Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 12:26:10 -0400
Message-Id: <l0311070cb1dce27ac553@[205.216.99.54]>
In-Reply-To: <00b301bdb581$381ee780$8ae6490c@packard-bell>
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
From: "Craig O'Donnell" <dadadata@friend.ly.net>
Subject: Re: [baidarka] Paddles
>Anybody know of any hydrodynamic studies of paddles - both single and
>double? Some recent paddling has convinced me that there is a point where
>paddling harder adds a great deal more to energy expended than it does to
>thrust. I'm curious to know if any studies have been done to try and
>pinpoint the area of maximum paddling efficiency.
Supposedly MIT has done some paddle shape studies - I don't know where they
would be found though. Maybe there's an index or pointer to a publication
on MIT's web site.
Paddles move your boat by creating drag (think about it) like a sail
running dead downwind moves a sailboat by creating drag.
I don't know the dynamics of it but I find faster shorter, less-immersed
strokes to do as well or better than Big Gulp type strokes. I imagine
there's some sort of limit to the speed you get from a paddle stroke which
has to do with the fact that you can't go on creating more and more drag by
pushing harder. This limit would probably be made up of the power output
curve of a muscle, the wave making drag of the boat in question, and the
viscosity of water.
But what do I know? <grin>
Craig O'Donnell
The Proa FAQ <http://www.cyber-dyne.com/~jkohnen/proafaq.html>
The Cheap Pages <http://www.friend.ly.net/user-homepages/d/dadadata/>
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_________________________________
-- Professor of Boatology
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Friend of Wanda the Wonder Cat, 1991-1997.
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