Hydrobikes by Fun Watercraft introduces the HydroBike

 For over the past 27 years, we have been living and providing a foster home for four individuals with mental and physical disabilities. Since we have discovered the wonders of water-biking, enjoying the outdoors and the wonders of nature and exercise. We have also had the opportunity to share the experience to those people we have lived with and cared for. It has been exciting for us to see them experience the same wonder and enjoyment. One gentleman in particular, who is legally blind, has been able to finally “ride a bike”. This is something he has always wanted to do, but has been unable to do so due to barriers of limited sight and safety reasons. He gets on the water bike, and smiles from ear to ear. He follows Bill by listening to his voice. He described it to us as FREEDOM. Another person described it as “FLOATING ON THE WATER.” Whenever we bring them to our cabin, we all go water biking, and there is a feeling of independence and awe of nature that is inspiring to see.  The gentle exercise, the feeling of exploration, and the quiet camaraderie is worth everything. We are grateful to have the ability to provide this experience to people who often discover too many barriers and hardships in their lives.

Bill and Terry Johnson  

My name is Matt Thomas. The HydroBikes have helped me tremendously with my independence, balance and strengthening my body. Helping me big time with my left side that was completely paralyzed, and is now only partially paralyzed. Also strengthening my legs by going on long trips out to the ocean, and just all around  the harbor. It helped my independence by cleaning them for four years and then having two of my own to keep up. They help me with my memory, in remembering where I was and how to get back home. They are good therapy and training bike, and are just beautiful to be on. Thank you for the Hydros.

Matt Thomas  

Steve Simer ~ 212 E. Taylor St. ~ Cottage Grove, WI 53527
Phone (608) 839-4434 ~ email: fishnsimer@aol.com
2-Time Catch & Release World Record Holder

December 22, 2000

Bev Sellers
HydroBikes, Inc.
PO Box 889
Wyoming, MN. 55092

Dear Bev,

The following is my personal review of “The Sport”, a special model of HydroBikes made for hunting and fishing.

“The Sport”

Did you ever wish there were an easier, lighter way to drag a boat to that “secret” little lake that you can only get to by foot? HydroBikes, Inc., a company from Wyoming, Minnesota has come up with just what you are looking for in a model they call “The Sport”.

“The Sport” is a platform bolted onto two pontoons made from molded polyethylene. The platform is made of powder coated aluminum and provides a very sturdy place to stand or sit and cast for your favorite fish. Although it comes with oars that easily push “The Sport” wherever you want it to go, I opted to install a trolling motor on mine and use that for propulsion. The trolling motor pushed “The Sport” with incredible ease, and much to my delight, quite a bit of speed. It comes with a very comfortable swivel seat that is quite nice to fish from.

After first pushing off from shore, I was a little uncomfortable. I kind of had the same feeling I get in a canoe for the first time each year….(remember, I usually fish from a Ranger Bass boat). I had a full size trolling motor on the back, a full size trolling motor battery in the back, a tackle box that easily pushes 50 pounds, 4 fishing rods and myself (a svelte 215 lbs). Although the capacity is listed at 400 pounds, I was pushing the limit a little and because of that, “The Sport” lost a little of its stability.

After getting my sea legs, I set off away from shore and across the lake. Using just my trolling motor, I went about a mile from the landing before I started fishing. When I hooked my first bass, about a three pounder, my next concern was getting it onto the boat. Coming from the side would require me to hoist it above the pontoon, so I brought it in from the front where it easily slid onto the deck of my “Sport”. I hooked and landed about twelve fish in a couple of hours and headed back to the truck. When I returned to the landing, I made about four trips up to the truck with my stuff and then easily grabbed the “Sport” by the two handles and dragged it up to the trailer. I chose to leave my “Sport” intact, utilizing a flat bed trailer for hauling rather than tearing it down and putting it in my truck. It really does only take about five minutes to tear it down and it will fit inside a 2000 Chevy Tahoe, however it does require a little work to put it back together. It’s not hard, just bulky.

Overall, I found “The Sport” to be a perfect boat for this particular application. The price tag seems a little high, but if it stands the test of time, this fisherman will get his money out of it. If you have a small pond you like to fish or a body of water that you can really only get to by foot, you may want to consider a HydroBike “Sport”.
 
Steve Simer   

Water Toys! - “Glen King here. We have had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to our 12 Hydro-Bikes we bought last season. We are probably getting 12 more this year or next.  They are great for cabin activities! …and campers of all ages…the grandma’s at family camp love them too.(So do the plump dads). A great way to be in plain view with a camper on the water, yoked together on a tandem for those important one-on-one camper/counselor chats. They are so fast and stable you can stand on the pontoons for fast access to kids on the lake and the occasional tip over’s that camper’s have in canoes or kayaks.  Our “eye’s on the water” staff love them for managing multiple boats on the water at the same time. We can cross the lake faster in these than even a motorized boat if you include the “untie from the dock, prime and start the engine” time of a motorized rowboat!  We had parents taking them for rides on opening and closing days … couldn’t keep ‘em away!  http://www.hydrobikes.com/” - Contact Glen at  Smilendog@aol.com

Dean,

Here are the pictures I told you about on the phone. The seats are Hobson easy seats and the double seat support system is solid steel covered with chrome tubing.I tested it using six hundred pounds on the rear seat support and it didn’t even flex. This was a static test, and not on the bike frame. The support tubing holding the bike and pontoons is brushed 6061 aluminum 65 inches long. The twinbrella is quick clamped to the frame, which is covered with self-adhesive velcro so the frame won’t get scratched and console is also trimmed with velcro. I made a push-off pole that you can use to move the bike without getting off of the seat in case you want to move off the beach or check the depth of the water. The steering is more positive with the rudder closer to the inboard pontoons and does not restrict the range of steering. I hope you don’t think that I messed it up too much but it does make a good “Hydro-Bike Cruiser.”

Fun Watercraft salutes Jack McKinney for his innovations with our product. Including safety margins, Jack’s “Hydro-Cruiser” has over 800 pounds of floatation. With his side chair configuration, he should be able to have up to three passengers-one behind and one on each side. We encourage engineering and innovations such as this. Our floats are utilized in canoe outrigger and sailing kits, as well as other floatation kit projects.

Fun Watercraft reminds everyone to be safe, wear personal floatation devices, and use common sense on the water. (Of course, customary and usual warranty and liability issues arise from modifications to the original product. We must disclaim responsibility for these situations.)

Finn ‘N Feather Resort
On Beautiful Lake Andrusia
Route 3 Box 870 Bemidji, MN
56601 218-335-6598
Dick & Doris Clemens
Dave & JoAnn Fallis

To: Duane Petersen
From: Dick J. Clemens
Subject: Hydro-Bikes

We are wanting to express some reactions to the Hydro-Bikes that we have for our guests. The people that took out the Hydro-Bikes expressed the “fun” and “ease” of riding them. Actually, a couple of times we had to practically pry the guests off the bikes to put them away at night.

It has been our experience that after one year with the Explorer I, more and more adults and children will be having fun next summer using these bikes.

Sincerely yours,

Dick Clemens

The purchase of two Explorer I Hydrobikes ranks among the best purchases that my wife and I ever made. We were motivated to purchase the hydrobikes for the enjoyment of our grandchildren who had reached the age at which our paddle boat had become “boring”. We have had the hydrobikes for 3 years, and our grandchildren still can’t wait to visit grandma and grandpa to ride the hydrobikes. To our surprise, my wife and I have also found the hydrobikes much more enjoyable to ride than a paddle boat. My wife was diagnosed as a borderline type II diabetic, and I had a quadruple heart bypass. To improve our health we both exercise regularly now and watch our diet. The hydrobikes have provided us with many hours of healthy exercise and enjoyment. The hydrobikes are also a big hit on our lakes. We and our grandchildren have met many new friends on our hydrobike rides.

T. Trick of IL  

We have had 4 Explorer II’s and 2 Explorer I’s placed with a resort on Lake Lure in Western North Carolina this summer. Gross rental receipts have exceeded $4700 making this a reasonably profitable venture even during a particularly rainy season. We had only one day without rain the entire month of August. More importantly, the resort operators and patrons have been quite pleased with the Hydro-Bike.

I think the trouble-free operation has been the most impressive, however. For an average of almost fifty hours usage per seat, we had only two quick-release seat clamps to tear up and one hand knob to break. This I thought you would like to know.

Boyd Barrier

Hi Bev Sellers and all the nice people at Hydro-Bikes. My name is Harold Sears and I have 2 “Sports”. I also have a Lund bass boat. When my son Randy and I go fishing in it, we do not always want to fish in the same place or spot on the water, so we take turns fishing in spots that we like, and careful not to hook each other when casting. Plus, we need gas and oil, and a long list of safety equipment and it has to be registered etc,. etc,. etc…

But, when we use THE SPORT water bike, Randy goes his way and I go my way, and they are under 14′ long and we do not have to register them. Randy says they are awesome. (me too) We do not catch fish every time we use the “Sport” (no fault of it), but they do get us close to nature and that is what is so nice about them.

P.S. The Sport is quiet and does not pollute the environment.

Harold Sears