When Sidney-resident and cycler Bruce Furtado’s two-wheeler bit the dust, he began looking for ways he could reuse the transportation device in another way.
“The bicycle had served me well for several years but it was beyond repair,” Furtado said. “So I decided I wanted to create a new power source.”
Furtado began dismantling his bike piece by piece and slowly came up with the idea of creating a watercraft with the old components.
“I found a local marine company that agreed to work to my specifications,” Furtado explained. “Once the refitting (of the bicycle) was done, I was ready to mount it on the Polynesian-style outrigger we came up with.”
Furtado took the first rendition of the project out for a few spins, but it was clear after a few spills into the waters off Amherst Beach that it wasn’t too steady.
“Once I resolved the stability problem, the steering was refined and I could finally enjoy the fruits of my labour,” Furtado said, adding that he had it out frequently during the extended summer that graced the Peninsula.
“My old/new bike is pure pleasure,” he said.