NZ593941A - Water shoes with underwater fin shaped bellow traction elements streamlined in the forward direction and expanded in the reverse - Google Patents

Abstract

593941 Disclosed is a water strider system for recreation and transport on the surface of a water body. The system comprises two pontoons sufficiently buoyant to, when acting together, allows a person to be supported on top of a body of water. Each pontoon comprises an elongate hull that has a bow and a stem and that defines a standing zone, containing a foot well and foot strap binding, for a foot of a person to be supported, and at least one fin shaped traction element disposed from the hull at a location to be submerged in the water. Each traction element is able to re-configure between a streamline configuration corresponding to when the hull is moving forward through the body of water and a less streamline configuration when the hull is moving backwards through the water. In the less streamline condition, by virtue of the traction element having at least two sections configured to bellow towards and away from each other between a position closer together corresponding to the streamline configuration where a volume of water is captured between the two sections and a second position apart corresponding to the less streamline configuration where a larger volume of water is captured between the two sections so that the traction element makes the hull more difficult to move backwards than it does moving forwards though the body of water. Two stability poles with a blade or paddle, each to be grasped by a person in each hand at a handle, the poles are long enough to allow them to reach the water adjacent the person standing on pontoons. Each pole includes a float at or near the end of the pole help provide support to the person when at least partially submerged in the water.