Abstract: A paddle for use with a hand and forearm of a user is provided. The paddle has a paddle blade of a length shorter than its width, and generally encompasses an area approximating the span of the hand of a user. A support which provides support for the wrist extends from the paddle blade to a point near a user's elbow, with an opening in the support through which a user inserts a hand. A cover surrounds the hand and secures the paddle blade to the user's hand. As such, the user may rest an opened hand against the blade while using the paddle.

Abstract: This one-handed canoe paddle is comprised of a blade portion, a hand grip portion, and an arm cuff portion. The hand grip is integral with the blade and is at an angle to the centerline of the paddle approximating the angle which a closed hand makes with the centerline of the forearm when the hand and forearm are in alignment. The arm cuff is U-shaped, positioned perpendicular to the plane of the paddle, and connected to the paddle by a shaft that is of a piece with the blade portion and offset of the centerline of the paddle. The angled hand grip being integral with the blade, the connecting shaft being offset, and the uniquely positioned arm cuff taken together create an aggregate design which:permits quick, easy access to the paddle;lets the paddle be picked up and used with one hand;provides the leverage necessary to propel the canoe in any direction without changing grip position;allows the wrist to be held in a neutral position during use of the paddle; andproduces an esthetically pleasing unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of measuring a swim performance and swim stroke efficiency uses a microcomputer based hand mounted device that can be worn by the swimmer during the swim exercise. The device is secured to a swimmers hand by an adjustable strap and fits roughly within the area defined by the user's fingers. An internal timer and contact switch within the device permit time keeping and stroke counting functions, from which the internal microcomputer derives a plurality of swim performance factors. The device is battery powered and has a "low-battery" indicator to warn the user in advance of total power drain. Swim performance can evaluated via a LCD and a variety of numeric and graphic indicators. The device can be a used by a swimmer to determine swim stroke rate, cycle rate, velocity, distance per stroke and other variables which effect swim performance. The data can be stored in an internal memory means and retrieved later by the user.

Abstract: A swimmer's flexible hand paddle is disclosed which includes a raised portion centered under a swimmer's hand extending from near a first finger joint to a palm position of the paddle and a flat portion extending from the raised portion out past a outline of a swimmer's hand having thumb, little finger and finger tip off-set. The raised portion is substantially straight across a finger edge and tapers of a V-shaped palm edge. The raised portions has shoulders that slope down to the flat portion with the thumb side shoulder forming a thumb rest. A palm piece is also disclosed which is attachable to prior art paddles and provides the raised portion to prior art paddles.

Abstract: A swimming paddle assembly has a long shaft with a rigid blade at each end. A pair of resilient flaps are attached to the leading edge of each blade, one on each side, so that as the swimmer pulls first on one side of the shaft and then the other side, one blade is pushed forward and the other is pulled back on a power stroke with the flaps open for greater resistance. On the return stroke the flaps are forced closed against the blade sides for reduced resistance. One or more vertical stabilizing panels attached to the lower limbs reduce side to side motion of the lower body. These may be on swim fins or mounted between the legs.

Abstract: A hand propulsion aid for swimmers including a first planar sheet. The first planar sheet has a first exterior surface and a first interior surface essentially parallel with each other throughout at least the majority of their extent. The first sheet also has four fingers and a thumb extending forwardly therefrom with spaces between the fingers and the thumb. A second planar sheet is juxtapose the first planar sheet for coupling. The second planar sheet has a second exterior surface and a second interior surface essentially parallel with each other throughout at least the majority of their extent. The second sheet has four fingers and a thumb extending forwardly therefrom with spaces between the fingers and the thumb. Included are a plurality of slots formed within the second planar sheet. A strap formed of a tubular configuration is secured to the first interior surface of the first sheet for facilitating attachment to the hand of a swimmer.

Abstract: An aid for swimmers comprising a planar sheet is disclosed. The planar sheet has an exterior surface and an interior surface essentially parallel with each other throughout at least the majority of their extent. The sheet also has four fingers and a thumb extending forwardly therefrom with spaces between the fingers and the thumb. A plurality of large grooves are formed on the exterior surface in the central extent thereof and a plurality of small grooves are formed on the exterior surface in the fingers and thumb thereof. A plurality of straps are formed of a tubular configuration positioned on the interior surface and are secured with retainers for facilitating attachment to the hand of a swimmer.

Abstract: A swimmer's hand paddle in the form of a rigid planar member has a mitten-shaped surface area, larger than the human hand and wider in the palm area than in the area of the middle finger, and has an irregularly-shaped aperture of a width approaching the width of the hand positioned at a location on the paddle so as to be covered by the most sensitive area of the palm when the hand is properly positioned on the paddle. From one end of a proximal curved wrist edge to a point beyond the end of the thumb, the thumb side edge closely approaches the outer edge of the thumb and then curves inwardly and merges with a sharply curved distal end, whereas the little finger side edge extends with flared curvature from the distal end to the other end of the curved wrist edge.

Abstract: A swimming aid is worn on the hand and secured to and between the forefinger and the thumb of a swimmer. The swimming aid includes a fan-shaped body portion having a relatively wide frontal edge and two lateral edges tapering rearwardly toward an apex adjacent a webbed crotch portion of the hand formed between the forefinger and the thumb. The swimming aid has a crotch receiving portion formed towards the apex of the body portion for receiving and sealingly communicating with the webbed crotch portion of the hand. Also included is a thumb receiving portion and a forefinger receiving portion, both extending laterally from the lateral edges of the body portion respectively, intermediate the wide frontal edge and the apex. The thumb and forefinger receiving portions are integrally formed with the body portion and encircle and retain the thumb and the forefinger.

Abstract: A swimming aid includes a paddle with two blades for alternating arm strokes and a vertical blade attached to both feet for side to side leg motion in cooperation with the arm strokes. The two paddle blades are at opposite ends of a hand held shaft. Each blade has a rigid leading edge and a flexible following portion. When pushed forward, the blade lies in a plane for minimal hydrodynamic resistance. When pulled backward on a power stroke, the following portion bends out of the plane, creating increased hydrodynamic resistance for enhanced forward propulsion. This pulling action causes the legs to move laterally, alternating from side to side as the arm strokes alternate. A vertical blade has a narrow anterior portion with foot pockets for both feet side by side. The blade is widest at its trailing edge which may be forked and acts like a fish tail fin forcing the body forward. The propulsion is provided by the torso muscles moving the legs side to side not by leg muscles kicking as in swim fins.

Abstract: A substantially flat, oval-shaped swim paddle for use on a swimmer's hand is provided having two halves connected by a flexible hinge. The anterior half has ridges defining finger indexes for placement of the swimmer's fingers. The posterior half has a centrally located raised palm portion which, when in use, fits comfortably within the hollow area of the swimmer's palm. Velcro.RTM. type fasteners secure the paddle to the swimmer's hand. Texturing on the hand side of the paddle, the finger indexes and the raised palm portion allow the swimmer to more easily control the paddle.

Abstract: A swimmer's hand paddle comprised of a planar member having a perpendicularly depending fin is disclosed. The paddle's planar member is bilaterally symmetrical and generally triangular. It has a textured upper surface, a rounded forward apex, a pair of divergent opposing side edges and an inwardly-curved rearward edge. A rearward projection is defined on each side of the planar member between the outer end of the rearward edge and the rearward end of the adjacent side edge. The fin is generally triangular and depends from the planar member's lower surface. Its narrower end is disposed adjacent the planar member's forward apex and its wider end is disposed adjacent the planar member's rearward edge. Opposing ends of a length of resilient tubing pass through a pair of adjacent apertures in planar member, thereby forming a loop which projects above the plane of the upper surface and is adapted to receive and bind a swimmer's middle finger to the planar member.

Abstract: A swimmer training paddle with a textured leading surface for increasing a swimmer's arm strength and hand stability is disclosed. The paddle takes the form of a rigid, planar fluid resistance member having a textured first surface that directs and momentarily captures water thereon and a second surface configured to engage a swimmer's hand. The momentary capture of water by the textured paddle increases the thrust achieved with each stroke. Water resistively contacts the textured surface of the paddle for a longer period of time than does water contacting the smooth surface of a conventional paddle. In the preferred embodiment, the textured surface comprises diagonally extending, interconnected, contiguous linear recesses or channels which have been found to provide increased thrust without compromising rotational stability.

Abstract: A propulsion device, the device having a saucer shaped hydroplane connected to a strap. The strap affixes the swimmer's hand to the saucer. When the swimmer engages a wave, the device provides a lifting force allowing the swimmer to hydroplane on the face of the wave.

Abstract: A handboard having a convex top, a flat base and a flat extended lip in which the convex top supports the user's hand in its natural partially cupped position during use, the flat base presents minimal forward resistance in use and the flat extended lip increases a swimmer's pulling area on a downstroke.

Abstract: A hand paddle for use in swimming is disclosed which comprises a glove-like body having an interior recess for receiving a human hand, said body having a relatively flat bottom surface and a convex upper surface, the upper surface being cambered longitudinally and laterally so that the highest point of the upper surface is centrally located in that surface.

Abstract: An inflatable aquatic device has a single inflatable, flotation chamber with a rigid flange element circumscribing the periphery of the inflatable chamber and a flexible lower sheet also attached to the chamber. The aquatic device conforms generally to a size for utilizing on the hand of a user and the flat, lower sheet, which is adhered at its edges to the inflatable chamber, is formed with apertures through which fingers and thumb of the user may pass, thereby permitting the user to utilize his hand for grasping objects and the like and yet still have the flotation chamber firmly attached thereto. The flange element is tapered so that it is deformed from a planar two-dimensional surface into a curved, three-dimensional surface to form a scoop-like element on the lower side and a curved water run-off channel on the upper side.

Abstract: An inflatable flotation device is formed of two adjustably inflatable chambers superimposed one upon another and joined by an airtight seam substantially circumscribing the periphery of the chambers and conforming generally to the outline of a user's hand and lower forearm, and a hollow portion arranged between adjacent sides of the inflatable chambers defines a space for receiving such user's hand and lower forearm. The two chambers are in mutual fluid communication and controlling the extent of inflation of the device controls the tightness of fit about the user's hand and lower forearm. A sealed area in one of the two chambers is corresponds generally to the location of the user's palm to facilitate bending of the device in the inflated mode.

Abstract: A swimming aid includes a plurality of tubular members, each tubular member adapted to fit on a corresponding finger of a human hand and which is open at both ends thereof, and web-like members extending between adjacent ones of the tubular members.

Abstract: A one-handed paddle having a blade portion, a hand-grip portion and an arm brace portion. The arm brace portion has a resilient member which releasably grips the forearm of a user to maintain the arm brace portion in contact with the forearm of the user during use of the paddle.