Re: [Paddlewise] Ballast Rocks

From: Rich Kulawiec <rsk_at_gsp.org>
Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 14:00:02 -0400
On Fri, Sep 18, 1998 at 08:10:00AM -0700, Dan Hagen wrote:
> It has been demonstrated repeatedly that a superior method for
> increasing stability in rough seas involves the use of ballast. 

It also helps with boat trim.  Back when I paddled bow in our old slalom C-2
and outweighed my stern partner by ~50 pounds, we used to put a couple
of rocks all the way in the back of the boat in order to counterbalance
my weight on the front.  This served to prevent the bow from pearling
whenever we tried upstream ferries...and the slightly increased weight
was more than made up for by better handling.

Now that we have a C-2 with high bow volume (a Whup-A-Tar) and that
I'm paddling stern, this problem has been replaced by a different one:
keeping the bow down in the water on high-speed on-side eddy turns. ;-)

Oops.

---Rsk
Rich Kulawiec
rsk_at_gsp.org

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Received on Fri Sep 18 1998 - 11:00:00 PDT

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