Photo courtesy of Buffalo Cycleboats
Update: Buffalo Cycleboats launches Friday, May 19 on lake Erie! See updates on their Facebook page.
Your summer just got made.
First Water Bikes (JK first came real bikes… THEN water bikes), then ice bikes, then pedal pub crawl bikes, and now this. Cycleboats.
What the dickens is a cycleboat you say? Think water bike meets pedal pub crawler.
Yes, this monster is hitting the waters of Lake Erie this summer (June 2017 to be exact) after a year of planning. And your bachelorette party will be that much better for it.
Buffalo Cycleboats, the brilliant minds behind this bike/boat hybrid, have essentially rigged a canopy on top of a bar on top of pedals on top of a pontoon boat.
The boat propelled through the water by the pedaling of its riders, features 14-seats – pedal stations around a large bar and comfortable bench seats for non-pedaling passengers. The boat is equipped with an electric motor powered by solar panels atop the canopy, which provides the greenest option in environmental sustainability. While the motor is not necessary for forward propulsion, it is helpful for navigating smoothly in and out of the dock and keeps the boat in compliance with the stringent standards of the U.S. Coast Guard for commercial tour vessels. Speaking of safety, much like pedal pub crawl contraptions on land, a licensed Master Captain is at the helm at all times so that passengers can relax and focus on having fun. Which…. we undoubtedly will. Because duh.
Photo courtesy of Buffalo Cycleboats
Trying to wrack your brain for ideas to get yourself on this thing asap? Here we go – birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, family reunions, corporate outings, plain old fun times out on the water.
The idea came while owner Brandon Bova was visiting Seattle. “I saw a CycleBoat pedal down Lake Union packed full of riders who looked like they were having the time of their lives. That’s when I knew that I had to bring this to the City of Buffalo.”
Thank god for Seattle and it’s trendy ways, amirite?? In fact, 12 cities around the US have been successful in bringing human-powered pedal boats to their waterways. “So many people love the water, but with Buffalo having a short boating season, many residents do not own their own boat. This will give residents and visitors an opportunity to get out on the water and experience Lake Erie from another view,” Bova explained.
There’s only one boat in the works right now, but Bova says he’s confident they’ll be adding a second boat this summer. Yay!
From what we can tell in photos, there are coolers right down the center of the boat – yaaaaaas! And also, it doesn’t look like you have to wear a life jacket which is a serious plus. Your trip will start and end at Erie Basin Marina and you and your crew can basically decide exactly where you want to go from there. And yes, it is BYOB – those coolers even come stocked with ice, alllllll ready for ya.
If you’re interested in experiencing the waterfront with Buffalo CycleBoats, head to BuffaloCycleBoats.com or visit their Facebook Page for more info.
Is it weird if we book a slot rn? Cause we might….
Questions we have:
- Can you or can you not jump off and go swimming?
- How fast can this bad boy go?
- Tubing – y or n? JK LOL
