Date: Tue, 26 Dec 95 20:19:00 -0700
From: Bill Blohm <hpbs1686.boi.hp.com!bblohm@imagelan.com>
Message-Id: <9512270319.AA14250@hpbs1686.boi.hp.com>
To: baidarka@imagelan.com
Subject: Ocean Challenge International
Just thought I'd pass on some thoughts and notes from what I noticed when I
happened on the Ocean Challenge International at Hawaii. I was surfing the
TV looking for something to watch (talk about bored!) when I found this event.
It had some kayaks in it, sit atop kayaks actually. But they did have a
bow with planes on them, similar to baidarkas in appearance, but with a
solid bow instead of bifurcated. For what it's worth, here's what I noticed:
planes were set to 20 to 30 degrees off the horizontal, viewd from the side.
Solid bows, otherwise shaped like baidarkas, without the high riser.
The planes seemed to come into play more coming off the waves and dropping
into the water on the other side than when going into the waves. The boat
itself provided the main lift here, both plane and planeless going thru
the waves about the same.
water conditions were swells and chop
speed difference seemed more due to paddlers rather than kayaks, 2d place
was a standard, "fat" kayak.
FWIW, here's the final standings, I'm using bi to indicate a kayak with
the planes
1st bi Aussies
2d norm Aussies
3d norm Aussies
4th norm? New Zealand
5th bi Californian team
Just some food for thought, however it might be useful (or not ;-).
Bill B.