?
 
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