Canoe Cannon

Build a homemade water gun or water balloon launcher and tell us about it.
Locked
User avatar
WaeV
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:01 am

Canoe Cannon

Post by WaeV » Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:07 am

I'm thinking of ways to make a canoe cannon - that is, a watergun mounted to (detachable) and designed for use from a canoe. Range would be desireable; we have a floating dock maybe 60 feet away from our dock/patio thing on the lake.

I was thinking pedal power, because our legs are obviously stronger than our arms and this thing ought to be mounted anyways. I could either construct a means of converting rotational movement into pistons that work like a conventional squirtgun pump, or my dad suggested to get a rotary pump.

As this thing isn't going to be handheld, there is PLENTY of room for PCs, particularly along the gunnels.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Image

User avatar
Silence
Posts: 3825
Joined: Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:01 pm

Re: Canoe Cannon

Post by Silence » Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:44 pm

If you have the space and money for a rotary pump, that may be the most flexible option. But honestly, rotation isn't necessary, and perhaps not even desirable. I'm guessing you have low seats in the canoe, and the pistons will be in front of you - so just create two regular pumps, but supersize them and use pedals on them.

If you try to connect that to a rotary pump (as in an internal combustion engine), you'll have some difficulty when the pedals are all the way forward or back. At those points, force on the pedals doesn't convert to torque very well.

You should also consider a rivergun. Mounting one would allow you pump a little harder.

User avatar
zeda.beta
Posts: 683
Joined: Sun May 03, 2009 10:49 pm

Re: Canoe Cannon

Post by zeda.beta » Thu May 28, 2009 3:37 am

I think that you should use a mounted river gun, as cantab said. This will allow you to have a gun that you can afford to lose if it accidentally falls in the river.
-zeda
I reject your reality and substitute my own.
Quack damn you.

Locked