Human-powered flapping hydrofoil craft

A flapping foil hydrofoil water craft, comprising in combination:

• a frame including a mast adapted to extend through a water surface;
• an elongate submerged structure pivotably coupled to said mast;
• a front foil extending laterally from said submerged structure forward of said mast;
• said front foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said front foil;
• a rear foil extending laterally from said submerged structure rearward of said mast;
• said rear foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said rear foil;
• a power plant adapted to pivot said submerged structure relative to said mast;
• an angle of attack controller coupled to said forward foil and said rearward foil to adjust the angles of attack of said front foil and said rear foil to provide both positive lift and propulsion to carry and drive the water craft;
• wherein a steering fin is pivotably coupled to said frame, said steering fin oriented in a substantially vertical plane, said steering fin adapted to rotate about an at least somewhat vertically extending axis;
• and
• wherein said steering fin includes a fore foil extending laterally from said fin.

A flapping foil hydrofoil water craft, comprising in combination:

• a frame including a mast adapted to extend through a water surface;
• an elongate submerged structure pivotably coupled to said mast;
• a front foil extending laterally from said submerged structure forward of said mast;
• said front foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said front foil;
• a rear foil extending laterally from said submerged structure rearward of said mast;
• said rear foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said rear foil;
• a power plant adapted to pivot said submerged structure relative to said mast;
• an angle of attack controller coupled to said forward foil and said rearward foil to adjust the angles of attack of said front foil and said rear foil to provide both positive lift and propulsion to carry and drive the water craft;
• and
• wherein said angle of attack control includes rotating cams abutting portions of said front foil and said rear foil to adjust angle of attack of said front foil and said rear foil, said cams rotating due to force input from pivoting motion of said submerged structure.

A flapping foil hydrofoil water craft, comprising in combination:

• a frame including a mast adapted to extend through a water surface;
• an elongate submerged structure pivotably coupled to said mast;
• a front foil extending laterally from said submerged structure forward of said mast;
• said front foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said front foil;
• a rear foil extending laterally from said submerged structure rearward of said mast;
• said rear foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said rear foil;
• a power plant adapted to pivot said submerged structure relative to said mast;
• an angle of attack controller coupled to said forward foil and said rearward foil to adjust the angles of attack of said front foil and said rear foil to provide both positive lift and propulsion to carry and drive the water craft;
• wherein said angle of attack control is adapted to control balance of the water craft by making fine adjustments to the angle of attack of the front foil and the rear foil;
• and
• wherein said angle of attack control includes depth input, speed input and vehicle gross weight to optimize water craft performance.

A flapping foil hydrofoil water craft, comprising in combination:

• a frame including a mast adapted to extend through a water surface;
• an elongate submerged structure pivotably coupled to said mast;
• a front foil extending laterally from said submerged structure forward of said mast;
• said front foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said front foil;
• a rear foil extending laterally from said submerged structure rearward of said mast;
• said rear foil adapted to pivot relative to said submerged structure to adjust an angle of attack of said rear foil;
• a power plant adapted to pivot said submerged structure relative to said mast;
• an angle of attack controller coupled to said forward foil and said rearward foil to adjust the angles of attack of said front foil and said rear foil to provide both positive lift and propulsion to carry and drive the water craft;
• and
• wherein said front foil and said rear foil each include leading edges which are swept slightly to the rear as said leading edges extend from a root of each foil to a tip of each foil, such that weeds and other underwater obstructions naturally fall away from the vehicle during forward motion.