Human powered hydrofoil vehicle and use method

A hydrofoil vehicle, comprising in combination:

• a substantially rigid frame having a front section and a rear section, said front section being forward of said rear section in a longitudinal direction;
• a front foil connected beneath said front section of said substantially rigid frame;
• a rear foil connected beneath said rear section of said substantially rigid frame;
• said front foil and said rear foil each having an elongate form extending primarily laterally to vehicle motion and primarily horizontally, and with a foil shape and orientation which causes lift when moving forward through water;
• a prime mover located beneath and supported by said substantially rigid frame, said prime mover powered by a power source carried by said substantially rigid frame;
• said prime mover coupled to said power source through a drive train therebetween, said prime mover extending forward from portions of said drive train adjacent to said prime mover;
• said prime mover located at least partially above a lowermost one of said front foil and said rear foil;
• and
• wherein said cross-section of at least one of said front foil or said rear foil has a highest portion of said upper surface between 30% and 50% of the way from a leading edge to a trailing edge, and wherein said lower surface has a lowest portion between 20% and 40% of the way from said leading edge to said trailing edge, and wherein said lower surface has an inflection point between 40% and 70% of the way from said leading edge to said trailing edge, and wherein said lower surface has a concave portion with a highest portion thereof between 70% and 90% of the way from said leading edge to said trailing edge, and wherein a vertical thickness of said cross-section of said at least one foil has a maximum thickness at a location between 20% and 50% of the way from said leading edge to said trailing edge, which maximum thickness portion is between 10% and 20% of said chord length of said cross-section.

A hydrofoil vehicle, comprising in combination:

• a substantially rigid frame having a front section and a rear section, said front section being forward of said rear section in a longitudinal direction;
• a front foil connected beneath said front section of said substantially rigid frame;
• a rear foil connected beneath said rear section of said substantially rigid frame;
• said front foil and said rear foil each having an elongate form extending primarily laterally to vehicle motion and primarily horizontally, and with a foil shape and orientation which causes lift when moving forward through water;
• a prime mover located beneath and supported by said substantially rigid frame, said prime mover powered by a power source carried by said substantially rigid frame;
• said prime mover coupled to said power source through a drive train therebetween, said prime mover extending forward from portions of said drive train adjacent to said prime mover;
• said prime mover located at least partially above a lowermost one of said front foil and said rear foil;
• wherein at least one of said front foil or said rear foil includes a cross-sectional form, when viewed from a right or left side, with a convex upper surface and a recurve lower surface, including a convex forward portion and a concave rearward portion;
• wherein at least one of said front foil and said rear foil are removably connected beneath said substantially rigid frame, through a joint which facilitates rapid removal and secure re-attachment to said substantially rigid frame;
• and
• wherein said rear foil is removably connected beneath said substantially rigid frame through a bayonet Interface joint comprising male and female counterparts and with one of said male counterpart or female counterpart affixed to a central portion of said rear foil and with the other of said male counterpart or said female counterpart affixed to a lower portion of said rear section of said substantially rigid frame, said male counterpart and female counterpart arranged so that said bayonet interface is caused to be tightened by force of water acting on said rear foil as the vehicle moves relative to water in a forward direction.

A hydrofoil pedal driven vehicle, comprising in combination:

• a frame having a front section and a rear section;
• a front foil connected beneath said front section of said frame;
• a rear foil connected beneath said rear section of said frame;
• said front foil and said rear foil each having an elongate form extending primarily laterally and with a shape and orientation which causes lift when moving forward through water;
• a prime mover located beneath and coupled at least indirectly to said frame, said prime mover powered by a power source carried by said frame;
• said prime mover is located at least partially above a lowermost one of said front foil and said rear foil;
• said prime mover coupled to said power source through a drive train therebetween, said prime mover extending forward from portions of said drive train adjacent to said prime mover;
• wherein said prime mover is coupled to a drive shaft which causes said prime mover to rotate, said driveshaft coupled to said prime mover through a free wheel linkage which causes said prime mover to rotate when said driveshaft rotates in a first direction, and which does not cause said prime mover to rotate when said driveshaft rotates in a second direction opposite to said first direction;
• and
• wherein said driveshaft includes a ratchet with a series of ratchet teeth extending radially therefrom and which are slanted in one rotational direction, said prime mover having at least one pawl with teeth associated therewith which engage said ratchet teeth of said ratchet when the driveshaft rotates in said first direction, but which allows the prime mover to freewheel and not rotate when said driveshaft rotates in a second direction opposite said first direction.