Human-powered watercraft

Human-powered watercraft are watercraft propelled only by human power, instead of being propelled by wind power (via one or more sails) or an engine.

Above: sweep-oar rowing a coxed pair
Below: amphibious bicycle 'Cyclomer', Paris, 1932

The three main methods of exerting human power are:

  1. directly from the hands or feet, sometimes aided by swimfins;
  2. through hand-operated oars, paddles, or poles, or;
  3. through the feet with pedals, crankset or treadle.

While most human-powered watercraft use buoyancy to maintain their position relative to the surface of the water, a few, such as human-powered hydrofoils and human-powered submarines, use hydrofoils, either alone or in addition to buoyancy.

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