Paddle wheel operated watercraft

Claim 1

A watercraft including a pair of pontoons of an expanded plastic, a frame including a series of transverse members the ends of which extend into the proximate sides of the pontoons and are incorporated therein and include anchor members embedded in the pontoons and extending lengthwise thereof, said transverse and anchor members holding said pontoons in a parallel, spaced apart relationship, and a pair of lengthwise, spaced apart members connected to said transverse members, each extending along the upper edge of the inner side of the appropriate one of said pontoons, a propelling unit including a paddle wheel provided with a shaft and a pedal connected to each shaft end and a shield overlying said paddle wheel with the pedals exposed at the sides thereof, said unit attached to the fore end of the lengthwise frame members with the paddle wheel between said pontoons, a rudder pivotally supported by the aft end of said frame, a seating means supported by an intermediate part of said lengthwise frame members in a position enabling the feet of a seated person to engage and operate said pedals, the unit sufficiently narrow to enable it to be straddled by the legs of a person seated on said seating means, and manually operated steering means connected to and operable to turn said rudder, said means extending forward into a position laterally of and adjacent said seating means.