Paddle board

A recreational paddle board, comprising:

• floating board means having two generally parallel side rails defining a longitudinal direction and a substantially flat portion supported between said side rails for receiving the body of a user and having sufficient buoyancy for retaining the board and user at the surface of a body of water;
• a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said board means and extending laterally between said side rails, said shaft having offset portions positioned between said side rails and on which pedals are mounted for receiving the feet of the user so that the user may rotate said drive shaft;
• and
• at least one paddle drive affixed to said side rails, said paddle drive including:
• speed conversion means operatively connected to said drive shaft so as to be rotatably driven thereby;
• a plurality of sprockets mounted for rotation about parallel laterally directed axes and being longitudinally aligned, at least one of said sprockets being operatively connected to said speed conversion means so as to be rotatably driven thereby;
• a roller chain entrained around said sprockets and having upper and lower substantially horizontal runs extending in the longitudinal direction between said sprockets;
• a plurality of paddles hingedly affixed to said roller chain such that said paddles may move between an extended position directed away from said roller chain and a retracted position adjacent said flexible roller chain;
• a roller rotatably mounted on each said paddle;
• and
• fixed paddle guide means extending from said board means beneath said sprockets and said lower run of said roller chain for engaging said rollers of said paddles along said lower run to pivot said paddles from said retracted position to said extended position in a rotational direction corresponding to the rotational direction of said roller chain and to retain said paddles in said extended position, and for disengaging said rollers of said paddles along said upper run so that said paddles may pivot to said retracted position in the opposite rotational direction;
• whereby pedalled rotation of said drive shaft causes said extended paddles moving along said lower run to generate a reactive thrust in a desired longitudinal direction for propelling the paddle board, and further whereby the reactive thrust and extension of said retracted paddles moving along said upper run is minimized.