A paddling simulator

With the prospect of being grounded by SARS-CoV-2 I wanted some means of at least pretending to paddle while stuck at home. Proper kayak ergometers start at about $3k: out of the question. There are several DIY examples on the web, most based on the mechanism from Nordic ski machines: I don’t have one of those lying about.

My solution is to drag a weight across the ground or floor, with a pulley to provide the reversal of direction. The whole thing is made of materials and fasteners I had to hand: half a plastic container that once held pool chemistry, the seat from a long-dismantled Balans chair, an old FG-3 pulley, an old aluminium cranked shaft, metal objects I use as anchors for training buoys, assorted timber left over from other projects, and three scrounged carpet tiles. Total non-amortised cost: $0.

The pic shows the original setup outside. (I water individual plants, not the whole yard.) I’ve since moved it indoors.

Here’s a diagram.

True, it’s not as good as an actual ergometer or real paddling, but it does enable exercise at home.