The present invention relates to an apparatus for walking on water, or if desired on land. More specifically, the invention relates to a two component boat type device wherein the two components supplement each other to form a pair of so called water shoes.
Means for traversing the surface of a body of water either in a gliding or in a walking manner are well known in the art. Basically, such devices comprise a small boat body for each foot of the wearer. In German Patent No. 38685 each shoe has the shape of a rectangular triangle merging into a semi-circle. German Patent No. 687047 discloses means for keeping the two water shoes more or less in parallel to each other when they are used. German Utility Model No. 188141 discloses water shoes, each of which is provided with a keel. U.S. Pat. No. 1,275,727 discloses a water shoe with a supporting plate and a keel. It is also known to provide water shoes made of foam material with small flexible fins.
The devices of the prior art generally have several drawbacks. Due to the length of the shoes they are hard to maneuver. Further auxiliary means may be required for locomotion. The normally required relatively wide spacing between the shoes makes it necessary for the wearer to stand on spread apart legs resulting in a heavy load on the legs and a consequent quick tiring. Moreover, a substantial skill is usually required on the part of the user to keep the shoes and thus the wearer himself in a balanced position. This is so because even if the wearer employs auxiliary means for locomotion such as a pushing stick or the like, the prior art shoes tend to run in different directions making the balancing rather difficult. Accordingly, prior art devices have mostly been used either by trained persons or by sports enthusiasts, a rather limited group as compared to the purchasing public at large.
Another disadvantage of prior art devices is seen in that the use of the arms or hands for handling auxiliary means of locomotion limits the use of such prior art water shoes in an undesirable manner. Thus, it is normally not possible to employ prior art shoes for fishing or performing other work on the water surface, for example, photographing or the like.