Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak volumes

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
Date: Wed, 09 Jun 1999 21:53:31 -0700
Matt Broze wrote:
> 
> Udo Beier (and now others have joined in the effort) keeps a list of mostly
> European kayaks. He lists the volume dimensions of the bow/cockpit/day/rear
> compartments. [snip]

> Maybe a standard volume should be subtracted to cover the average unusable
> space around the average paddler. That way a 80 gallon kayak compared to a
> 100 gallon kayak would not appear to have 80% of the gear capacity. After
> subtracting 40 or 50 gallons for the paddlers space

I'd estimate (200 lbs)*(1 pint/1 lb)*(1 gallon/8 pints) = 25 gallons for a
paddler's *total* volume.  The paddler's torso (above the midriff), arms, and
head are all out of the boat, so knock a third off to give 16 gallons.  This
calculation assumes the density of an average paddler is close to that of
water.  Most of us are a little less dense than that, so maybe we 200-pounders
occupy 17 gallons of boat.  I'd guess this is close, because it ignores the
extra volume of clothing, but over-estimates the proportion of the body
actually inside the boat.  (That 1/3 I knocked off is low, I bet.)

Lighterweight folks would occupy proportionately less.

It is our **weight** which is the critical consumer of yak capacity, not the
chunk of volume we take up inside.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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Received on Wed Jun 09 1999 - 21:54:03 PDT

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