Perhaps windsurfers could benefit from the latest craze in bicycling, "mechanical doping". There's been a number of recent articles involving a bike racer being discovered using an electric propulsion system surreptitiously installed inside the bicycle frame work. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/feb/02/chris-froome-warned-uci-about-mechanical-doping-in-cycling
I was thinking that might be just the ticket for windsurfing here in Georgia. I would be perfect for those days when you need just another mph of wind to get you on plane. It might also allow some of us mere mortals to lead a challenge against Stanger at the Fall Classic. Maybe something like these suction cup toy boat motors I had as a kid would work?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/168163244/vintage-toy-mabuchi-s-1-submarine-motor
Bill H.
Bill Herderich
Allegations have been floating around since 2010 Tour of Flanders when Fabian Cancellara "motored" up a hill (1:20 in this vid)
The guy he smoked, Boonen, is a big, powerful guy. Also, that year, he literally rode people off his wheel in Paris-Roubaix. https://youtu.be/8lealjxge5U?t=1h38m35s
The big deal is that after years of allegations, someone was actually busted. She'd been under suspicion since last Nov. when she, at 19, motored away from a bunch of elites and her bike this week in practice was noticed to have an odd seat tube.
You can buy a motorized bike like hers for 5000 euro: https://www.salden.nl/en/wilier-triestina-e-cycl-ocrosser-met-trapondersteuning.html
So you may ask, if it weighs a couple of kilos, wouldn't it be too heavy to race on? It's not uncommon for pros to switch bikes in a race, say to a bike with lighter wheels before a climb. A lot of pros have been having suspicious bike changes in the last few years which has fueled the gossip further. Plus, most pro bikes are under the 6.8 kg weight limit so they end up having bits of chain, etc in the frame to get the bike up to weight. In cyclocross, where this girl was busted, elites and pros may have 3 or more bikes in the pits and may switch bikes every lap as they pick up a lot of mud in wet conditions. Someone in the pits washes the bike for the next switch. The other bikes will have different treads depending on conditions.
Greg Lemond was complaining about the chances of doped bikes last summer: http://cyclingtips.com/2015/07/hidden-motor-demonstration-with-greg-lemond/ From same website, how it works: http://cyclingtips.com/2015/04/hidden-motors-for-road-bikes-exist-heres-how-they-work/
Yeah, it stinks.
Now, as to our applications, mind you these things put out a heck of a lot of power (150 watts for up to 30 minutes) in a package that adds only a couple of kilos. If you could just get a jet underwater to get you planing, that would be pretty cool.
Since cyclists obviously must carry an enormous cheating gene, why not just make it an unlimited, open class sport. Then they could proper bike races. Like these.
http://www.motogp.com/
BTW - where did they hide the motor?
What happens in a black hole stays in a black hole.
Randy, all you need to know.
Saw this and thought of windlord. It's a failed bottom bracket but I thought he could conjure up a better explanation.
Then saw this and thought of Peelskid who told me about this move at his dock party.
Saw this today:
--- The Arrogant Jerk: Crabby and irritable since 1998.