FOR FUN: WATER CANNON mounted on an AI?

I’ve made a few mods to my boat from ideas from this group and would LOVE to hear some ideas regarding making an awesome AI MOUNTED WATER CANNON! Going to do some research on DIY water cannon sites…I’ll report back with some findings if anyone is interested! But this AI Forum is such a great community of DIY’ers, that I thought I’d see what others have put together!

Ideas on specs:
- Use the ocean/lake as the water source (i.e. no holding tank).
- Needs to fire a pretty good distance for more fun; otherwise, just a handheld super soaker would fit the bill.
- Maneuverable aim (not fixed solely to fire directly ahead) for maximum target reach.
- Fairly easy to refill while sailing.
- Possibly mount on one of the crossbars?
- Removable for when no squirting targets present.
- Extra bonus points if the water cannon actually looks like an old cannon from a ship.

Thanks so much for your ideas!
Steph
"Holoholo" - 2012 AI

http://www.h2ofun.com/escape_fun.html
Good luck

I've often thought a whole new watersport could be developed around some sort of water/tennis ball cannon for kayaks accessory. Much like the paintball sport, an on the water version in the form of "naval engagements" could be performed from kayaks.

Steph, I would like to thank you for introducing a truly different topic to this forum! Thinking about it a bit though, it is not easy to come up with something beyond a super soaker, although Tom's paintball mention got me thinking.. Maybe a paintball gun would be a neat interim solution

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

Heck, you don't even need a paintball gun. A couple dozen eggs would work

Steph, your idea could spark a whole new sport! I love it.

Why is it, at age 57, this sounds like a blast. Must be some age regression thing.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

Ok, I was out in the garage last night getting together my gear for our upcoming Everglades trip, and I ran across a spare RV water pump I've had for awhile. It took about a second to think - WATER CANNON!

The pump runs on 12 or 24 volts and will output 5 gallons per minute at up to 60 psi. Basically the same as an average outdoor hose faucet. So here's my plan - mount the pump to a board and put it behind the seat of my AI. Run the inlet pipe down through a scupper hole. Wire it to a battery in the front of the boat. I have an AI2, so I can use the wiring ports. Then attach a length of garden hose with a male fitting on the end to the pump output and run it next to and forward of the seat. Screw on a trigger type hose nozzle and it's done..

The pump operates "on demand", so when I pull the nozzle trigger it will kick on - and Voila! somebody gets wet!

I might even rig it up for our next trip, but don't tell Keith and the guys, it will ruin the surprise........

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This could start a whole new Hobie forum: BattleFrog of the Islands. Boy, better get stronger shear pins and good keepout lines.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

ALL of this sounds like a BLAST! Sign me up for Battlefrog of the Islands!!! And I’m glad to see that I’m in good company with the other high-brow, mature, sophisticated minds out there! Here are some of my research findings…

…THIS ONE, because it’s simply an AWESOME water gatling gun COLOR TAGGING system… Not sure about the range, but perhaps as a potential idea starter. Check out their YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXtbNqJzwjA
For some of the how to build specifics, go here. https://sugru.com/blog/the-story-of-the ... ter-pistol

Super cannon II: sounds like this one might possibly be TOO strong (could hurt people/boats) with a 100PSI and 73’ range. But for possible design idea jumping off points, here’s the link. http://www.sscentral.org/homemade/supercannon2.html

SuperCPS: design is more of a large water gun as opposed to a canon, but nice design of a tube that would just sit in the water to refill the firing chamber. Range of ~60’. Here’s the link. http://www.sscentral.org/homemade/supercps.html

Water cannon with pump/battery setup: this one utilizes a boat / RV pump and needs a 12volt direct DC from a battery. Link. http://www.boatdesigns.com/Water-Cannon/products/924/


Steph
“Holoholo” - 2012 AI

yeah, sure..it's all fun until someone gets wet?! wait until FE gets into this. I reckon we'll see multiple nozzles and drone delivered water balloons...

the arms race has begun....

If you stuck with some sort of air/water cannon that shot a soft projectile, say a tennis ball, then you begin to enter the realm of naval gunnery which would require quite a bit of skill and marksmanship. Could make for a very interesting new water sport based on naval engagements down through the ages.

In 2014, when my son and I got our first kayaks we went out to the lake with the water guns. I helped him in his boat then I got in mine. He blasted me before I got away from the dock. He had a lot of fun engaging in water gun combat with me.

Then in 2015, we got our first Hobie kayaks; a Sport and an Outback. That's when it got interesting. With the Mirage drive and the rudder system, it was a lot easier for both of us to set up a "firing solution." When you think you have the advantage of weapons technology don't think that victory is within easy reach. The enemy will undoubtedly copy and use that technology against you. Once the water gun Genie is out of the bottle he can never return. When we go out on the lake (and I don't feel like getting wet) for just touring or fishing I need to make sure he didn't hide his water gun in the bowels of the Sport. My son can be very treacherous.

With my Outback, I had the advantage of a stable platform to line up a good shot. However, my son maneuvered his Sport like a WWII PT boat going up against a heavy Japanese cruiser! I wished I had some combat footage to show you. However I did get some with our first kayaks.

Here's a link to a video of me and my son a couple of months before his 9th birthday. It's a long video that only a Father could enjoy. However, watch as his boat moves back whenever he receives a broadside from my water gun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnshh-OfkTM

My thinking on this subject for many years now has been that a new firing device was needed to create an entirely new watersport. Again, if you could affix a device for firing a tennis ball (or similar proprietary projectile) to any kayak, then you would in effect be in the same situation as nearly any naval war vessel going back hundreds of years and up to perhaps the end of WWI. How much fun would it be to attempt to fire and land a "shell" on a vessel a hundred yards or more away? A kayak takes a hit, or a certain number of hits, and it's out of the engagement.

You have the option of having two "fleets" and set up just like naval vessels have done for hundreds of years, using the same tactics as "Crossing the T" and executing simultaneous turns such as the "Gefechtskehrtwendung" used by Scheer at Jutland.

Long ago I thought this was the sort of thing that could become as big as paintball did/has for land based war games.

Obviously, Mirage Drive powered Hobie kayaks would have a decided advantage in any such war games.

I'm thinking of BattleFrog's obstacle course, could include water cannons. Typical race course with on-water obstacles--don't know what for sure. Headed out in 2 min on a camping trip.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

I'm with you, Keith! LOVE the idea of a Battlefrog's obstacle course with water cannons / colored water (environmentally safe color and non-permanent color) cannons! Something to consider with the soft projectile idea is who will collect all the 'misses'? Or what about the 'misses' that don't get picked up, etc.? I'm envisioning folks complaining about how disrespectful of public space / environment we may be.... (...can you tell I've lived in California for awhile now?... )

Warmly,
Steph