Chain Gang
After a few months of hibernation, progress on our craft is once again moving forward. One of the key changes from last year involves building independent chain mechanisms for the water and land sections of the course. With the help of my crazy bicycle neighbor Larry, we reassembled the pedals which now have gears on both sides of the frame. A new chain goes from the front gear, through a small PVC pipe (to keep the chain from slipping off the front gear), around the back paddle gear, and finally through a rear dérailleur (to keep tension on the chain).
With both chains in place, we are almost ready to test it in the water and see what happens. This step, which was skipped over last year, should help us get more than 10 feet into the water this time around.