Subject: Re: baidarka R: stability/performance vs. flexibility
From: Douglas and Leticia (huftdecruz@earthlink.net)
Date: Thu Dec 28 2000 - 23:37:34 EST
on 12/28/00 3:48 PM, Peter A. Chopelas at pac@premier1.net wrote:
> Stefano wrote:
>
>
>> Boats are the evaluated against this designer statement. Does the boat fill
>> the purposes ? How much so ? Does it go beyond that goal, and how?
>>
>> I find this attitude pretty sound and useful. more than comparisons that
>> are not related to any specific goal.
>
>
>
> The problem is that there has been a lot of debate and speculation about the
> usefulness of a flexible hull in a traditional baidarka with no actual
> knowledge or experience.
>
> So the questions I would hope to answer are: Is a flexible hull beneficial
> or not? If so under what conditions? Is this something that should be
> designed into a hull and if so how much flex? Or is flex something that
> should be eliminated at much as possible?
>
> So the basic question is is why should a designer want (or not want) a
> flexible hull? And if so how do you determine how much flex is desirable
> for the conditions you are designing for?
>
> You are really reversing the question and asking "what is the boat for?" I
> am asking "what is flex good for?" a very different focus, and equally
> important if you want to use all available knowledge in designing your boat.
>
> Peter
>
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>
I learned what flex is good for when my 22' aluminum frame double baidarka
was towed alongside a coastguard vessel at approximately a 45 degree angle
while full of water for several miles . A lot of lessons were learned that
day but the baidarka survived (admittedly it now has a bit more rocker than
when originally lashed). I am pretty sure a rigid glass boat would have
faired much worse.
Doug
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