Beam Reach

Deck-mounted bicycle generators

I just read a story about a band that tours and amplifies under bicycle power alone. The technology they use could jump start an idea spawned during dinnertime discussions during past Beam Reach programs: mounting two bikes on the foredeck for power generation and exercise during the sea component. A nice twist would be having a couple nice, inspirational, bikes for Beam Reach students to use while on land. In homage to our bioacoustic spin, we could even outfit them with bike sound systems!

The fellow who designed Ginger Ninja’s system offers a variety of pedal power generator (PPD) products. Dante’s Do-It-Yourself predilections will resonate with some of Beam Reach’s core staff (Val Veirs, the tinkerer, specifically). It looks like a basic system can be purchased for about $1000. A crux for our application will be ensuring the system can endure the salt spray and precipitation of a catamaran’s foredeck. Another key issue will be whether the power is pushed into the house 12V battery or directly into the pedaller’s laptop…