How to "Fly" a Human Powered Hydrofoil - the "Aquaskipper"

The "Aquaskipper" is a human powered hydrofoil made by .
It's similar to the original Swedish Trampofoil, which is no longer available.
There's also one called the "Pumpabike" from South Africa.

They're also called "hull-less watercraft" and "flapping wing propulsion vessels".
It's completely ridiculous and works really well once you get the hang of it.

It's hard to do at first but that seems to make it even more fun.
Here's what learning looks like:

(After a few days we got a lot better)
Here's Kenny teaching Caglar the starting position.

An ipod formatted copy of the AquaSkipping video can be downloaded here.

Do you like this Instructable? Digg it!

Want to build your own? Here's How!
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up

Step 1: Bounce Down and Up

Find a good place to launch. What you want is a dock a foot or so above the water.
You want water at least 6.5 feet deep according to the manual.
Decide which of your legs is stronger. That's your "pushing foot".
Stand on the side of the dock with the ball of that foot hanging over the edge of the dock.
That's so you'll be able to push off forcefully without your foot slipping.
Rest the rear crossbar of the Aquaskipper on the toes of that foot to keep it from dropping into the water.
Rock forward until the Aquaskipper's front foil is level on the water and step aboard with your other foot.
Lunge yourself and the aquaskipper forward, pushing with your back foot as hard as you possibly can.
Then start bouncing. These two diagrams from the Inventist website show what happens to the gizmo when you bounce. In the "down" part of the stroke the suspension is compressed and the back foil dives. In the 'up" part of the stroke the spring straightens out, the wing swoops up in the water and you glide forward. It's not automatic, you have to learn the skill.
It's hard to describe the motion. It helps to watch the videos many times and have a lot of friends around to make suggestions.

After a week or so of practice you'll be a skillful expert like the folks in the following video.
It shows Aquaskippers, Trampofoils, and other humanpowered hydrofoils at the European Sprint races in 2006:

1-40 of 63Next »
Thanks for the catch. Misspelling corrected. Excellence is Always Appreciated!
mabey you should add more support to the sides and make it more secure and more flimsy on the uper part
alfamc22 years ago
i want one. (=
sandraellis2 years ago
Love it!
Sunnedaez2 years ago
Looks very hard to function almost like you need to be pulled by a jetski then that would be defeating the purpose of it being human powered.
Looks like Bugs Bunny on waterskies :-)
I'll pass on this one...
Is there any way to make one of these??
sunny063 years ago
Look at this - totally amazing:
A.C.E.7 years ago
so, if your just riding along and slow down to much and sink will the aquaskipper sink and can you get back on it in the water or do you have to go back to a dock?
snworks A.C.E.5 years ago
I don't know why you believe that, A Good Name. It's not possible to water start - you have to get back to dock or boat to launch. I have tried having a boat tow me up, but there is not enough control while underwater to do it.
The most fun is with a group of people taking turns, and you just circle around so you can step off on the dock or have a short swim. For learners we bring a line with a throwing weight on the end to haul them back in. Much less tiring than paddling back, so more time and energy for practice.
I believe it would be possible to get up on the water, but easier on a dock/boat.
That thing is just cool, i want to try that someday.
JendaZZ5 years ago
All you guys need to do is JUMP! Just look at yourself in the video... you (mostly the guy in black) are pushing down with your arms and bobbing up and down with your body - you are not really jumping at all. You need to jump up on the balls of your feet; your heels should come off the platform with every jump. I know you can do it!
agis686 years ago
I dont know if iam go make it ever, but i lought very mach with the first video....good job.
Wow! But don't try to ride it in areas with a lot of kelp or long stringey algae or floating plants! Is that duct tape patching on his knees?
TimAnderson (author)  WonderWheeler7 years ago
It's that 3M retro-reflector tape. So they can find the body quicker at night.
ur cool cus ur name is anderson, so is mine!
more like 'corpse'.
parker1017 years ago
they look so cool but i dont have the time to make it.
about how much does suplies cost???
Doveman7 years ago
Those Aquaskipper micbobbers are darn expensive! Almost $500?
I bought this March 2006, and you know the guy in the black dry suit? That was myself and 10 friends who tried it. I eventually got the hang of it rnough to go far out, but turning is a lot harder than it looks. Get it if you have a LOT of time.
power7 years ago
I saw this in a tv programme name Beyond Tommorow.this is very nice but it might be tricky .it means this is like a sport exercise machine for me.nice instructable
Punkguyta7 years ago
OH wow, I guess you learn things every day. I've never seen one of these but I'd be interested to see it in person.
Wade Tarzia7 years ago
Nice! Adds new meaning to the proverb, "sink or swim," and this device could update the proverb for the 21st century. Hey, this reminds me somewhy of the "mud sled," for which I hope you will do an instructable someday. Would love to see the modern equivalent as well as a note on its ethnographic history. Howabout a kite-powered mudsled? A wheeled, skated, pump-hydrofoiled, kite-powered mudsled might be the ultimate transport. It would at least win contests at Burning Man. ;-)
Addendum -- I just saw the video. I haven't laughed like that in months. I salute the never-say-die man-in-black.
ditto that - i was in need of a laugh and that was just stupidass enough to do it....sticktuitiveness!!!
Fubar7 years ago
Wow, that is very cool. Looks tiring, but cool. Seems like the trick to get started is to get the canard in the water first so it's riding level. Very cool guys. But now I know you Great Lakes guys are nuts. Try this in San Diego where the water is 40deg warmer!
leahculver7 years ago
Awesome! Looks tricky.
leevonk7 years ago
how does that survival suit help keep you warm when it's so loose? It's water permiable like a normal neoprene wetsuite right? As far as I know tight fitting neoprene wetsuits work because some water is trapped in the neoprene and this water is warmed by your body. having a loose fitting wetsuite doesn't let the water get warmed by the body.. Let me know where I'm off
Kiteman leevonk7 years ago
That looks like a dry suit - no water gets in at all. It means you can ride your foil thing somewhere and arrive with your normal clothes on, dry, underneath.
leevonk Kiteman7 years ago
naw, it's made of neoprene (see his wetsuite repair instructable)
All survival suits are dry-suits. The zippers are well sealed, and the 'socks' and 'gloves' are sealed on. Water can get in by the face, so the hood is designed to fit tightly around the face. Usually the hood can be pulled up or folded over to cover the mouth a little.
the red suit pictured is a wetsuit, dry suits are not made of neoprene, they are made of waterproof plastic.
dan leevonk7 years ago
contrary to "lay" opinion, neoprene itself is completely waterproof. all leakage in a wetsuit is through the sewn seams between the individual panels of neoprene and around the edges where your arms and legs go, and through the zipper. if you visit your cold-weather surfing store, you should have no trouble purchasing a neoprene dry suit. it just costs more because of the seals.
leevonk dan7 years ago
thank you, finally an enlightening set of replies.
aphoric leevonk7 years ago
Actually dry suits may be made of nylon, or neoprene, or other materials. Here is just one quick link for info on neoprene drysuits.
Sorry to burst your collective bubbles, but REAL drysuits are made of thermocouple piezo-plastics. Check out this.
Actually, I think you'll find the correct link is HERE.
1-40 of 63Next »