2015
author
Robert Mrowiec (PL)
title
Do‑It‑Yourself Water Bike
degree
B.A. project
e-mail
school
Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk
supervisor
Paweł Gełesz
Two ideas inspired the shape of this design – on the one hand, the DIY approach, and on the other, the construction of the Greenland kayak, whose form derives from the lack of wood in the Arctic regions, a fact which forced inhabitants to use seal skins to stitch together the hulls of their traditional boats. The designer has used a transparent and flexible PVC material for the outside, which means that this leg‑powered boat is light and almost immaterial, with a visible plywood construction. The product is meant to be purchased in the form of cut‑outs (saved in digital files), which are then commissioned to be cut with CNC technology. The designer promises that the parts can be assembled quickly and without any special tools, and that the task is not beyond those who know nothing about boat‑building. The cost is estimated at 1,000 zloty. The water bike construction is stable, and the semi‑reclined position of the body is comfortable, as proven by prototype tests. This is a solution for those who enjoy manual work and who want to enjoy being close to water, moving slowly and gently.